Novy, Joe, House
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Why it's listed
Built around 1915 at 401 N. Clay in Ennis, Texas, this house is a frame dwelling on a bungalow plan, faced in brick veneer. It has a hip roof with gables, tile, and a deep overhang, along with wood double-hung French windows and exterior brick chimneys. A three-bay porch with brick piers runs across the east elevation, and a gabled pediment on brackets marks the center bay. Other features include inset tile panels, planter boxes, a porte cochere on the south side, and a brick garage apartment. The house was built for Joe Novy, a local grocer. It is regarded as the outstanding example of the Prairie form in Ennis, showing Prairie School influence on north Texas architecture. Horizontal lines across the porch visually shorten the boxlike massing typical of regional Prairie-influenced designs. The house has been moved and now sits on a corner lot in a residential area northwest of the central business district. Its condition is excellent, and it remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the outstanding example of the Prairie form in Ennis. Its bungalow detailing suggests Prairie School influence on north Texas architecture. Horizontal lines visually shorten the boxlike massing typical of regional Prairie-influenced designs. It was also the residence of Joe Novy, an Ennis grocer.
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 86002376, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 401 N. Clay, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002376 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Prairie |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent, and the present use is residential. The house has been moved to its current corner lot. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.32722, -96.63487 (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 86002376.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001927
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.