House at 1421 Harvard St.
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Why it's listed
This one-story frame cottage at 1421 Harvard Street in Houston Heights was built in 1905 and is probably the work of William A. Wilson, an investor who was very active in the development of the neighborhood. It has clapboard walls, a composition roof, and a high hipped roof with a large central gable holding a pair of windows. An attached porch rests on Ionic three-quarter columns set on battered wooden pedestals, with square balusters between them. The single door has a transom, the windows are one-over-one, and two interior brick chimneys rise through the roof. The survey describes it as detailed yet simple, a type common to the Heights. It is in excellent condition, stands on its original site, and has no recorded alterations. A small yard with one tree sits in the middle of the block, in well-kept residential surroundings. The house was originally a residence and is still used as a rental home. Its significance is local and rests on its architecture.
Significance in brief: It is described as a detailed but simple house type common to the Heights. It was probably built by William A. Wilson, an investor very active in developing the area. The area of significance is architecture, at the local level.
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 83004449, listed June 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1421 Harvard St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | June 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004449 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-- |
| Architect / builder | William A. Wilson |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival (Queen Anne cottage in the earlier survey entry) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as excellent, with no alterations and the original site. It is currently used as a rental residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.79686, -95.39697 (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 83004449.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002122
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.