Hasse, Heinrich and Fredericka, House
Why it's listed
Built beginning in 1883 by Heinrich and Fredericka Hasse, this small sandstone farmhouse sits beside Willow Creek near Art in Mason County, Texas. It replaced the family's roughly 23-year-old log house. The main block is a 1-1/2-story structure of coursed rubble with rough corner quoins, laid out as a modified Cumberland plan with two front rooms that each open onto the porch. A stone room was added at the back between 1894 and 1900, possibly by a local stonemason named Backhaus. The result blends Southern Anglo planning with German-Texan features seen around Fredericksburg, such as local stone, shallow eaves and a saltbox profile. The nomination describes it as one of the oldest and most intact German-Texan farmhouses in the county. A dry-laid stone fence and a cistern survive on the property. The land has stayed with the Hasse descendants since 1860. The site also holds possible archeological remains of vanished log, frame and farm buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the oldest and most intact German-Texan farmhouses in Mason County. It combines a modified Cumberland plan with German-Texan stone construction, shallow eaves and a saltbox profile. It is listed under Criterion C at the local level; Criterion D was mentioned in the text but is not marked on the form.
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 90000336, listed March 14, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | TX 29, W of Art, Art |
|---|---|
| County | Mason County |
| Listed | March 14, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000336 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1883-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Backhaus (attribution - builder west addition) |
| Architectural style | Other: modified Cumberland Plan |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling/homestead with agricultural field/pasture; remains in the descendants of the Hasse family. Renovated in 1980. |
| Acreage | 11 |
| Coordinates | 30.73935, -99.12140 (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 90000336.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107320062
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.