Cartwright, Matthew, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1839 at 912 E. Main in San Augustine, this two-story frame house is a complex of Greek Revival buildings on a large, tree-shaded lot. Master builder Augustus Phelps constructed it for Isaac Campbell, who helped select the site for the capital at Austin. The five-bay south facade has a small Doric portico with fluted columns, and the house is known for an unusually wide entablature and pediment ends. Tradition holds that General T. G. Broocks was brought in to build the steep, narrow staircase. Outbuildings include an office, a well house and a school building moved there in the twentieth century. Matthew Cartwright bought the house in 1847; he fought at Bexar, Concepcion and San Jacinto and built a fortune buying land certificates. His descendants kept the property. It was listed as an outstanding early example of Greek Revival design in Texas and for its ties to early Republic figures.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest very early examples of Greek Revival architecture in Texas, noted for its proportions, bold entablature and restrained detail. It is also significant as the home of two early Texans who helped establish the Republic, and as a symbol of San Augustine's importance as one of the state's earliest settled areas.
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 71000959, listed January 25, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 912 E. Main St., San Augustine |
|---|---|
| County | San Augustine County |
| Listed | January 25, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000959 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1839) |
| Architect / builder | Augustus Phelps, master builder; General T. G. Broocks built the staircase |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Within district | San Augustine Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 31.52896, -94.10537 (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 71000959.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321787
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.