Bowlen House
Why it's listed
Built around 1893 at 1405 Forest in Georgetown, this one-story wood-frame house follows a vernacular two-room plan. Its exterior walls are board and batten, and it has a gable roof with composition shingles and box eaves. The front faces west, with a two-bay shed-roofed porch supported by chamfered wood posts with jigsawn brackets. Windows are wood-sash double-hung units with four-over-four lights, and the facade has four bays with two single-door entrances. A small corrugated-tin garage stands on the lot, and rear additions have been made. The house sits in a residential neighborhood southwest of the central business district, where most nearby dwellings are turn-of-the-century vernacular houses. It was recognized mainly for its architecture: the survey describes it as an excellent example of a late nineteenth-century vernacular dwelling with some Victorian details, and as a good example of a very common house form in Georgetown. It remains in residential use and is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The inventory form cites architecture as the primary area of significance. It calls the house an excellent example of a late nineteenth-century vernacular dwelling with a two-room plan, board-and-batten construction and some Victorian details. It also describes the house as a good example of a very common house form in Georgetown.
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 86000180, listed January 14, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1405 Forest, Georgetown |
|---|---|
| County | Williamson County |
| Listed | January 14, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000180 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, two-room plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present condition is listed as good, with rear additions. Present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.63147, -97.67930 (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 86000180.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000536
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.