Baldwin, Benjamin and Adelaide, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1884 at 714 Graham in Paris, Texas, this 2½-story frame house is a large example of Eastlake design. It has an asymmetrical form, a two-story bay window west of the entrance, a front verandah on square posts, and a pyramidal roof broken by three gables on the entrance front. The east and west gable ends carry triple ornamental windows, decorative shingles and Eastlake sunburst patterns. The interiors are noteworthy and very little altered. Benjamin J. Baldwin, Jr., a local entrepreneur and partner in the Scott-Baldwin Title Company, built it, reportedly as a ranch house, and was loaned money by British banks for the construction. His widow Adelaide lived there for many years. Standing on a large corner lot, it towers over smaller and somewhat later residences nearby. It was recognized locally for its architecture as one of the most substantial surviving Victorian houses in the city. A concrete porch floor was apparently added around 1925.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a very substantial and well-detailed example of Eastlake architecture, with fine exterior and interior detailing and interiors little altered. It is one of the most substantial surviving Victorian houses in Paris. It is also tied to Baldwin, a local entrepreneur who financed construction with loans from British banks.
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 88001925, listed October 26, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 714 Graham, Paris |
|---|---|
| County | Lamar County |
| Listed | October 26, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001925 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Eastlake |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as fair; the house is still used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.66502, -101.48420 (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 88001925.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001158
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.