Page 24 - Waxahachie, TX Residential Design Guidelines

IntroductIon

o l d h a m a v e n u e h i s t o R i c d i s t R i c t

The Oldham Avenue Historic District, located about five blocks
northeast of the courthouse square, presents numerous
outstanding examples of locally popular, late nineteenth – and
early twentieth-century, domestic architectural styles. For the
most part the houses stand on large, irregularly sized lots. All of
the dwellings are of frame construction and most remain virtually
unaltered. With strong vertical composition and ornate jig-sawn
208 Oldham Ave. detailing, the Queen Anne residences such as the Griffin House
(407 Oldham), the McDade House (408 Oldham), the Fears
House (205 Oldham) and the Strickland-Sawyer House (500
Oldham), visually dominate the neighborhood. Other more modest,
vernacular house types, such as 304 Oldham, are also evident.
With its one- and two-story porch, asymmetrically arranged façade,
and subdued Neoclassical detailing, the Beall House (401 Oldham)
is one of Waxahachie’s most unusual homes. Historic photographs
and Sanborn maps show the porch to be original to the house.
One of the city’s premier examples of bungalow architecture
304 Oldham Ave. stands at 305 Oldham and represents a link to Waxahachie’s
growth during the early twentieth century. Residential development
along Oldham Avenue ceased by the late 1920s, and relatively few
changes have occurred since then. The houses have generally
maintained their architectural integrity, and restoration efforts in
recent years have revitalized the neighborhood.

407 Oldham Ave.

309 Oldham Ave.
A 1909 Sanborn map shows
approximately half of the homes
along Oldham Avenue, now part
of the designated historic district.
These homes display a fairly
consistent range of setbacks and
use of wood as the primary building
material.

16 Waxahac hie Residential design guidelines