Hart, Meredith, House
Why it's listed
Set among old oak and walnut trees beside Mustang Creek near Rio Vista, this two-story frame house was built for cattleman Meredith Hart. Construction was contracted to George Wilson in 1859 and finished in 1861. Its double veranda, with paired columns that line up with the doors, gives Greek Revival formality to a plan resembling the frontier dogtrot. The frame uses hewn post oak joined with mortises, tenons and draw pins instead of nails, and the foundation is built of white rock found on the land. Hart was born in Kentucky in 1811, served in the Texas army in 1836, ranged against Indians, helped organize Hunt County and later ranched in Johnson County. After his death in 1864 the house passed through several owners. Restoration began in 1966, replacing hardware, trim and siding with old materials, and earned a Texas restoration award in 1968. The house is valued as a well-preserved vernacular Greek Revival home.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture. It blends a double-galleried, two-story Greek Revival form with the simple lines of an early frontier double-room frame house. It was the home of Meredith Hart, a cattleman, Texas Ranger, veteran of the fight for Texas independence and an organizer of Hunt County.
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 77001456, listed April 13, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Rio Vista on SR 916, Rio Vista |
|---|---|
| County | Johnson County |
| Listed | April 13, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001456 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George Wilson (builder/contractor) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored beginning in 1966, and the owners received a Texas restoration award for 1968. A west addition with a master bedroom was built in 1968. Listed as a private residence in current use. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 32.23904, -97.35792 (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 77001456.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001239
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.