Crain, F. H., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1915 at 307 N. Vine in Victoria, Texas, this two-story bungalow was designed by local architects Charles Praeger and Sam Dixon for attorney F. H. Crain, a partner in the law firm of Proctor, Vandenberge, Crain and Mitchell. Smith and Bisang served as contractor. The wood-frame house has weatherboard and wood shingle siding, a composition shingle gable roof with exposed decorative rafters, an interior stuccoed chimney, and double-hung wood windows with six-over-one lights. A single-bay gabled porch shelters the east entrance, which has a tripartite transom and sidelight. Stuccoed tapered box columns with brick banding, a niche with a brick arch set into a corner column, and shallow porch spandrels with miter arches are notable bungalow details. The house is recognized as one of the city's first and most significant bungalows and has changed little since completion, apart from additions at the rear. It sits in a residential area in the northwest quadrant of Victoria's original townsite and remains in residential use.
Significance in brief: The house is considered significant for its architecture. It is described as one of the city's first and most significant bungalows, designed by local architects Charles Praeger and Sam Dixon. It has changed little since its completion.
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 86002549, listed December 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 307 N. Vine, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | December 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002549 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Praeger & Dixon (Charles Praeger and Sam Dixon); Contractor: Smith and Bisang |
| Architectural style | Bungalow |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition listed as good, with additions to the rear; present use residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.80298, -97.00922 (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 86002549.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002431
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.