Matchett, Edgar, House
Also known as: #560
Why it's listed
Built around 1910 at 502 West Main in Brenham, this 1 1/2-story frame house is clad in buff brick veneer and rests on a brick-skirted pier-and-beam foundation. A pyramidal hipped roof with broad overhanging eaves, gabled dormers and two slender corbelled chimneys gives it the look of a typical Brenham bungalow. A full-width porch is carried on massive square brick piers topped with terra-cotta capitals in a stylized Sullivanesque pattern, a motif repeated on the main dormer. This mix of Prairie School detailing with bungalow forms is unusual and distinguishes the house from others in town. Two frame outbuildings at the rear, one used as a garage, contribute to the property's historic character. The house was recognized for its architecture as a good local example of the Bungalow style, and it retains a high degree of integrity. It remains a single-family residence, and its architect or builder is unknown.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as a good example of a Bungalow in Brenham. Its broad overhanging eaves, gabled dormers, square brick porch piers and corbelled chimneys are typical of the style. Prairie School influence and terra-cotta Sullivanesque capitals on the porch piers set it apart from other Brenham houses. It retains a high degree of integrity.
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 90000462, listed March 29, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 502 W. Main, Brenham |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | March 29, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000462 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1910 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Bungalow |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; one side porch bay has been screened in. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.16614, -96.40309 (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 90000462.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002487
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.