Hofheinz, Walter, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at 819 West Hopkins Street in San Marcos, this two-and-a-half-story house was erected by the local Mead and Eastwood Lumber Company for Walter Hofheinz, who ran a popular confectionery on the east side of the town square. It followed the completion of a house the firm built for his mother a few blocks away. The exterior has a hipped metal roof, cross gables, a Palladian attic window arrangement, two oval beveled-glass windows and a curving porch carried on seven Ionic columns. Inside, dark polished wood forms coffered ceilings, window seats, a plate rail, pocket doors and square hood molds over openings, all in plain lines that reflect the Arts and Crafts movement. The streamlined brass light fixtures are original. Changes at the rear, including an enclosed porch and a removed kitchen chimney, did not harm the house's integrity. A shortened wash house remains behind it. The property is still used as a private home.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites architecture as the area of significance. The house combines classical exterior details with a carefully finished interior reflecting Arts and Crafts simplicity. It was built for Walter Hofheinz, a local confectionery owner, soon after his mother's house, and it keeps original features such as geometric brass light fixtures and polished wood trim.
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 83003794, listed December 1, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 819 W. Hopkins St., San Marcos |
|---|---|
| County | Hays County |
| Listed | December 1, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003794 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Mead and Eastwood, architects and contractors (Mead and Eastwood Lumber Company) |
| Architectural style | Classical details with Arts and Crafts influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; condition described as good and altered, with alterations said not to have adversely affected integrity. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 29.87839, -97.94965 (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 83003794.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002248
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.