West End Historic District
Why it's listed
West End is a 77-acre residential neighborhood west of downtown Waxahachie, Texas, laid out along W. Main and W. Jefferson streets. Part of it lies in the city's first subdivision, the Town Addition, and the western part was platted in 1889 as the West End Addition, with uniform lots, a circular drive and an elliptical park on Main Street. Four modest houses from the 1850s to 1880s survive, among the oldest in the city. Most buildings date from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when rail-shipped lumber let builders construct grander homes. The district includes the Dunlap-Simpson House, a leading local Queen Anne example, and the Neoclassical Revival Sims Library and Mahoney House. It also contains four-square houses, bungalows, a former Presbyterian church and a Masonic temple. The district was listed for its architecture, community planning, education and social history, and for the care residents have given its historic character over the decades.
Significance in brief: The district is presented as an excellent cross-section of domestic architectural styles and plan types from Waxahachie's most prosperous period, including the city's finest Queen Anne and Neoclassical Revival houses. It also holds some of the city's oldest surviving houses, a library, a former church and a Masonic temple. It is further noted for its planned 1889 West End Addition, with its park and circular drive, and for how well the neighborhood has been maintained.
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 86002474, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Central, W. Water, Monroe, Madison and W. Jefferson, Waxahachie |
|---|---|
| County | Ellis County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002474 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899; 1900-1935 |
| Architect / builder | Varies by property; the form names S. Weymes Smith (architect of the Sims Library) and Dennis Mahoney (builder of the Mahoney House). |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Neoclassical Revival, bungalow, four-square and vernacular house forms |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as good; the neighborhood is described as remarkably well maintained. Present uses include private residences, a library and a park. |
| Acreage | 77 |
| Coordinates | 32.39079, -96.85660 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 86002474.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7985090
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.