Bryant, William, Jr., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1889 on the southwest edge of Cedar Hill, this two-story wood-frame house was the home of William Bryant, Jr., and his wife Sarah Louisa McCan. It is finished in cypress lap siding with molded edges and corner boards topped with pilasters. The main block is a three-room "I" house with a broad stair in the hall, plus a two-story ell wing. Unlike most "I" houses, it has a two-story front portico under a steep gable with fish-scale shingles, bargeboard, chamfered posts and latticework railing. Bryant, whose father had built up large farmland holdings in southwestern Dallas County, was a successful cattle rancher and owned a commercial building on the town square. The house is considered significant as the last of two unaltered "I" houses in Dallas County, and the only one with external end chimneys and a formal central hall. Its pavilion in place of a full porch makes it a unique example of the type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as the last of two unaltered "I" houses in Dallas County. It is the only one with external end chimneys and a formal central hall. Its two-story pavilion in place of a full front porch makes it a unique example of its type.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85000711, listed March 27, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S. Broad and Cooper, Cedar Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Dallas County |
| Listed | March 27, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000711 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form mentions recent refurbishing, with the historic gable bargeboard to be copied and replaced. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.58601, -96.95724 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85000711.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001824
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.