Holman, Judge William Shields, House
Also known as: Holman-Allen House
Why it's listed
Built beginning in 1908 on a large corner lot in Bay City, Texas, this two-and-a-half-story Queen Anne house was designed by local architect J.E. Large for attorney William Shields Holman. Its cypress frame and lap siding carry an asymmetrical composition with a corner turret, a wraparound porch with grouped Tuscan columns, and an arched second-floor balcony whose flared gable suggests a pagoda. Carved pine door panels show a rice sheaf and torch, a nod to the county's key crop. Inside are an open oak staircase, three original fireplaces, twelve-foot ceilings and extensive pine trim. A restoration in the late 1970s left the house in excellent condition. Holman served as Bay City's first city attorney and later as county judge from 1908 to 1914, and he helped found associations aimed at controlling Colorado River floods. The house is described as the only one of its style and size in Bay City.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as an outstanding and well-preserved example of Queen Anne architecture, and the only house of its style and size in Bay City. It is also tied to Judge William Shields Holman, a prominent local attorney, county judge and civic leader who worked on river improvement and regional development.
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 10001223, listed February 4, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2504 Ave. K, Bay City |
|---|---|
| County | Matagorda County |
| Listed | February 4, 2011 |
| Reference number | 10001223 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | J.E. Large (local architect) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Meticulously restored in the late 1970s and described as in excellent condition; still used as a single-dwelling house, with a noncontributing two-story outbuilding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | South Side Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 28.98067, -95.96405 (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 10001223.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107318204
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.