Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad Depot and Office Building
Why it's listed
This two-story brick depot and office building in Teague, Texas, was finished in 1907 for the Trinity and Brazos Valley Railroad. Architect C.H. Page, Jr., of Austin gave it a Spanish-influenced Renaissance revival design, with buff brick trimmed in red, arcaded porticos, a tile hipped roof and a corner tower with a square cupola. An octagonal rotunda served as the ticketing area, surrounded by waiting rooms, with a dining hall at the south end and offices upstairs. The depot served passengers until 1966, and the railroad sold it to the city in 1969. It became a railroad museum in 1970. It mattered because the railroad's main offices were here, and Teague was a division point and the main passenger stop on the line between Waxahachie and Houston. The town grew around the railroad, which long remained its chief employer. The building keeps its original lighting fixtures, furnishings and interior layout with few major changes.
Significance in brief: It was among the first brick buildings in Teague and housed the main offices of the Trinity and Brazos Valley (T&BV) Railroad, which shaped the town's growth. Teague was the main passenger stop between Waxahachie and Houston and the principal one of sixteen townsites developed because of the line. The building is also noted for its Spanish/Renaissance revival design and its largely intact interior.
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 79002940, listed March 21, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 208 S. 3rd Ave., Teague |
|---|---|
| County | Freestone County |
| Listed | March 21, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002940 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-present |
| Architect / builder | C.H. Page, Jr., Architect, Austin; Jess F. Denning, Mexia, and Jake Wattinger, Austin, Contractors |
| Architectural style | Spanish/Renaissance revival |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Transportation, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used since 1970 as the Burlington-Rock Island Railroad Museum, owned by the City of Teague; passenger service ended in 1966. Interior is largely unchanged, though moisture in the basement is damaging plaster and paint. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.62566, -96.28538 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 79002940.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q56282064
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.