Blue Bell Creameries Complex
Also known as: #339
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Why it's listed
Blue Bell Creameries Complex occupies roughly half a city block in southeast Brenham, Texas, bounded by South Kober, South Washington and Creamery Streets and the Southern Pacific tracks. Its main building is a five-bay, one-story stuccoed structure in Art Moderne style, dating from around 1935, with a curved projecting front, glass blocks, multi-light casement windows and stepped parapets. Around it stand utilitarian one- and two-story buildings from about 1940, industrial equipment from about 1950, and two large metal-sided buildings from about 1970. The business started in 1907 as the Brenham Creamery Company, processing surplus local cream into butter, and turned to ice cream as its main product in 1911. That year it bought the site of the old American Cotton Company and adapted the buildings already there. Regarded as the best known of the area's agricultural processing facilities, it was listed for its role in local community development and regional expansion between 1870 and 1941.
Significance in brief: The complex is significant under Criterion A as the largest regional agricultural processing plant based in Brenham. It began in 1907 as the Brenham Creamery Company and shifted to ice cream in 1911. It is tied to the local context of community development and regional expansion, 1870-1941.
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 90000468, listed March 29, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 602 Creamery, Brenham |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | March 29, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000468 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1941 |
| Architectural style | Art Moderne |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Agriculture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used for agricultural processing, with additions made through about 1970. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.16660, -96.39020 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 90000468.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000067
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.