Sterne-Hoya Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Sterne, Adolphus, House
Why it's listed
This small neighborhood just east of Nacogdoches' historic commercial center holds nine buildings, seven of them contributing, along S. Lanana, E. Main and E. Pilar streets. Most are modest one or one-and-a-half story wood-frame houses on pier-and-beam foundations, built between about 1830 and 1910 in vernacular forms: older center-passage houses and later L-plan dwellings. Two houses on E. Main show Queen Anne and Craftsman influences. The oldest is the 1830 house built by Adolphus Sterne, a German immigrant and Texas Revolution supporter, which the Hoya family bought in 1866. Charles Hoya, a county surveyor, built another house here in 1888. Builder Dietrich Rulfs, who designed over 50 buildings in the city, erected a house at 113 S. Lanana, though vinyl siding keeps it noncontributing. The area lost some prestige as wealthier residents moved north, and commercial expansion in the 1920s and 1930s removed several houses. The district is valued locally as the city's finest surviving group of 19th century vernacular homes.
Significance in brief: The district is described as the most significant collection of middle to late 19th century domestic buildings in Nacogdoches and includes the 1830 Sterne House. It is nominated under Criterion C for its architecture, as it holds some of the city's oldest and most intact dwellings, including vernacular center-passage and L-plan houses. It also reflects early residential development on the original townsite and is tied to locally prominent residents.
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 92000017, listed February 14, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 100--200 blocks of S. Lanana St., 500 block of E. Main St. (S side), 500 block of E. Pilar St., Nacogdoches |
|---|---|
| County | Nacogdoches County |
| Listed | February 14, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000017 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1830 - ca. 1910 |
| Architect / builder | Rulfs, Dietrich A.W. |
| Architectural style | Center-passage and L-plan vernacular types; Late Victorian: Queen Anne; Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Seven of nine buildings are contributing; the houses are still used as single dwellings and one serves as a museum. Two lots on E. Main are vacant after earlier buildings were razed. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 31.60093, -94.65140 (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 92000017.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321757
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.