Peterson, George A., House
Also known as: Site #12
Why it's listed
Built around 1904 at 1012 East 8th Street in Austin, this frame house was constructed for George A. Peterson, who ran a grocery and feed business on East 6th Street with a partner, C.O. Lindahl. It follows a T plan, rests on a wood-post foundation, and has a gabled roof that was once covered in cedar shakes and now has composition shingles. The windows are one-over-one double-hung sash. The three-bay front porch has turned wooden columns, spindled balusters, brackets and a spindled canopy. The front bay has clipped corners set at 45 degrees and scroll brackets at the eaves. Rear additions do not detract from the view from the street. The house was recognized for its architecture. Many comparable Victorian vernacular houses in Austin have been altered and stripped of their carpentry details, while this one remains intact. Its clip-cornered front bay is an unusual variation on the T plan for East Austin.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of a finely crafted Victorian T-plan residence. Many similar vernacular houses in Austin have been heavily altered and lost their carpentry details, but this one remains intact. Its clip-cornered, elaborated front bay is a notable variation on the T plan and is unusual for East Austin.
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 85002273, listed September 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1012 E. 8th St., Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | September 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002273 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, 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 (rental). The rear porch was framed in and enlarged after 1935. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.26673, -97.73036 (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 85002273.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000418
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.