House at 122 East Fifth Street
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Why it's listed
Built in 1906-07, this two-story frame house at 122 East Fifth Street is part of the Houston Heights neighborhood. It has clapboard walls and a composition roof with a dormer and a corner gable, whose shingled end holds a small window. A two-story gallery curves around the side, carried on Doric columns with delicately turned balusters, and the upper side of the gallery was enclosed early on. The entrance has a single door with a transom and sidelights, windows have one-over-one lights, and exterior stairs rise on the side. An iron fence with square brick piers encloses the large corner lot, which holds a large tree. The house is typical in form for its period in the Heights, yet it is unusual for so fine a house to face a cross street. It was first the home of Paul Roffal, proprietor of the Model Carriage Company, and in 1923 became the residence of geologist Miss Elizabeth Stile. Its architectural character and local associations support its listing.
Significance in brief: The house is typical in form for its period in the Heights, but it is unusual for such a fine house to face a cross street. It was originally the home of Paul Roffal, proprietor of the Model Carriage Company, and in 1923 became the residence of geologist Miss Elizabeth Stile. Its significance is local, in the area of 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 84001776, listed May 14, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 122 E. 5th St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | May 14, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001776 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-- |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival influence (also described as Queen Anne in an earlier survey record) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated fair-significant; still used as a residence at the time of the survey. The upper side gallery was enclosed at an early date. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.77972, -95.39666 (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 84001776.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000968
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.