Coombs, Charles E., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1909, this one-story frame house at 1037 Columbia is a modest Queen Anne influenced cottage in the Houston Heights. Charles H. Tefft is named as architect or builder. The house has a modified L-plan, a pier and beam foundation, clapboard siding and a double hipped roof with a gable over the east ell. A four-bay porch with slender Tuscan-style columns wraps around the south side. The most distinctive feature is the canted bay on the east elevation, which has a pent roof, a wide frieze board, jigsawn brackets and a wood window with multiple diamond-shaped panes in the upper sash. The nomination considers this detailing unusual for cottages in the neighborhood. The house was commissioned by Charles E. Coombs, a tank wagon driver for Waters Pierce Oil Company, and his family lived there for almost 70 years. Alterations include an enclosed screened porch before 1925 and a secondary front entrance added during World War II. It remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a good example of a Queen Anne influenced cottage built in the Houston Heights at the turn of the century. Its detailing and prominent canted bay make a unique statement for this type of dwelling in the neighborhood. It was also commissioned by Charles E. Coombs, a tank wagon driver for Waters Pierce Oil Company, and his family lived there for almost 70 years.
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 90001041, listed July 17, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1037 Columbia, Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | July 17, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001041 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Charles H. Tefft |
| Architectural style | vernacular/Queen Anne influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as good; the house is still used as a residence. A modern frame garage is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.79006, -95.39339 (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 90001041.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001077
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.