Short-Line Residential Historic District
Why it's listed
Eleven small, nearly identical wood-frame bungalows line West Line Street and Short Street about five blocks northwest of Tyler's courthouse square. Built between about 1930 and 1935, they were financed by local businessman and developer J. H. Herndon on land inherited from his father, and they housed African American workers such as railroad employees, laundry and restaurant staff, maids, porters and day laborers. Each house has a compact L-shaped plan, a front gable, exposed rafter ends, wood siding and one-over-one windows, with a few variations in porch design. Concrete walks, front lawns and historic sidewalks add to the uniform look. Most surrounding housing has been demolished or altered, so the group stands out as one of the last intact examples of row-type worker housing in the city. The district is recognized for its architecture and for what it shows about community growth in Tyler during a period of prosperity driven by agriculture, manufacturing and oil. Nine houses contribute to the district's historic character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a rare intact example of working-class 'row' housing in Tyler and the only known surviving concentration of early to mid-20th century housing tied to Tyler's African American community. It reflects rapid population growth and economic expansion, including the oil boom, and shows how a single developer produced low-cost rental housing in a short time. It is significant locally under Criteria A and C.
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 02000897, listed August 22, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by West Ln., N. Ellis, Short St., and an unnamed alley to the east, Tyler |
|---|---|
| County | Smith County |
| Listed | August 22, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000897 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1930-1952 |
| Architect / builder | unknown (built for J. H. Herndon by unknown local contractor(s)) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Maintained in good condition with a high degree of integrity; still used as single dwellings. Nine of eleven dwellings are contributing; two have synthetic siding and aluminum windows. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.35400, -95.30758 (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 02000897.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999619
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.