Schmidt House
Also known as: #41
Why it's listed
Built in 1887, this 1 1/2-story frame house on a raised lot above Fifth Street in Brenham follows the common L-plan, with a gabled wing projecting on the main facade and a broad porch set within the L. Jigsawn balustrades, chamfered porch columns with brackets, and narrow windows with decorative hood molds reflect Eastlake and Italianate influences. Builder F.W. Woods built it for the T.M. Young family, and it served as rental property for 33 years. Charles Frank Schmidt bought it in 1920 and lived there with his wife Clara until her death in 1970. Schmidt taught at Blinn College from 1913 and became its president in 1935, when the Methodist Church had withdrawn support and closure loomed. With help from local citizens, he guided Blinn to become the first county-owned junior college in Texas. The house is also regarded as one of the finest Victorian-era L-plan dwellings in Brenham and retains a high degree of integrity.
Significance in brief: It is listed under Criterion B for its link to Charles Frank Schmidt, president of Blinn College from 1935 to 1947, who helped save the college from closure and made it the first county-owned junior college in Texas. It is listed under Criterion C as a well-preserved example of the L-plan with Victorian detail dwelling in Brenham.
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 90001806, listed December 10, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 906 W. 5th St., Brenham |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | December 10, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001806 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887, amended to add 1920-40 |
| Architect / builder | Architect/Builder: Charles Frank Schmidt; Builder: F.W. Woods, Woods Lumber Co. |
| Architectural style | Other: L-plan vernacular; Queen Anne - Eastlake |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling. The form notes recent interior renovations, including an attic converted to bedrooms, and a rear addition from the 1930s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.15791, -96.40662 (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 90001806.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002493
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.