McKnight-Ebb House
Why it's listed
This one-story stone house at 502 W. 18th Street in Georgetown, Texas, dates from about the 1870s and follows a vernacular central-hall plan. Its walls are built of ashlar-cut stone under a gable roof covered with wood shingle and standing-seam metal. The symmetrical five-bay front faces east and has stone lintels and sills, while rubble-stone flat arches span an opening at the rear. An exterior stone chimney with a corbeled cap carries a metal tie rod, and the foundation is stone. The windows are wood sash with two-over-two lights, probably not original, and the east entry has been closed. A frame addition extends to the south. The house was recorded as one of only four stone residences remaining in Georgetown, and its masonry is noted for craftsmanship. It sits on a lot of less than an acre, with two large oak trees to the east, and is now surrounded by duplex public housing built around 1970. Its condition was rated fair in 1984.
Significance in brief: The form describes it as one of only four stone residences remaining in Georgetown. It notes noteworthy craftsmanship in the masonry. It is called an excellent example of a circa 1870 vernacular stone house with a central-hall plan.
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 86000191, listed January 14, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 502 W. Eighteenth, Georgetown |
|---|---|
| County | Williamson County |
| Listed | January 14, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000191 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated fair; entry altered and closed, frame addition to south; used as a residence; surrounded by modern public housing duplexes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 30.62644, -97.68166 (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 86000191.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002604
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.