House at 532 Harvard Street
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 532 Harvard Street in the Houston Heights was built in 1904-05 and sits in the middle of a residential block. It has a hipped roof with a lateral gable and a projecting gable-end bay on the front facade, the gable end shingled and pierced by a small window. An attached porch rests on turned posts with square balusters, and full-length one-over-one windows open onto it to the left of a single door with a transom. A small diamond-shaped window sits to the right, and the upper windows have two-over-two lights. Aluminum siding, similar in size to the original weatherboards, now covers the walls. The records indicate Hart Oil and Well Company built the house for one of its employees. It is regarded as typical of the larger homes built in the Heights as Houston grew with the oil industry and white-collar workers and professionals moved to the suburbs. It remains a residence and is recognized locally for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The house is considered significant locally for its architecture. It is typical of the larger homes built in the Heights as Houston grew with the oil industry and white-collar workers and professionals moved into the suburbs. It was built by Hart Oil and Well Company for one of its employees.
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 83004448, listed June 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 532 Harvard St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | June 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004448 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-- |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; built by Hart Oil and Well Company for one of its employees |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival influence (Victorian) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; original site; aluminum siding similar in size to the original weatherboards; present use is residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.78082, -95.39596 (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 83004448.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001016
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.