Milroy-Muller House
Why it's listed
Built in 1895, this two-story frame house at 1602 Harvard Street sits on a corner lot in Houston Heights, surrounded by mature vegetation. It has a pitched roof with a small dormer, a slightly projecting gable bay with shingled gables, scrollwork under the eaves, and a three-sided upper bay with three windows. A porch wraps to the side, with a shingled gable over the entrance supported by simple Doric columns. The front has double doors with a transom, and the windows have one-over-one lights. Clapboard siding and a composition roof complete the exterior. The house was the first Heights home of the John Milroy family before they moved to the Boulevard, and was later occupied by H. J. Muller, whose wife served actively on the Heights School Board. It is also noted as the home of a Houston Heights mayor. Its design shows the shift from Queen Anne to Colonial Revival styles, a combination once common in the neighborhood but now rare. It was recorded as unaltered and in fair condition.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the oldest in the area and was the first Heights home of the John Milroy family. It was later occupied by H. J. Muller, whose wife was active on the Heights School Board, and it is noted as the home of a Houston Heights mayor. It is also presented as a fine example of the transition from Queen Anne to Colonial Revival architecture, once common in the Heights but now almost rare.
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 84001816, listed May 14, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1602 Harvard St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | May 14, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001816 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Colonial Revival influence |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Recorded as a residence in fair condition with no alterations; original use and present use are both residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.80002, -95.39642 (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 84001816.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002108
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.