Holden Properties Historic District
Also known as: Adobe Row
Why it's listed
Adobe Row is a cluster of Pueblo Revival homes and apartments on 20th Street in Lubbock, two blocks south of the Texas Tech University campus. Built between 1930 and the early 1970s, the seven buildings share adobe walls, flat roofs with parapets, exposed vigas, rounded corners, and turquoise-blue trim. Two large houses, Casa Grande and Casa del Gallo y Sirena, anchor the group, with smaller apartments and a workshop around them. A seven-foot adobe wall with gates links the properties and creates private courtyards. Adobe was used in every building before 1962, after which pumice concrete block was substituted for additions. The complex was developed by Dr. William Curry Holden, who joined the Texas Tech faculty in 1929 and taught history and anthropology there for four decades. He led archeological field schools and expeditions across Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Five of the seven buildings, along with the walls and a well, contribute to the district, which remains largely intact and in residential use.
Significance in brief: The district is a rare, cohesive group of Pueblo Revival adobe residences that keeps the character of the original complex. It is also tied to Dr. William Curry Holden, a Texas Tech historian and archeologist whose career at the college spanned four decades. The form notes that the buildings are in good condition and retain a high degree of integrity.
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 98000602, listed May 29, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3103, 3105, 3105A, 3105B, 3107, 3109, and 3111 20th St., Lubbock |
|---|---|
| County | Lubbock County |
| Listed | May 29, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000602 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Dr. William Curry Holden (builder); drawings for Casa Alan credited to Olive Holden and James Atcheson |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Pueblo Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings are in good condition and still used as single and multiple dwellings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.57631, -101.88254 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 98000602.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999552
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.