Payne, M. S., House
Why it's listed
This one-and-a-half-story frame house at 521 N. Grand Street in Waxahachie dates to about 1895 and follows a modified L-plan, a house type that was among the most common in town around the turn of the twentieth century. It has weatherboard siding, a hip roof with gables covered in wood shingles, and double-hung wood windows. A five-bay porch with a shed roof wraps around the south and east sides, supported by turned wood posts and balusters. Distinctive features include a diagonal entry bay under a projecting gable, a denticulated cornice, imbricated shingles in the gable ends, classical detailing around doors and windows, and finials on the roof crests. An unusual gable-roofed turret extends from the front. The house was listed for its architecture and as the home of the M. S. Payne family into the 1930s. It has been moved to its current site in a residential area northwest of downtown. It remains in residential use and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The form cites architecture as its significance. It is described as a fine example of the modified L-plan house, one of the town's most common turn-of-the-century house types. An unusual gable-roofed turret projecting from the front adds to its distinction. It was also the home of the M. S. Payne family into the 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 86002413, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 521 N. Grand, Waxahachie |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002413 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Modified L-plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good, and the present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.40427, -96.85865 (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 86002413.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001962
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.