Donalson, Cora Jackman, House
Also known as: Word House
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 at 200 South Sledge Street in Kyle, Texas, this two-story wood frame house was ordered by Cora Jackman Donalson, a widow who retired from a family ranch to town. Plans came from the Radford Architectural Company of Chicago, and lumber was supplied through the local Wallace Brothers Lumber Company. The design combines Queen Anne massing, bay windows, semi-circular gable windows and a corbelled chimney with Classical Revival touches such as Ionic porch columns and a sidelit entry. Changes in the early 1930s, including a small north addition and enclosure of part of the porch, fall within the historic period. A 1936 brick garage, a concrete lily pond and a honeycomb rock wall also contribute. The house is the only documented catalog-plan house in Kyle, and it illustrates how mail-order plans and rail-delivered lumber shaped small Texas towns in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated under Criterion C for architecture at the local level. It is the only documented house in Kyle built from a catalog plan book, and a characteristic, well-preserved example of Radford-type design blending Queen Anne and Classical Revival elements. Its alterations were made during the 1913-1936 period of significance and reflect changing needs and architectural trends.
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 10000864, listed October 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 200 S Sledge St, Kyle |
|---|---|
| County | Hays County |
| Listed | October 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000864 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1936 |
| Architect / builder | Radford Homes; Wallace Brothers Lumber Company |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is single dwelling with secondary structures; the form says the present owners have carefully maintained the house, replacing materials in kind. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.99013, -97.88010 (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 10000864.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002697
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.