House at 609 East Live Oak
Why it's listed
Built around 1880 in a residential area east of Cuero's central business district, this 1 1/2-story frame house follows an L plan. It has weatherboard siding, a gable roof with composition shingles, and double-hung wood windows with two-over-two lights. A three-bay porch is inset on the north elevation, with box columns, molded caps and jig-sawn brackets. Gabled dormers sit off center above the facade, and the gable ends have kicked eaves. The pedimented door and window surrounds carry geometric jig-sawn applique. Tax rolls show that John Muti owned the house, as he did its neighbor at 607 East Live Oak, until 1898, when A. Ratti appears as owner. The house was recognized as one of Cuero's earliest and most outstanding L-plan dwellings, chiefly for its architectural character. Its decorative surrounds and dormers are singled out, and few alterations detract from its historic integrity. It remains in good condition and is still used as a residence.
Significance in brief: It is considered one of Cuero's earliest and most outstanding L-plan dwellings. It is especially noteworthy for its pedimented window and door surrounds with jig-sawn applique and its gabled dormers. Few alterations detract from its historic integrity.
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 88001968, listed October 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 609 E. Live Oak, Cuero |
|---|---|
| County | DeWitt County |
| Listed | October 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001968 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | L-plan dwelling |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition is listed as good, and the present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.09028, -97.28416 (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 88001968.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000793
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.