Missouri-Kansas-Texas Company Railroad Station
Also known as: Katy Depot
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Why it's listed
Built in 1902 for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, known as the Katy, this wood-frame depot served Hillsboro in Hill County, Texas, after the original 1881 station was converted to freight use. The long, low building has a hipped roof, projecting gables, bracket-supported eaves, and decorative cut-out trim and shingles in east Texas pine and cypress. Inside, it provided two segregated waiting rooms, a central ticket office and a baggage room. The Katy was the first railroad to reach Hillsboro, and it turned the town into an export point for cotton and livestock while drawing new residents and businesses. The depot received notable travelers, including several presidents, and was the departure point for soldiers in both world wars. Facing a possible move to Fort Worth, local residents raised money for the city to buy it, and in 1979 it was relocated to Covington Street near the tracks and courthouse. It was unoccupied then, with restoration planned.
Significance in brief: The depot is presented as a representative example of early twentieth-century railroad station architecture and as a reminder of the economic change the Katy line brought to an agricultural community. The railroad opened Hillsboro to exporting cotton and livestock and supported commercial and residential growth. Local citizens funded the move to keep the building in town, and the form argues the relocation does not diminish its significance.
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 79002978, listed December 19, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Covington St., Hillsboro |
|---|---|
| County | Hill County |
| Listed | December 19, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002978 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Described as reminiscent of the Prairie style, with Victorian influences in the gable trim; the significance section also mentions the shingle style. |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied and vacant at the time of nomination; relocated in 1979, with city plans for restoration and future use as Chamber of Commerce offices, tourist information and arts display space. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.01284, -97.13151 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79002978.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002253
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.