Mackey, William, House
Why it's listed
This one-story wood frame house at 313 E. 37th Street in Houston's Independence Heights neighborhood dates from about 1915. It follows a modified L-plan form, with a large hipped roof of asphalt shingles, concrete piers, and wood siding. An inset corner porch on the southeast corner has square posts on brick piers and may date to the 1920s. The three-bay front has paired 2/2 wooden windows and a single wooden door. William Mackey, who lived here, became Camp Commander of the American Woodmen Camp 272 and Tent 272 by 1915. The camp was one of three active fraternal organizations in the community, and such groups gave African American residents social outlets and insurance benefits. The house was also the first meeting place of the Unity School of Christianity. It was listed for its local importance in Black ethnic heritage and as one of the best surviving examples of the modified L-plan, a largely intact house reflecting traditional local building preferences.
Significance in brief: The house is among the earliest in Independence Heights and was the home of William Mackey, a community leader who was Camp Commander of the American Woodmen Camp and whose home hosted the first meetings of the Unity School of Christianity. It is also considered one of the best surviving local examples of a modified L-plan house.
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 97000547, listed June 4, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 313 E. 37th St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | June 4, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000547 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1915-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Modified L-plan |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling, as in its historic function; described as largely intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.81078, -95.39513 (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 97000547.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q60750211
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.