Lund House
Why it's listed
Located on a corner lot at 301 East 5th Street in Houston Heights, this one-and-a-half-story frame cottage dates from between 1896 and 1899. Gustav Lund, a German immigrant and carpenter at the Southern Pacific Railroad shops, built it after buying the land from the Omaha and South Texas Land Company in 1896 for $450. Lund later served as an alderman in 1897 and 1899. The house is described in the Queen Anne style, with a hipped roof, a side gable, and a projecting gable over the front bay decorated with bargeboard. Turned posts support the porch, and the chamfered bay has cut-out brackets and dropped pendants. Windows have one-over-one lights, and most openings have molded architraves. Dormers were added to three sides later. It is considered one of the earliest surviving houses in the Heights and was recognized locally for its architecture. It stands among large trees behind a chain-link fence and is used as a rental residence.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as one of the earliest houses remaining in the Heights. It was built by Gustav Lund, a German immigrant who worked as a carpenter at the Southern Pacific Railroad shops and was later elected alderman in 1897 and 1899. Its significance is listed under 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 83004470, listed June 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 301 E. 5th St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | June 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004470 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Gustav Lund |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is described as good; present use is a rental residence. Dormers were added to three sides of the house. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.77975, -95.39521 (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 83004470.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001040
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.