Duke, Holmes, House
Also known as: Duke House
Why it's listed
Built around 1898 in Beaumont's Calder Addition, this one-and-a-half-story frame house combines Queen Anne and Colonial Revival details popular in the city at the turn of the century. Its west front has a full-width porch with spiral-fluted columns, two semicircular bays flanking the double front door, and an elaborate gabled portico with sunburst panels and a beveled-glass window. Inside, a central hall leads to a parlor, dining room and two bedrooms, and wainscoting and pocket doors remain. Holmes Duke, a Carthage, Texas native, bought the lot in 1898. He ran a cafe and later Duke's Hotel, then served four years on the city council and as mayor pro-tempore in 1910-1911. The house is regarded as one of the few Beaumont homes to survive almost unaltered from the Spindletop boom years, and its ornament sets it apart from neighboring houses of the period.
Significance in brief: The house is one of a small number of Beaumont residences that survive unaltered from the boom period that followed the Spindletop oil discovery. Its unusual architectural ornamentation distinguishes it from contemporary homes. It is also associated with Holmes Duke, a hotel and cafe operator who served on the city council and as mayor pro-tempore.
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 84000028, listed October 4, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 694 Forrest St., Beaumont |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | October 4, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000028 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1898-1900 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne and Colonial Revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as good condition and unaltered, on its original site. The form lists it as unoccupied and a private residence, and the owner proposed to rehabilitate it as professional office space. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 30.08775, -94.10511 (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.
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 84000028.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000956
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.