McDonald House
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Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 406 E. Constitution in Victoria, Texas, dates to about 1908 and sits in a residential area east of the central business district. Its T-plan includes a side passage and an integral ell, and it is covered with weatherboard siding under a gable roof with composition shingles. The most distinctive feature is a two-level porch wrapping around three sides, supported by slender wood columns with Ionic capitals and finished with turned balusters. Victorian touches include imbricated shingles and a cartouche panel in the south gable end, along with art glass in the front window and a transom on the west side. A corbeled brick chimney rises near the center of the plan. The house was recorded in a local survey as one of the finest area examples of a two-story T-plan dwelling with an integral ell, valued for its porch and chimney caps. It remains a residence, with a board and batten shed at the rear.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance in architecture. It describes the house as one of the finest local examples of a two-story, T-plan dwelling with an integral ell. It is distinguished by a two-level porch wrapping three elevations and by corbeled chimney caps.
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 86002460, listed December 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 406 E. Constitution, Victoria |
|---|---|
| County | Victoria County |
| Listed | December 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002460 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Eclectic dwelling with classical and Victorian details |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is residential; a board and batten gable-roofed shed stands at the rear. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 28.79819, -97.00255 (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 86002460.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002412
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.