Schuerenberg, F. W., House
Also known as: Marek House; #137
Why it's listed
Built around 1895 at 503 West Alamo in Brenham, this 2 1/2-story frame house combines Queen Anne and Eastlake design. Contractor Alex Griffin built it for Frederick William Schuerenberg II and his wife Bertha in one of the first additions in West Brenham. Schuerenberg built eight rental houses nearby and kept this large lot for his own home. His family's business began as a blacksmith shop and farm implement store and grew to include five downtown buildings. The house has a multi-sided turret with cresting, decorative gables with sunburst woodwork, clapboard and shingle siding, and two-story wraparound galleries with turned columns and jigsawn fretwork. Its style suggests the owners wanted to make a statement to the community, and the design was probably borrowed from pattern books. It is considered one of the two finest Victorian houses in Brenham, along with the Wood-Hughes House. Although showing neglect, it keeps most original features and is currently unoccupied.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as one of two exceptional residential interpretations of the Queen Anne and Eastlake styles in Brenham. It remains relatively intact and reflects the prosperity of the Schuerenberg family business during Brenham's growth. It is part of the context 'Community Development and Regional Expansion in Brenham, 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 90000469, listed March 29, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 503 W. Alamo, Brenham |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | March 29, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000469 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1895 |
| Architect / builder | Griffen, Alex |
| Architectural style | Victorian/Queen Anne/Eastlake |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in fair condition with signs of neglect (painting, roof and siding deterioration); unoccupied and owned by heirs of the Schuerenbergs. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.16541, -96.40290 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 90000469.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24260831
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.