Sharp House
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Why it's listed
Located at 208 N. Gaines in Ennis, Texas, this one-story frame bungalow was built in 1913 for John H. Sharp, a local attorney who lived there through the 1930s. G. W. Owens is listed as architect or builder. The house has a bungalow plan, horizontal wood siding, a gable roof with composition shingles, and double-hung wood windows with multiple sash over a single sash. A one-bay gabled porch on the west elevation rests on brick piers with contrasting trim and coping, and an interior brick chimney has a corbeled cap. Wide overhanging eaves, triangular braces and a separate sun porch entry are typical of the house type. A frame garage apartment stands on the lot. The property was recognized as a good local example of bungalow architecture, a style that was extremely popular in Ennis during the 1910s and 1920s. Its massing and exuberant detailing are more typical of the early phase of bungalow building. It remains in residential use and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The inventory form calls it a good local example of bungalow architecture, which was extremely popular in Ennis during the 1910s and 1920s. Its massing and exuberant detailing are more typical of the early phase of bungalow building. It is also tied to John H. Sharp, who had it built and lived there through 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 86002423, listed September 25, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 208 N. Gaines, Ennis |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 25, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002423 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | G. W. Owens |
| Architectural style | Bungalow |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; present use residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.32699, -96.63232 (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 86002423.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001923
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.