Hill-Howard House
Why it's listed
Brick houses of this kind are uncommon in Victoria, and this one at 802 W. Power is an example. Built around 1898-99, the two-story dwelling follows a modified L-plan and rises from a basement under a hip roof with gables. Developer and builder John W. Henderson erected it for attorney Joe Hill. It later passed to Mary O'Connor and then to her son, Joseph O'Connor. The structural brick walls, wood-frame roof elements and wood shingle roof are combined with Victorian details, including box columns with jigsawn brackets, turned balusters, imbricated shingles in the gable ends, and a roof deck atop the truncated hip roof. Two-story window bays project from the south and east elevations, and L-shaped porches wrap the south and east sides. Windows are segmentally arched wood sash with shutters. Its listing rests on architecture: the use of brick for a dwelling of this type and vintage is rare locally. The house remains residential and in good condition, in the northwest part of the original townsite.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites architecture as the basis for significance. Brick is a rare construction material for a dwelling of this type and age in Victoria, and the house is described as unusual. Later owners Mary O'Connor and her son Joseph O'Connor are also noted.
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 86002558, listed December 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 802 W. Power, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | December 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002558 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Contractor John W. Henderson (architect N/A) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular dwelling with Victorian details |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition listed as good; present use residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.80518, -97.01184 (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 86002558.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002398
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.