Robbins, Alice H., House
Why it's listed
This small one-story frame house at 4311 Avenue A in Austin's Hyde Park neighborhood was built in 1925. It follows the shotgun plan, a narrow linear layout common in the urban South, but adds Bungalow details such as a tapered foundation skirtwall, a gable-roof porch with box columns and a half column at the entry, exposed rafter ends and curved knee brackets. Alice H. Robbins, who had operated a sanatorium on East 30th Street, bought the lot in February 1925 for $50 and contracted with builder R.W. Herndon to construct a weatherboard house measuring 16 by 18 feet. She lived there until her death in 1934. The house was built during Hyde Park's peak period of residential construction, 1920 to 1935. It was listed for its local architectural importance, since few other houses in the neighborhood blend the two traditions, and it retains most of its original features despite changes in its surroundings.
Significance in brief: The house combines the vernacular shotgun plan with Bungalow detailing, a synthesis described as unique in Hyde Park. It keeps most of its original features and has an unusually high degree of architectural integrity. It was nominated for local architectural significance 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 90001235, listed August 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4311 Ave. A, Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | August 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001235 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925 |
| Architect / builder | Herndon, R.W. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular shotgun form with Bungalow detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current use is single dwelling; surroundings have changed with empty lots and new apartment buildings. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Hyde Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 30.30898, -97.73273 (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 90001235.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000854
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.