Means-Justiss House
Why it's listed
Built around 1923 at 537 6th Street SE in Paris, Texas, this large Craftsman Bungalow sits on a spacious lot in an older suburb. The first-floor walls are stone, while the gable ends and dormer are covered in shingles, and the front porch rests on stone piers. A stone retaining wall at the front complements the house. Records suggest it was built by Oscar and Mary Means. It was later occupied by Thomas Justiss, who served for many years as Superintendent of Paris schools. Insurance maps show that a two-story Victorian house stood on the site in 1920 and had been replaced by this house by 1926. The property was recorded in a survey of Paris architecture as a fine local example of the Craftsman Bungalow style. Its condition is good and it remains a residence. The only noted alteration is a front window that may have been changed with the insertion of plate glass.
Significance in brief: The house is considered a fine example of Craftsman Bungalow architecture and is significant at the local level. It was apparently built by Oscar and Mary Means and later occupied by Thomas Justiss, a longtime Superintendent of Paris schools. It replaced a two-story Victorian house shown on a 1920 Sanborn map.
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 88001934, listed October 26, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 537 6th St., SE, Paris |
|---|---|
| County | Lamar County |
| Listed | October 26, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001934 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Bungalow (Craftsman) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is good; still used as a residence. The front window may have been altered with plate glass. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.65756, -101.49628 (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 88001934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6804073
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.