Gerloff House
Why it's listed
Located at 221 East 12th Avenue in Houston Heights, this 1 1/2-story frame house dates to 1912 and was substantially enlarged in 1922. It has a modified L-plan, a pier-and-beam foundation, drop siding and an asphalt roof. An inset porch on the southeast corner is supported by three box columns with square wood balusters. The 1922 work extended the rear by ten feet and replaced the original hipped roof and hipped dormers with a gabled roof and gabled dormers, giving the front and rear of the house a uniform look. The front gable is closed by a pent roof, the rear gable is open, and both hold triple wood windows added in the remodeling. The house was recognized for its architecture at the local level, as a distinctive closed-gable suburban cottage with bungalow influence in Houston Heights. It faces south on a landscaped lot with two mature oaks and is still used as a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a unique example in Houston Heights of a 1 1/2-story closed-gable suburban cottage with bungalow influence. The 1922 enlargement and alterations gave it an individual character among bungalow-influenced dwellings in the area. Significance is local and rests on architecture.
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 90001047, listed July 17, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 221 E. 12th Ave., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | July 17, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001047 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Bungalow |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is described as excellent; the property remains in residential use, and the original garage is non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.79260, -95.39621 (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 90001047.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q140166948
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.