House at 508 North Dallas
Why it's listed
This one-story frame house at 508 North Dallas in Ennis was built around 1900 to 1910 and later moved to its present residential area north of the central business district. It follows a modified L-plan, the most common house plan in the region, but with an unusual two-story tower. The walls are clad in weatherboard and drop siding, and the hip roof has gables with composition shingles and imbricated shingles in the gable ends. A five-bay shed-roofed porch wraps around the south and west sides, supported by square wood posts, with fluted pilasters at the corners. Windows are wood double-hung sash with one-over-one lights. The house was listed for its architecture: its massing is reminiscent of Victorian-era designs, and it is considered one of the best remaining local versions of the modified L-plan. Dr. T. W. White lived here in the 1920s and 1930s. The house remains in residential use and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the best remaining local examples of a modified L-plan dwelling, one of the most common regional plan types. Its unusually massed form recalls Victorian-era house designs, and the two-story tower is an unusual feature for this plan type. It was also the home of Dr. T. W. White in the 1920s and 1930s.
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 86002381, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 508 N. Dallas, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002381 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Modified L-plan |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good, with residential present use. The house has been moved from its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.33110, -96.63031 (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 86002381.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001916
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.