Langsford, Samuel, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1892 at 1208 E. Marvin in Waxahachie, this two-story frame house follows a modified L-plan, one of the most common vernacular house types in the city during the late nineteenth century. It was constructed for Samuel P. Langsford, an insurance agent who lived there until his death in 1911. The house has weatherboard siding, a hip roof with gables, and wood double-hung windows with one-over-one lights. Two single-door entrances have transoms, and a five-bay shed-roofed porch wraps around the north and west sides, with squared wood balusters and box columns. Decorative details include jig-sawn bargeboard and imbricated shingles in the gable ends, and an interior brick chimney rises through the roof. Alterations were completed about 1913, and the house remains in good condition and residential use. It was recognized as one of the city's best examples of its type, and it is included in a group of Waxahachie properties.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the city's best examples of a two-story, modified L-plan dwelling, one of the most common vernacular house types in Waxahachie in the late nineteenth century. It was built for insurance agent Samuel P. Langsford, who lived there until his death in 1911. Its significance is argued under architecture.
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 86002523, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1208 E. Marvin, Waxahachie |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Modified L-plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded in good condition, with alterations completed about 1913; present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.38841, -96.82820 (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 86002523.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001979
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.