Copeland, Austin, House I
Why it's listed
This one-story frame cottage at 921 Arlington in Houston was built in 1905 by Austin Copeland as his own home. It rests on brick piers and has clapboard walls, a composition roof, and a rectangular plan under combined hipped and gable-front roofs. The four-bay east facade has 2-over-2 windows, a paneled door, and a corner porch with a rounded corner and two Doric columns. A gable above the right-hand bays holds a tripartite window and is surrounded by fish-scale shingles. The design is vernacular with Queen Anne influence. The house is considered important as a small, particularly well-preserved example of its housing type. It also stands out because Copeland built it for himself and lived there from 1905 to 1914, making it one of few houses built by its owner as a personal residence. Alterations are limited to a sympathetic enclosure of the rear service porch and a modern detached carport with utility room, which does not contribute. The house remains a residence among similar properties.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as a small, well-preserved vernacular dwelling that represents its housing type. It is also one of the few houses built by its owner as his own home. Copeland lived there from 1905 to 1914.
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 87002248, listed January 15, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 921 Arlington, Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | January 15, 1988 |
| Reference number | 87002248 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900 - |
| Architect / builder | Austin Copeland |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Queen Anne influence |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a residence; physical condition listed as excellent. A modern detached carport with utility room is noted as non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.78788, -95.39437 (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 87002248.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001049
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.