Stevenson, Joseph R. and Mary M., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1915 on the northwest corner of Harold and Stanford Streets in Houston's Montrose Addition, this two-story stucco house reflects the Craftsman movement with Prairie School influences. Its four-square plan, wrapping one-story porch, glazed second-floor sleeping porch, low roofs with wide eaves and exposed rafter ends, and false timbering in the gables are its notable features. Joseph R. Stevenson, co-founder of Stewart & Stevenson, designed the house for his family, paying for it with his wife Mary's inheritance. E. L. Crain, founder of the Crain Ready-Cut House Company, built it. The Stevensons lived there from 1915 until after World War II. A 1933 addition matched the original design, and later changes were limited, leaving the house with good integrity. The property is tied both to Stevenson's business career and to the early growth of Montrose, a planned residential development begun in the early 1910s.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an exceptional example of Craftsman architecture with Prairie School influences, designed by Joseph R. Stevenson and built by noted builder E. L. Crain. It is also associated with Stevenson, co-founder of the Fortune 500 company Stewart & Stevenson, who lived there during the company's formative years. It also reflects the early development of the Montrose neighborhood.
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 96000275, listed March 21, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 804 Harold St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | March 21, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000275 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1915-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Stevenson, Joseph R., Designer / Crain, E.L., Builder |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Industry, Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as structurally sound and in excellent condition, and still in use as a single dwelling. The owner is restoring the 1933 addition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.74143, -95.38913 (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 96000275.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002209
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.