deBerry Ranch
Why it's listed
Dr. Ellett M. deBerry, a psychiatrist who left Minnesota for Texas, bought ranch land northwest of Sonora in 1939 and built a headquarters on the Edwards Plateau. The nominated district covers 59.5 acres of the larger 5,623-acre ranch. Its centerpiece is a sprawling one-story ranch house, about 170 feet long, faced in random-course limestone and designed by San Angelo architect Leonard R. Mauldin. Around it are a guest house, garage, workers' house, barbecue pit, a raised circular swimming pool that doubled as a water tank, windmills, and elevated wooden cisterns. The rustic stonework echoes Depression-era WPA and CCC buildings. Nearby lies Wall's Well, a water hole shown on maps as early as 1887. DeBerry raised sheep, goats and cattle until 1950s drought forced him to sell his livestock, and a gas well was drilled in 1954. The property remains in family hands and retains a high degree of integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the complex as a well-preserved example of a mid-century West Texas ranch headquarters. The limestone ranch-style house, designed by San Angelo architect Leonard R. Mauldin, shows rustic regional design reminiscent of Depression-era WPA and CCC work. The property also reflects Sutton County's sheep, goat and cattle ranching and the later impact of drought and gas production.
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 11000134, listed March 21, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Private Rd 1105, approximately 1.5 mi e of CR 108, Sonora |
|---|---|
| County | Sutton County |
| Listed | March 21, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000134 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Leonard R. Mauldin (San Angelo architect) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Ranch Style; No Style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Economics |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still owned and managed by family members and reserved for their personal use; the house, auxiliary structures and well retain a high degree of integrity. The workers' house also houses the ranch caretaker. |
| Acreage | 59.5 |
| Coordinates | 30.62599, -100.69233 (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 11000134.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999865
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.