Farrar House
Why it's listed
Built around 1885 at 601 S. Main in Ennis, this two-story frame dwelling is a center-hall I-house, one room deep. It has weatherboard siding, a gable roof with composition shingles, double-hung wood windows with four-over-four lights, and exterior brick chimneys. A one-bay porch with square wood posts marks the entry. The steep roof, dormers and gable show Gothic influence. The center bay is emphasized by the porch, a gable and jig-sawn bargeboard, and the dormer glazing has moldings and imbricated shingles. Corner pilasters complete the exterior. The house has been moved and now sits in a mostly residential area south of the central business district. It was recorded as the finest local example of an I-house, a type uncommon in Texas. T. B. Farrar, a prominent farmer and cattleman who came to Ellis County in 1880, lived here, and his family kept the property into the 1930s. The house remains residential and is in fair condition.
Significance in brief: The inventory form calls it the finest local example of an I-house, a type found in limited numbers in Texas. Its centered decorated gable flanked by dormers and a second-story balcony departs from local building traditions, though similar forms occur elsewhere in the region. It was also the home of T. B. Farrar, a prominent farmer and cattleman.
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 86002454, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 601 S. Main W, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002454 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | I-house |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition is listed as fair, and the present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.32139, -96.62228 (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 86002454.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001948
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.