Garrett, Henry B., House
Also known as: Site No. 739
Why it's listed
This one-story frame house at 504 North Fulton Street in Wharton, Texas, was built around 1905 and follows a center-passage plan. It rests on brick piers under a side-gabled asphalt-shingle roof. Drop siding covers the main block, and a rear ell added about 1930 is clad in board-and-batten. A full-width hipped porch with turned columns, jig-sawn brackets and a simple balustrade dominates the five-bay west facade, and the windows are two-over-two wooden sashes. A frame garage on the southwest corner also contributes. Henry B. Garrett, a local businessman who ran a domino hall on the square and raised hunting dogs to guide quail hunters, is believed to have had the house built soon after buying the lot in 1905. It was listed for its architecture. Most of Wharton's historic homes are vernacular, and this one is regarded as the finest example of the locally rare center-passage form, retaining its integrity despite the rear addition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of the vernacular center-passage house type and the finest one-story example of that form in Wharton. It is described as a locally rare subtype of domestic architecture that retains its integrity. It is listed under Criterion C in architecture within the context of community development in Wharton, 1875-1942.
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 93000098, listed March 18, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 504 N. Fulton, Wharton |
|---|---|
| County | Wharton County |
| Listed | March 18, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000098 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1905 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Other: Center-passage House (vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling and remains in the Garrett family. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.31591, -96.09762 (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 93000098.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000903
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.