McGloin, James, Homestead
Also known as: See Also:McGloin, James, Homestead (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
This one-and-a-half-story frame cottage stands on a nine-acre lot, part of a 315.77-acre farm overlooking Round Lake, about a mile northwest of San Patricio, Texas. Built in 1855, it was the home of James McGloin, a native of County Sligo, Ireland, who with John McMullen received a Mexican contract in 1828 to bring two hundred Irish families to Texas. McGloin kept the colony together during the Texas Revolution, and the land grants he issued were honored under the Republic. He died at the homestead in 1856. The house is a vernacular late Greek Revival raised cottage with a five-bay front, an inset gallery, two dormers, six-over-six windows and an exterior rubble stone fireplace. It is described as the only surviving home of a Texas empresario. In recent years the house was lowered and its porch columns and balustrade removed. It stands unoccupied and was badly damaged by a 1970 storm. The McGloin family has always owned it and hopes to restore it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant mainly as the only surviving home of a Texas empresario. James McGloin and John McMullen led an Irish colonization effort under a Mexican grant. The house also represents a vernacular Greek Revival cottage type that is rapidly disappearing, though it is not called an outstanding example of Texas domestic architecture.
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 71000961, listed July 14, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. NW of San Patricio on FM 666, San Patricio |
|---|---|
| County | San Patricio County |
| Listed | July 14, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000961 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1855) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular late Greek Revival raised cottage |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied and listed in deteriorated condition. It was lowered in recent years, its porch columns and balustrade were removed, and a coastal storm damaged it severely in fall 1970. The family hopes to restore it. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 27.97310, -97.79166 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 71000961.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107318787
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.