Sears, Rev. Henry M. and Jennie, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1903 at 209 West 39th Street in Austin's Hyde Park neighborhood, this one-story frame house combines a vernacular plan with Queen Anne detailing. An off-center gabled wing with cutaway corners, a pent roof and fish-scale shingles gives the facade its asymmetry, while a three-bay porch carries delicate turned-wood ornament. Windows are double-hung sash, and the steeply pitched roof joins hipped and gabled forms. The house was built for the Reverend Henry M. Sears, a Methodist presiding elder who later served as chaplain of the Texas Senate and of the State Lunatic Asylum. He lived there until his death in 1915, after which it passed to his wife, Jennie, and then their daughter, Florence. Hyde Park has few dwellings predating World War I, and this one retains unusually good integrity. It was listed for its local architectural value and as an example of the modest suburban housing promoted in the neighborhood's early development. Recent owners have rehabilitated it.
Significance in brief: It is nominated under Criterion C as one of the finest and best-preserved examples of late-Victorian architecture in Hyde Park, combining vernacular form with ornate Queen Anne detailing. It also represents the affordable suburban housing that early Hyde Park promoters offered as an alternative to urban living. Few houses in the neighborhood predate World War I, and similar houses elsewhere have lost their 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 90001174, listed August 16, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 209 W. 39th St., Austin |
|---|---|
| County | Travis County |
| Listed | August 16, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001174 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1903 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Queen Anne detailing; modified L-plan |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; recent restoration or rehabilitation has been completed and the house has changed little over the years. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.30268, -97.73468 (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 90001174.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000847
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.