House at 1517 Cortland Street
Why it's listed
Built in 1905 at 1517 Cortlandt Street in the Houston Heights, this one-story frame cottage was constructed by Hugh Slover, a craftsman who lived in the 1200 block of the same street and operated a carpenter's shop with his brother. It has clapboard walls, a composition roof, a projecting gable-end bay with fish-scale shingles, and an attached porch on turned columns. Two single doors open onto the porch, and the windows are long and narrow with two-over-two lights. The bay window has leaded glass. The style shows Queen Anne influence. A one-story addition was later made at the rear. The lot is a large yard with five oaks lining the street, and two buildings stand behind the house, one attached to it. The property was recognized locally as a good example of a basic, early cottage. It also reflects the Heights custom of craftsmen building homes for their own use or as rentals.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a good example of a basic, early cottage. It also reflects a common Heights practice in which craftsmen built homes for their own use or as rentals. Its builder, Hugh Slover, ran a carpenter's shop with his brother.
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 83004446, listed June 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1517 Cortland St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | June 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004446 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-- |
| Architect / builder | Hugh Slover |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as good; present use is residence-rental. A one-story addition has been made to the rear of the house. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.79877, -95.39587 (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 83004446.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002111
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.