Callender House
Why it's listed
Built in 1855 at 404 W. Guadalupe Street in Victoria, Texas, this two-story wood frame house is a vernacular example of Greek Revival design. It sits on brick piers above a raised cellar and has a hip gable roof, brick chimneys, and a full-width veranda of six square columns that divides the facade into five bays. Inside, a central hall with rooms on each side follows the typical Greek Revival plan. Accounts differ on where the lumber came from, but the house is accepted as the first in Texas built of pre-cut lumber, originally used for a hunting lodge and later dismantled and reassembled here. Its construction marked a move away from the log-and-puncheon buildings of Victoria's frontier days. Dr. Thomas Cocke, a physician and legislator, was associated with its building. Later the Callender family, including attorney and educator William Callender, lived there until 1976. Two board-and-batten outbuildings survive on the property.
Significance in brief: The house marks Victoria's shift from early frontier building to the more refined Greek Revival style that became standard for Texas residences before the Civil War. It is one of the few surviving antebellum buildings in the area and one of the best preserved in the state. It was also the home of two prominent local professional men, and it is accepted as the first house in Texas built of pre-cut lumber.
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 79003019, listed September 26, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 404 W. Guadelupe St, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | September 26, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003019 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Dr. Thomas R. Cocke |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition with recent structural repairs; chimneys, foundation and roof have been stabilized, and it is occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 28.80805, -97.00712 (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 79003019.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107318358
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.