Moore, John M. and Lottie D., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1883 for rancher John M. Moore and his bride Lottie Dyer, this two-story wood-frame house in Richmond, Texas, began as a bracketed Italianate residence designed by architect Thomas Culshaw, with a mansard roof and central tower. In 1905 the Austin firm C.H. Page and Brothers remodeled it in the Classical Revival style, adding a grand semi-circular porch with Ionic columns and a new interior staircase. Moore later served in the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress, and the house also hosted the founding of the First Baptist Church of Richmond and served as a neighborhood schoolhouse. After his death it became the home of his son, John Jr., who also pursued public service. The property fills an entire city block and includes a grape arbor, storm shelter, covered walkway and a cistern within a gazebo. Today it functions as a museum and keeps much of its historic landscaping and 1905 character.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to John M. Moore, a local rancher who served in the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress, and is significant locally in Politics/Government. It is also a good example of a Victorian house successfully remodeled into Classical Revival style by the Austin firm C.H. Page and Brothers.
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 01000104, listed February 9, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 406 S. Fifth St., Richmond |
|---|---|
| County | Fort Bend County |
| Listed | February 9, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000104 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1883-1949 |
| Architect / builder | Culshaw, Thomas (1883), architect; C.H. Page and Brothers, architect (1905). |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a museum; the house retains a high degree of integrity of its 1905 appearance despite some adaptation for museum use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.58121, -95.76116 (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 01000104.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6246025
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.