Harrison-Dennis House
Also known as: Site No. 455
Why it's listed
Built around 1895 at 409 West Burleson Street in Wharton, this two-story frame house follows an L-plan. It sits on a brick pier-and-beam foundation under a hipped asphalt-shingle roof, with weatherboard siding, three interior brick chimneys and wooden double-hung windows. A two-story porch with turned columns, jig-sawn brackets and leaded-glass doors wraps the north facade, and a hexagonal bay rises to a tower roof at the northwest corner. A garage, carriage shed and utility shed stand behind it. The house was probably built for planter Burr Albert Harrison, though he is not known to have lived there. J.H.H. Dennis bought it in 1913 and lived there until 1959. Dennis served in the state legislature, as Wharton's first mayor and as county attorney, and the house is the only surviving property linked to him. It is also valued as one of the best preserved late 19th century homes in the city.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to J.H.H. Dennis, Wharton's first mayor, a county judge and county attorney, who lived there from 1913 to 1959. It is the only surviving property associated with him. It is also one of the two best preserved late 19th century residences in the city and a fine example of the two-story L-plan form.
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 93000110, listed March 18, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 409 W. Burleson, Wharton |
|---|---|
| County | Wharton County |
| Listed | March 18, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000110 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1942, ca. 1895 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | OTHER: L-plan House |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling, with high integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.31081, -96.10374 (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 93000110.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002544
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.