Man, Ralph Sandiford and Julia Boisseau, House
Also known as: Ralph Sandiford Mann Homestead
Why it's listed
Standing at 604 West Broad Street in Mansfield, Texas, this 1½-story wood and brick house began as a one-room log cabin, 17 feet square, built around 1865 by Ralph Sandiford Man for himself, his wife Julia and their two children. By about 1868 a central hall and two-room brick wing had been added, and attic bedrooms followed after Man remarried in 1870. Later changes included a ca. 1930 bathroom and service porch and a 1974 garage and carport at the rear. Greek Revival, Colonial Revival and Queen Anne details mark its evolution. Man, a trained cabinetmaker and one of Mansfield's founders, kept the property in his family until 1946. It is the city's oldest known surviving building and the only dwelling there with Greek Revival detailing. Original oak floors, moldings, a carved walnut staircase and wood windows survive. Two barns, one from about 1865, and a former well remain on the grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as Mansfield's oldest known surviving building and an example of a frontier cabin enlarged into a comfortable upper middle-class home. It is the city's only identified dwelling with Greek Revival detailing, mixed with Colonial Revival and Queen Anne influences. It is also tied to Ralph Sandiford Man, one of Mansfield's founders, and retains a high level of integrity.
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 03000435, listed May 22, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 604 W. Broad St., Mansfield |
|---|---|
| County | Tarrant County |
| Listed | May 22, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000435 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1865-1906 |
| Architect / builder | Man, Ralph Sandiford (builder/owner) |
| Architectural style | Mixed Styles: Greek Revival, Colonial Revival, Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling with a well and barn; maintained in good interior and fair exterior condition. |
| Acreage | 9.7 |
| Coordinates | 32.56434, -97.14816 (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 03000435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000125
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.