Parramore Historic District
Why it's listed
Northwest of Abilene's central business district, this 13-acre neighborhood holds 27 contributing and seven noncontributing buildings, mostly single-family houses from the late 1910s through 1941. It takes its name from James H. Parramore, a cattleman and local businessman who acquired the land in 1881 and built a French Second Empire mansion there in 1885; that house was razed in 1959 and its block is now vacant. Most homes follow bungalow or Prairie School traditions, including a row of two-story Prairie School-influenced brick houses along the 700 block of Beech Street, each with a garage apartment. A few show Colonial or Tudor Revival influence. Houses have been well maintained and are largely unaltered, and only two contributing properties are no longer purely residential. The district was recognized for its architecture as the city's finest and most cohesive group of early 20th century houses, with a period of significance from 1917 to 1941.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be Abilene's finest and most cohesive collection of early 20th century houses, with a high concentration of Prairie School-influenced and bungalow dwellings. It is remarkably intact and retains all aspects of integrity. It is significant locally in the area of Architecture under Criterion 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 91001153, listed August 29, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Orange, N. 8th, alley between Grape and Mulberry, and N. 7th Sts., Abilene |
|---|---|
| County | Taylor County |
| Listed | August 29, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001153 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1917-1941 |
| Architectural style | Prairie School; Bungalow/Craftsman; 20th Century Revivals |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Contributing properties are still mostly used as residences, with two exceptions (one a beauty parlor, one converted to offices). The site of the demolished Parramore House is a vacant block. |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Coordinates | 32.45710, -99.73877 (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 91001153.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999822
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.