Hatfield Plantation
Why it's listed
Hatfield Plantation is a two-story brick house built about 1853 in rural Washington County, Texas, near Brenham. Its solid walls of handmade pink brick are about thirteen inches thick, and it has a low gable roof, a two-story front portico, bracketed eaves, and nine-over-nine windows with louvered shutters. Its tall, thin proportions are unusual for Texas and recall houses in Kentucky and Virginia. Basil M. Hatfield, a Kentucky native who served with a Texas volunteer company during the war for independence, later ran a saloon in Washington-on-the-Brazos and captained the steamboat Washington on Little River. He bought the land in 1850. The house stood vacant from 1950 to 1962, then was restored by new owners using salvaged period materials. A tobacco barn and a cattle barn were also restored. The property was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1965 and received a state restoration award in 1966.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the house as a stately brick home whose tall, thin lines are unusual for Texas and recall Kentucky and Virginia. It also notes its builder, Basil M. Hatfield, a San Jacinto-era Texas volunteer and steamboat captain. The careful restoration of the house and outbuildings is highlighted as well.
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 71000971, listed January 25, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Brenham off FM 912, Brenham |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | January 25, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000971 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1853) |
| Architect / builder | Basil M. Hatfield (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored as a private residence and in excellent condition; restored outbuildings and barns are on the property. The house was vacant from 1950 to 1962 before restoration. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 30.30791, -96.17628 (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 71000971.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22073206
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.