Irvin, Robert, House
Also known as: Site #15
Why it's listed
Built in 1885 at 1008 East 9th Street in Austin, this one-story wood-frame house was constructed by Robert Irvin, a carpenter, contractor and builder. It was among the first residential structures on Robertson Hill. The house follows a T plan and sits on a flat lot at the crest of a hill. It has a simple three-bay facade, a front porch with turned columns, a transom over the front door, and windows topped with pointed, arched hoods. The east side repeats those hoods on four windows and a back door. A finely detailed brick chimney rises where the two gable ridges meet. Alterations are limited to a cement porch deck replacing wooden planks and a rear porch added by 1935. The house was listed for its architecture. It is plainer than many nearby homes, yet it shows careful craftsmanship, a largely unobscured original plan, and well-judged scale and proportion, illustrating the range of Victorian vernacular building in East Austin during the late nineteenth century.
Significance in brief: It was one of the first residential structures built on Robertson Hill. Though less ornate than many neighboring houses, it is noted for its craftsmanship, its intact original T plan, and the elegance of its carpentry details, scale and proportion. It shows the variety of form in Victorian vernacular buildings in East Austin in the late nineteenth century.
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 85002270, listed September 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1008 E. 9th St., Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | September 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002270 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Robert Irvin, carpenter, contractor, and builder |
| Architectural style | Victorian vernacular, T plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is listed as good; current use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.26800, -97.73055 (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 85002270.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002328
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.