Alderdice, J. M., House
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Why it's listed
Built around 1895 at 1500 W. Main in Waxahachie, this two-story frame house follows a modified L-plan, a Victorian elaboration of the older two-room, center-passage layout. It has weatherboard siding, a hip roof with gables, double-hung wood windows, and a ten-bay porch that wraps around the facade with turned posts, balusters and a spindlework frieze. The recessed second-story porch repeats those details, and the projecting bay carries elaborate corner brackets. The house was built for J. M. Alderdice, who served as superintendent of county schools during the 1890s and later as a state legislator in the early 1900s. He sold it in 1925. It is regarded as one of the city's best examples of a two-story modified L-plan dwelling with Queen Anne detailing, a house type built locally in significant numbers and variety. Its good condition and high degree of integrity supported its listing for local architectural significance. The house is still used as a residence.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of the city's best examples of a two-story modified L-plan dwelling with Queen Anne style details. The modified L-plan is a Victorian elaboration of the traditional two-room, center-passage plan, and it was built locally in significant numbers and variety. The house was built for J. M. Alderdice, a county schools superintendent in the 1890s and later a state legislator. Reviewers noted its fine detailing and high degree of 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 86002443, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1500 W. Main, Waxahachie |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002443 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Modified L-plan with Queen Anne style details |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, with residential present use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.39804, -96.86390 (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 86002443.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.