Giddings-Wilkin House
Why it's listed
Built in 1843 at 805 Crocket Street in Brenham, this two-story Greek Revival house is the oldest remaining residence in the city. Jabez Demig Giddings, a lawyer, early teacher at Independence Academy and Washington County court clerk, built it for his bride, Ann Travers. The frame house was later enlarged to two full stories with a rear wing, and a full-width porch was added. Its most unusual feature is a wide cornice lined with zinc that works as a roof cistern, able to hold about 9,275 gallons and used for cooling, fire protection and possibly a water supply. The Giddings family lived there until 1871, and the John Bush Wilkin family then stayed for 74 years. After Urban Renewal acquired the property in 1971, the Heritage Society of Washington County bought and restored it as a museum furnished with family belongings from the 1840-1870 period.
Significance in brief: It is an unusual Greek Revival residence with a water reservoir built into its roof cornice, one of few known examples in Texas. It is also the oldest remaining residence in Brenham. Its builder, J. D. Giddings, was a teacher, lawyer and court clerk active in early county development.
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 76002081, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 805 Crocket St., Brenham |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002081 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1843-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Jabez Demig Giddings (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by the Heritage Society of Washington County and used as a house museum; the upper floor is used for storage. Condition is marked excellent. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | East Brenham |
| Coordinates | 30.17376, -96.39167 (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 76002081.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000563
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.