Thomason, John W., House
Why it's listed
Standing on a hill two blocks east of the Walker County Courthouse in Huntsville, this frame house grew in stages with its family. A one-story home was built around 1890 for Dr. John W. Thomason and his wife. A second floor and attic were added in 1905, and a sleeping porch and extended verandas followed in 1911. The result is a unified Queen Anne and Shingle Style design with broad gables, a polygonal corner tower, mixed clapboard and shingle siding, a double staircase and carved mantels. A separate medical office built in the late 1880s survives nearby and was still used for its original purpose. The house is recognized as one of the few substantial late Victorian homes left in the area, and it stayed in the Thomason family for nearly a century. It was also the birthplace of John William Thomason, Jr., a Texas author and illustrator who wrote about Texas and the Marines.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare, well-preserved late Victorian example in Huntsville, combining Queen Anne elements with Shingle Style detail and fine interior craftsmanship. It is also the birthplace and home of Texas author and illustrator John William Thomason, Jr., and was built by a prominent local physician. The reviewer's comments cite Criterion 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 82004528, listed August 11, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1207 Ave. J, Huntsville |
|---|---|
| County | Walker County |
| Listed | August 11, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004528 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne/Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good, needing only minor repairs and painting; the owner was restoring it at the time of the nomination. The property was listed as occupied. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 30.72275, -95.54851 (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 82004528.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107321341
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.