Forrest, W. B., House
Why it's listed
Located at 500 Royal in a residential area northwest of downtown Waxahachie, this two-story frame house dates to about 1915 and has a hip roof with tile and a symmetrical, rectangular form. Its design draws on several styles. Deep overhanging eaves, a second-story sleeping porch, strong horizontal lines and multiple roof planes reflect bungalow and Prairie influence, while short Ionic columns on masonry block railings and decorated pediments over both entry bays recall Neoclassical Revival. A seven-bay porch wraps the south and east sides. The house was the home of W. B. Forrest, who operated a florist and nursery on the rear of the property. The Forrest Floral and Nursery, later Forrest's Greenhouses, ran into the 1950s, and the greenhouses were still standing and operating when surveyed. The property was listed for its unusual mix of architectural modes, which reviewers considered locally significant. The house is still used as a residence and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house combines bungalow, Prairie and Neoclassical Revival features in an unusual eclectic design, and it was judged locally significant for its architecture. It was also the home of W. B. Forrest, who ran a florist and nursery business on the rear of the property. The reviewer found commerce was not justified as an area of significance as documented.
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 86002451, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 500 Royal, Waxahachie |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002451 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Eclectic blend of bungalow, Prairie and Neoclassical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is good. The house is still residential, and the greenhouses were described as still standing and in operation at the time of the survey. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.94129, -96.86142 (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 86002451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002008
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.