Rose Hill
Why it's listed
Rose Hill is a 14-room, two-story wood house at 100 Woodworth Blvd. in Port Arthur, Texas, built around 1905-6 for Rhome H. and Mary Woodworth. J. H. Baxter, a lumber dealer who came from Missouri in 1896, served as architect and builder. The symmetrical design features Ionic columns, a pediment with an oval window, a fourteen-column ground-floor portico and a second-story gallery. Inside, rooms flank a central hall and stairway, and oak and mahogany were used for floors and doors. Woodworth acquired land for the Port Arthur Townsite Co., became a landowner, bank president and the city's third mayor. After Mary Woodworth's death in 1946, the estate passed to the city, as her will directed. The 11.91-acre grounds are now Rose Hill Park, with tennis courts, playground equipment and ball diamonds. Local clubs use the house for social, political and cultural functions, and civic groups work to restore its original appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an outstanding, well-preserved example of Greek Classical Revival architecture in Texas and one of the oldest homes built after Port Arthur became a city in 1898. It is also tied to Rhome Woodworth, a land agent, bank president and the city's third mayor, and to its later use as a community center and park.
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 79002986, listed October 31, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 100 Woodworth Blvd., Port Arthur |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | October 31, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002986 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | J. H. Baxter |
| Architectural style | Greek Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Port Arthur; used as a community center and park, with preservation overseen by local civic organizations. The form checks both 'unoccupied' and a community-functions use. |
| Acreage | 11.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.89013, -93.91535 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 79002986.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q39074684
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.