Gaylord-Levy House
Why it's listed
Located at 402 N. Bridge in Victoria, Texas, this two-and-a-half-story wood-frame house is an example of Greek Revival design, dated to about 1870. It has a Georgian plan with a rear ell, a gable roof with box eaves, jig-sawn fascia and bargeboards, and six-over-six sash windows with decorative shutters. The symmetrical five-bay west facade features a two-story gabled porch with fluted half-columns on paneled box pedestals, a turned wood balustrade and an entrance with an elliptical transom and sidelights. Later changes include an altered west porch, an enclosed southeast porch and added ornament. Edward and Beatrice Gaylord probably built the house. In 1882 Simon Levy, a Jewish immigrant from Prussia, bought it from Mrs. Gaylord. Levy went on to success in business as co-founder of the A. & S. Levy Dry Goods Store. The house is valued for its architecture and for this commercial association.
Significance in brief: The house is considered significant for its Greek Revival architecture and for its association with Simon Levy, a Prussian Jewish immigrant who bought it in 1882. Levy became a successful businessman and co-founded the A. & S. Levy Dry Goods Store. The reviewer accepted it under criteria B and 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 86002589, listed December 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 402 N. Bridge, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | December 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002589 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good in 1983; west porch altered, southeast porch enclosed and ornament added. Present use residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.80202, -97.00575 (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 86002589.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000706
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.