Wilson House
Why it's listed
Built around 1907 at 1206 Cortlandt in the Houston Heights, this one-and-a-half-story frame cottage reflects Queen Anne design with some Colonial Revival influence. Its combination roof includes a projecting gable bay on the front, finished with shingles and a small multi-paned window. An attached porch curves to one side and rests on Doric columns with square balusters. Other features include a single door with a transom, one-over-one windows, shutters, an interior brick chimney and a concrete foundation. The walls are clapboard and the roof is composition. The house was first the home of Earl Wilson, who acted as mayor pro tempore after R. F. Isbell resigned in 1914. His father, G. W. Wilson, served as city marshal and tax collector. The cottage is valued for its architecture as a finely detailed example of a type common in the early Heights, and for its link to local government. It sits on a well-kept corner lot with trees and ivy, and later changes include a screened veranda and a garage.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an excellent example of the detailed cottages common in the early Heights. It was also the original home of Earl Wilson, who served as mayor pro tempore after R. F. Isbell resigned in 1914. Wilson was the son of G. W. Wilson, a city marshal and tax collector.
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 84001841, listed May 14, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1206 Cortlandt St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | May 14, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001841 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-- |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne and Colonial Revival influence |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as good. It is still used as a residence, and the corner lot is well kept. Alterations include somewhat intrusive screening of the veranda and a later garage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.79292, -95.39522 (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 84001841.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002138
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.