Johnson, Joseph F., House
Also known as: Miller House
Why it's listed
Built of poured lime-and-gravel concrete, this two-story house at 761 Johnson Avenue in Seguin was begun in 1847 by Colonel Joseph F. Johnson, who had come from Virginia in 1844. Slave labor built it at a reported cost of $10,000. The walls were formed in boards and raised about a foot at a time, using gravel and lime from the Guadalupe River bottom, a method developed in Seguin by Dr. Richard Parks. Tobias Meineger is credited as architect. The house originally showed Greek Revival features, including a two-story columned portico, which were removed or altered after World War II when it became apartments. Inside, a central hall plan, walnut woodwork and a fine stairway survive. Johnson laid out the townsite of Guadalupe City, built Seguin's first grist mill, flour mill and cotton gin, and served as mayor before dying in office in 1856. The house stands as one of Seguin's surviving early concrete buildings.
Significance in brief: The house is a surviving example of the limecrete concrete construction developed in Seguin by Dr. Richard Parks, and it demonstrates the method's durability. It was also the home of Johnson, an early settler, townsite developer, mill builder and briefly mayor of Seguin. Originally Greek Revival in style, it is one of about twenty-five extant early concrete buildings in the town.
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 78002940, listed June 23, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 761 Johnson Ave., Seguin |
|---|---|
| County | Guadalupe County |
| Listed | June 23, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002940 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1847-1854 |
| Architect / builder | Tobias Meineger (attributed architect); Dr. Richard Parks (contractor for many Seguin concrete buildings) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (original facade influence) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and unaltered on the form; converted to apartments after World War II, with later efforts by owners to preserve and restore it. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 29.56373, -97.97423 (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 78002940.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002090
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.