Fox, Jacob, House
Why it's listed
This two-story Victorian house at 708 W. Power in Victoria, Texas, was built in 1892 for Jacob Fox, a local businessman who started the J. Fox Gin and Grist Mill in the 1880s. Fox first lived in a small two-room house, which was later kept as the rear kitchen ell of his new dwelling. He ran the gin next to his home for more than twenty years. The wood-frame house has weatherboard and wood shingle siding, a truncated hip roof with gable extensions, and a roof deck with turned balusters. Box eaves carry jig-sawn brackets, and imbricated shingles fill the gable ends. A three-bay, two-story porch sits in the southeast ell, and two-story window bays project from the south and east elevations. Windows are wood sash, double hung, with one-over-one lights. The house is recognized for its Victorian architecture and for its association with Fox's work as an entrepreneur and industrialist. It remains in residential use and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is noted for its Victorian architecture and its link to entrepreneur and industrialist Jacob Fox. Fox started the J. Fox Gin and Grist Mill in the 1880s and built this house in 1892 beside his gin. His earlier two-room house was kept as the rear kitchen ell.
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 86002596, listed December 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 708 W. Power, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | December 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002596 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | W. C. Barnes |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and in residential use; the inventory sheet marks it as moved from its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.80499, -97.01102 (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 86002596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002400
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.