Birge-Beard House
Also known as: Beard House
Why it's listed
Built around 1860 at 212 North Vale Street in Jefferson, Texas, this one-story frame Victorian house has a low hip roof, attached front and side porches, and a wide box cornice with slender scroll brackets. Its porch posts are unusual, shaped like a Greek cross in section. Inside are seven rooms, a central hall, a side hall and a rear wing. Noble A. Birge, a merchant and sheriff, built it; it served as the site of Marion County's first commissioners court in 1860 because the new county had no courthouse. Later owners included the Buckner firm, then Anna Beard, whose family held it until 1895, which is why locals call it the Beard House. A 1970 listing described it as one of Jefferson's finest residences, nearly unchanged apart from a kitchen added in 1900. In 2006 the name was amended to Birge-Beard House to credit its builder and first resident.
Significance in brief: The 1970 nomination argues the house is one of the finest residences in Jefferson and is architecturally outstanding, with house plans recorded in the Library of Congress. A 2006 amendment added the name Birge to recognize its builder and first resident. Birge was a merchant and civic leader, and the house hosted the first Marion County commissioners court in 1860.
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 70000754, listed August 25, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 212 N. Vale St., Jefferson |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| Listed | August 25, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000754 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1860-70 |
| Architect / builder | Noble A. Birge (builder per the 2006 amendment; the 1970 form says architect and builder records are not available) |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In 1970 the house was in good condition, privately owned, occupied as a private residence and largely unaltered; a kitchen extension was added in 1900. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Jefferson Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.75759, -94.34632 (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 70000754.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321546
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.