Bell, John Y., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1896 for John Y. Bell, this two-story frame house at 304 E. Prairie in Cuero follows a T-shaped plan, a variation of the more common L-plan. Few T-plan houses were built in the city, and this one is considered among the best surviving examples. It has weatherboard siding, a hip roof with gables, and double-hung wood windows. Four-bay, two-story porches flank the front wing, decorated with turned-wood posts and balusters and ornate jigsawn trim. Other features include a two-story polygonal bay, two interior brick chimneys with corbeled caps, and gable ends covered in imbricated shingles. The doors have transoms and carved-wood detailing. The house stayed in the Bell family until 1970. Later changes include rear additions and a partly enclosed west porch, but its condition is good and it is still used as a residence. Its listing rests on its architectural character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as one of the city's best examples of a T-plan house, a variation of the L-plan that was rarely built in Cuero. It features ornate jigsawn and turned-wood detailing. The reviewer accepted it under Criterion C as a rare local example of the T-plan 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 88001982, listed October 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 304 E. Prairie, Cuero |
|---|---|
| County | DeWitt County |
| Listed | October 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001982 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | T-plan dwelling |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition is described as good, with rear additions and a partial enclosure of the west side porch. It remains in residential use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.09626, -97.28550 (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 88001982.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001879
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.