Wimberly House
Why it's listed
Built around 1906 at 703 Harvard in the Houston Heights, this one-story frame cottage has an L-shaped plan and a pitched roof with a projecting front gable bay. The gable has a small window and round-butt shingles. A porch wraps around one side, supported by turned posts and decorated with flatcut sawtooth fretwork, pendants and fanciful brackets. Two single front doors with transoms and two-over-two windows complete the design, and the name "Wimberly" appears in the sidewalk. James Wimberly had the house built to be near his business, the Wimberly Brothers Grocery at 702 Heights Boulevard. The store was a popular gathering place for this end of the Heights because residents paid their taxes there. The house was recognized as a good example of a simple cottage with Queen Anne influence that remains substantially intact. It sits on a corner lot beside railroad tracks, shaded by large trees, and has served as both a residence and a beauty shop.
Significance in brief: The house was built for James Wimberly beside his business, the Wimberly Brothers Grocery at 702 Heights Boulevard, a popular gathering place where residents paid their taxes. It is described as a good example of a simple cottage with Queen Anne influence that remains substantially intact. Significance is rated local, under architecture.
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 84001843, listed May 14, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 703 Harvard St., Houston |
|---|---|
| County | Harris County |
| Listed | May 14, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001843 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-- |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is described as good; the building is used as a residence and beauty shop, with no known alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.77476, -95.39644 (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 84001843.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002163
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.