House at 509 West Brown
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 509 West Brown in Ennis, Texas, dates to about 1905 and follows a modified L-plan. It is clad in drop siding under a hip roof with composition shingles, and its windows are wood-sash, double-hung units with single-pane sashes. A single-door entrance with a transom opens onto an L-shaped hip-roofed porch carried on tapered box supports and Doric columns, with paired supports framing the entry and resting on shingled pedestals. Single bellcast hipped dormers break the roofline of the facade, and brick chimneys rise inside the house. The house is notable for blending styles. Its asymmetrical massing is more typical of Victorian-era homes, but Neoclassical Revival and bungalow details give it an unusual local variation of early twentieth-century eclecticism. The house has been moved to a residential area west of the central business district. It remains in residential use and is described as being in good condition. Its architect and builder are unknown.
Significance in brief: The house is considered significant for its architecture. Its asymmetrical massing is more typical of Victorian-era dwellings, yet it carries Neoclassical Revival and bungalow details. The result is an unusual local variation of early twentieth-century eclecticism.
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 86002371, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 509 W. Brown, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002371 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Modified L-plan; Neoclassical Revival and bungalow details in an early twentieth-century eclectic composition |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and in residential use, both as originally and at present. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.32462, -96.63111 (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 86002371.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001921
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.