Strain Farm-Strain, W.A., House (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: W.A. Strain House
Why it's listed
This 163-acre farm in Lancaster, Dallas County, surrounds an 1896 farmhouse complex that was listed in 1978 on a 2-acre tract. The expanded area protects the landscape around the house: terraced and contoured fields, a trench silo, a windmill and well site, a ca. 1900 barn, and archaeological remains of a wagon dump and a chicken house destroyed by a 1994 tornado. A 1920 brick garage and an old millstone within the original tract are also counted. The farm matters because Ellis Strain, working with Dallas County extension agent A.B. Jolley, built soil conservation terraces from about 1930 to curb erosion left by decades of cotton growing and tenant farming. He also grew award-winning hybrid corn and raised special livestock breeds for neighbors to observe. Aerial photographs from 1942 show the terraced fields much as they look today, set apart from surrounding rectangular fields. The farm was one of few known demonstration farms in the county between 1930 and 1950.
Significance in brief: The farm is nominated under Criterion A in Agriculture and Conservation at the local level. Ellis Strain used it as a demonstration farm under the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, building soil conservation terraces from about 1930 and trying new crops and livestock breeds. The terraces and contoured fields survive largely as they appeared in 1942 aerial photographs, making them early local examples of erosion control on blackland prairie.
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 01001002, listed September 17, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 400 Lancaster-Hutchins Rd., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Dallas County |
| Listed | September 17, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001002 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1896-1951 |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Conservation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a working farm; the 1896 farmstead largely remains in operation, and some barns and fields continue in agricultural use. |
| Acreage | 163 |
| Coordinates | 32.59094, -96.75697 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 01001002.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900796
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.