Gibbons, John Chisum, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1883 at 623 6th S.E. in Paris, Texas, this symmetrical 2½-story house is an uncommon surviving example of Second Empire design. Its mansard roof, covered in slate, rests on large paired brackets. The wood-sided walls have two-over-two windows and a five-bay Italianate porch with square posts. The house was built for John Gibbons, who was mayor of Paris in the 1890s and helped shape the city's fiscal, annexation and education policies. He also served as sheriff, councilman and judge. His daughter, Katherine Gibbons Bankhead, and her descendants lived in the house until recent years. Few Second Empire buildings remain in Texas, and most of them are asymmetrical, which makes this symmetrical, largely intact example notable. It shows some stylistic similarities to the stone Edward Steves House in San Antonio and may reflect late Greek Revival influence. Interior changes were made in the 1950s, but the house remains a residence in good condition on a landscaped half-acre lot.
Significance in brief: It was built for John Gibbons, who was mayor of Paris in the 1890s and also served as sheriff, councilman and judge. It is described as a rare and substantially intact example of Second Empire style, a style of which few examples survive in Texas and most of which are asymmetrical. Its uniform symmetry may also show late Greek Revival influence.
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 88001923, listed October 26, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 623 6th, SE, Paris |
|---|---|
| County | Lamar County |
| Listed | October 26, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001923 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is good; the house is still used as a residence, with interior alterations made in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.65684, -101.49647 (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 88001923.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321966
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.