Irvine, George, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1886 at 409 East University in Georgetown, this two-story wood-frame house was constructed by lumberman George Irvine, a Scottish immigrant, as his own home. It has a T plan, weatherboard siding, and an intersecting gable roof. Decorative details include jigsawn bargeboards, carved and paired compound brackets, a broad frieze, molded window facings, and a three-sided one-story window bay on the east side. A one-bay shed-roofed porch with brick supports marks the south front. A one-story wing to the west is said by the owners to be the original, pre-1886 house. Irvine and his brother Tom ran the Irvine Brothers Lumber Co. in the early 1880s, home to the first planing mill in Georgetown. After Tom died in 1885, George continued the business until 1892, when he sold it to Moses Harell and Charles S. Belford; it later became Belford Lumber Co. The house was recognized for its architecture and for its link to Irvine.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites architecture and association with a prominent individual. It is described as a good example of a late nineteenth-century dwelling in Georgetown that retains much of its 1886 appearance. George Irvine, a Scottish immigrant, co-ran the Irvine Brothers Lumber Co., which operated the first planing mill 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 86000973, listed April 29, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 409 E. University, Georgetown |
|---|---|
| County | Williamson County |
| Listed | April 29, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000973 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George Irvine |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair, with rear and side additions; the lot is described as overgrown. Present use is residential. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.63357, -97.67343 (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 86000973.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002592
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.