Lewis, William, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 at 1201 E. Marvin in Waxahachie, this two-story frame house is considered one of the city's finest Queen Anne style dwellings. William F. Lewis, who ran a lumberyard in town, built it. Its asymmetrical plan, hip roof with gables, weatherboard siding and imbricated shingles show the irregular, picturesque form that late nineteenth-century builders favored. A seven-bay porch with turned wood posts, balusters and jig-sawn brackets wraps the facade, and a polygonal tower marks the corner. Tall first-floor porch windows open from floor to ceiling, and the windows have elaborate surrounds and hoods. Cornice details, modillions and bargeboards add to the ornament. Relatively few large Queen Anne houses were built locally, which adds to its importance. C. W. Gibson, a banker, bought the house in 1907 and owned it until 1920. It remains a residence in good condition and was recognized as an outstanding locally significant example of the style.
Significance in brief: The inventory form calls it one of the city's finest Queen Anne style dwellings. Few large-scale versions of the style were built locally. Its irregular roof, varied cladding, asymmetrical plan, elaborate jig-sawn and turned trim, and polygonal corner tower create a picturesque composition. A reviewer described it as an outstanding, locally significant example of a Queen Anne residence.
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 86002524, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1201 E. Marvin, Waxahachie |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002524 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by William F. Lewis, who operated a lumberyard; architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good; present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.38879, -96.82926 (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 86002524.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8014549
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.