Berry House
Also known as: Stephenville Historical House Museum
Why it's listed
Built in 1869 at 525 E. Washington Street in Stephenville, this small two-story stone cottage is the oldest house still standing in town. Colonel J. D. Berry erected it with the help of stonemason J. J. Wyatt, laying the stone flat and cushioning it with lime and sand. Steeply gabled and shingled, it has a chimney at each gable end, ornate bargeboards, attic vents shaped like Pennsylvania hex symbols, and narrow windows with white louvered shutters. The porch and deck date from a 1965 restoration. The cottage is regarded as one of the few examples of residential Gothic Revival architecture in Texas, recalling the English Cottage designs popularized by Andrew Jackson Downing. The Berry family lived here from 1869 to 1900, and Berry established a law office and a bank in Stephenville. After years of neglect under later owners, the city bought the house in 1968. Public donations funded its restoration, and it now operates as a historical house museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as one of the few examples of residential Gothic Revival architecture in Texas, in the style sometimes called English Cottage. It is also the oldest house in Stephenville. It was the home of the influential John Berry family from 1869 to 1900.
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 80004116, listed May 15, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 525 E. Washington St., Stephenville |
|---|---|
| County | Erath County |
| Listed | May 15, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004116 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | J.J. Wyatt, stonemason |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (English Cottage) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored through public donations and operated as a historical house museum; the form lists its condition as good and its status as occupied and unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.22209, -98.19952 (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 80004116.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000436
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.