Doughty, Lula J., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at 1233 Yale in the Houston Heights, this 1 1/2-story frame house combines vernacular form with Queen Anne influence. It has a modified L-plan, drop siding, a double-hipped roof with intersecting gables, and wood windows. A five-bay porch wraps the southeast corner, supported by Ionic columns on square brick piers, with a paneled ceiling. The house sits on cypress beams atop five-foot brick piers, and gable ends have pent roofs and imbricated shingles. Before 1935 the back porch was enclosed and a hipped dormer was added over the canted box bay, using matching siding and windows. The house is listed for its architecture. It is an elaborate example of the small cottages found in the Heights and reflects the upper middle-class suburban housing of the area. Its brick piers, columns and box bay set it apart from similar cottages. Lula J. Doughty, principal of Beauchamp Springs School, bought it in 1909. It remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of an elaborate Queen Anne influenced cottage in the Houston Heights and illustrative of the area's upper middle-class suburban homes. Its high brick piers, Ionic columns and box bay make it an unusual example among similar small Heights cottages. It is also tied to Lula J. Doughty, principal of Beauchamp Springs School, who purchased it in 1909.
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 90001046, listed July 17, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1233 Yale St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | July 17, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001046 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Queen Anne influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is described as good; the present use is residence. A modern L-shaped double garage and workshop is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.79339, -95.39926 (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 90001046.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001079
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.