Lewis, Ella, Store and Rental Houses
Why it's listed
Three buildings on Courtlandt Street in Houston's Independence Heights neighborhood make up a small business complex dating to about 1920: a 2-story general store and two 1-story rental houses. Ella Lewis opened the store as a neighborhood grocery offering groceries and confectionery items. She apparently lived upstairs, ran a dressmaking shop and operated a small café in the same building. The store has a large gable roof, a shed-roof awning on decorative iron columns and a small corner bay window. The rental houses are identical, following a basic shotgun form with bungalow-influenced porches and siding. They are the last two of four houses Lewis had built. The complex is regarded as the only remaining one in the community that combined a store, restaurant, dressmaking shop and residence with rental housing. It reflects the pattern of small Black-owned businesses in the early twentieth century and was recognized locally for its role in Commerce and Ethnic Heritage.
Significance in brief: The complex is tied to Ella Lewis, one of several independent business owners in Independence Heights. It is described as the only remaining complex that combines a general store, restaurant, dressmaking shop and residence with rental houses. It is significant locally under Criterion A for Ethnic Heritage (Black) and Commerce.
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 97000543, listed June 4, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3404--3406--3408 Courtland St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | June 4, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000543 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1920-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | No style; Vernacular Shotgun with Bungalow Features |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form lists current functions as vacant (not in use) and single dwelling, and describes all buildings as in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Independence Heights Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.81744, -95.39591 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 97000543.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q60750159
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.