Levi-Welder House
Why it's listed
Built around 1860 by Abraham Levi, an Alsatian immigrant, this two-story wood-frame house at 403 N. Main in Victoria began as an I-house and was later enlarged. Levi founded the A. Levi & Co. grocery business in 1867, a forerunner of Levi Bank & Trust, which eventually became Victoria Bank & Trust. Federal troops occupied the house during Reconstruction. In 1910 South Texas rancher John J. Welder bought the property and remodeled it in the Neoclassical Revival style. That work produced the features seen today: a three-bay, two-story porch across the east elevation with giant-order Ionic columns, a denticulated cornice, a central entry with transom and sidelights, and beveled and leaded glass. Three interior brick chimneys with corbeled caps rise from the gable roof. A two-and-a-half-story garage apartment stands on the lot. The house remains residential and in good condition, and it is recognized chiefly for its architecture and its link to Victoria's early commercial history.
Significance in brief: The house is listed for its architecture, shown by its 1910 Neoclassical Revival remodeling. It is also tied to Abraham Levi, an Alsatian immigrant who founded a grocery business that preceded Levi Bank & Trust. Federal troops occupied it during Reconstruction, and rancher John J. Welder bought and remodeled it in 1910.
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 86002614, listed December 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 403 N. Main, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | December 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002614 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Abraham Levi (builder, as stated in the significance text); architect listed as N/A |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition listed as good; present use residential; the second story of the entry porch is screened as a sleeping porch. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.80202, -97.00514 (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 86002614.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000681
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.