Ransom House
Why it's listed
Built around 1900 at 501 N. McKinney in Ennis, Texas, this two-story frame house follows a modified L-plan. It has weatherboard siding, a hip roof with gables covered in composition shingles, and double-hung wood windows with one-over-one lights. A single-door entrance with a transom opens from a five-bay porch with a hip roof that wraps around the south and east sides on Doric columns, with a sunburst motif in the porch pediment. Imbricated shingles fill the gable ends, and jig-sawn brackets decorate the corners. The house has been moved and now stands in a mostly residential area northwest of the central business district. Its architect and builder are unknown. It was recorded as a good local example of a simple vernacular form elaborated with Victorian and classical details. Most similar houses are one story, which makes this two-story version less common. Records show Mrs. Cora Ransom owned the house from the 1910s into the 1930s, and the house was in good condition when surveyed in 1985.
Significance in brief: The inventory form describes it as a good local example of an elaboration of simpler vernacular forms. It is a less common two-story version of numerous, mostly one-story houses of similar design, conservatively embellished with Victorian and classical details.
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 86002456, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 501 N. McKinney, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002456 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Modified L-plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and used as a residence; the house has been moved from its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.33022, -96.63160 (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 86002456.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001915
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.