Calvert has come to be synonymous with Victorian Texas, as within its boundaries are to be found a large collection of commercial and residential structures which were constructed 1870-1900. The city developed rapidly during this period and prospered handsomely because of the railroad and a thriving cotton economy. The structures which comprise the Calvert Historic District are expressive of this growth and prominence. The district boundary line is irregular, but essentially the Calvert Historic District is comprised of the commercial blocks and a large segment of the residential area to the east of the commercial district. Thirty-seven complete blocks and portions of nine others are encompassed by the historic district. The district is bordered on the south by Main Street, including structures on both sides of the street and the 800 and 900 blocks of Railroad Street; on the east by Garritt Street; on the north by Pin Oak Street, then turning east to include the cemetery and city park and two structures on Maple Street; and on the west by Mitchell and Barton Streets.

A strong linear axis, which is formed by State Highway 6 and framed by the commercial district, bisects the city. Perhaps more than any other factor, it was the railroad which determined the morphology of Calvert's town plan. A prototypical rail town, the rail lines are located one block to the east of the commercial area and run parallel to it. Old city maps which reveal large open spaces located to the south of the commercial district indica.e where the loading docks were once positioned. The wealth of Victorian residential architecture begins in the blocks just beyond the rail lines, to the east.

Although the city was at one time designated the county seat and a courthouse was constructed, the structure was located several blocks to the east of the commercial district - hence Calvert lacks the expected focal point of a courthouse square. The business district is formed by an eight block area lying along Main Street, which is also a major state highway. Calvert's commercial district developed in the last three decades of the nineteenth century and followed the pattern found in most nineteenth century Texas towns, in that the first businesses were located in wooden false front structures which were replaced in time by one- or two-story masonry structures. The builders were able to later utilize a variety of materials which were brought in by rail and many of the masonry commercial structures in Calvert were enriched by cast iron and pressed metal fronts. Those restricted to using only brick, often did so in a manner that was both distinctive and decorative. Ground floor arcades with openings containing French doors and fanlights, typical elements of nineteenth century commercial structures, are to be found on many of the buildings. In others, large plate glass windows fill the ground floors, while brick corbelling or pressed metal act as the terminating and/or decorative element. A few businesses located at street corners utilized corner entrances in order to be accessible from two approaches. This served also to emphasize the entry and provided a distinctive profile. Banks most often treated their entrances in this fashion.

Special care should be taken to preserve the graphics present on a few structures which are the only visible remains of businesses which long ago operated along Main Street. Another aesthetic consideration deserving of more attention is the rear elevations and surrounding spaces of these commercial buildings. Many structures display handsome rear elevations which are not being maintained. This area, its potential utilized, could serve as an attractive transitional space between the commercial - residential districts.

Within the residential community, an area which covers the greatest portion of the historic district, twentieth century bungalow forms and nineteenth century wooden vernacular structures are well represented. However, it is the picturesque Victorian houses that predominate, both numerically and visually. Several are sited on an entire block, many on half of a block. Turned columns, jigsaw cut details and Eastlake ornament fashioned with a chisel, gouge and lathe are in evidence throughout the area. Examples of nineteenth century houses built from plans ordered from magazines or purchased prefabrica.ed from Sears are also to be found in the residential area. In the early twentieth century several Victorian homes were remodeled to update them to the more fashionable Colonial Revival style. The old courthouse, known as the Hammond House (29), is located in the residential district. An imposing Victorian Gothic building, it is currently under restoration for use as a museum.

Calvert displays other evidence of its Victorian heritage, such as the City Park with its band stand (34) surrounded by two smaller gazebos, and the city cemetery which is adjacent to the park, and perhaps served as an additional park. Twentieth century America shuns cemeteries, but to the Victorians they provided a delightful spot for a family picnic. Established in 1870, the Calvert Cemetery (35) reveals a variety of large, elaborate nineteenth century sepulchral sculpture, often symbolizing a person's achievements or position within the community.

Only five structures within the Calvert Historic District can be identified as intrusions. Perhaps it would be fitting to include State Highway 6 as an intrusion, as the constant stream of heavy traffic makes movement about the streets difficult and hazardous. In addition to the noise and pollution factors, the vibrations caused by the passage of large numbers of semi-trailers has contributed to the structural damage of the commercial buildings. For approximately the first sixty years of the twentieth century the most formidable opponent of the handsome commercial structures was neglect. Beginning in the early 1960s the city began to experience a revitalization as it was discovered by those who paused on their journeys down Highway 6. Through word of mouth, newspaper articles in the state's most widely circulated dailies and in magazines of every sort, the word was out that Calvert had somehow managed to elude the vicissitudes of twentieth century life - here life was still leisurely, taxes incredibly low and the ambiance created by the large rambling Victorian homes hidden in a century old landscape reminiscent of another era. Many from Houston and Dallas invested in the old houses when their occupants passed away or were taken to rest homes by their urban children. Originally purchased as a retirement/weekend home, they quickly became permanent addresses. Antique stores suddenly appeared downtown in abundance, several on each block usually. Thus were initiated the problems now making themselves apparent in the commercial district, as the visual quality as well as the fabric of the area is now in danger. Not a single block remains unmarred. Where continuity in scale, materials, rhythm and proportions once prevailed, the blocks have been punctured by substantial alterations and remodeling which often display a glaring lack of understanding of the nineteenth century cityscape. Masonry facades have been hidden under new wooden false fronts, first floor openings bricked up and plastered and store fronts rebricked and repainted, hiding original openings in the process. It is imperative that guidelines for restoration be adopted by Calvert merchants. The residential area has fared better, but unsympathetic remodeling is visible in a few instances, as original wood siding has disappeared under asbestos siding. The continued random, isolated and incorrect remodeling practiced under the guise of restoration/preservation could well render the ambiance which sets Calvert apart from other towns with their origins in the nineteenth century a thing of the past. Here it is important to stress that these practices are isolated - the exception, not the rule, and relatively few in number. By far, the majority of merchants and residents are actively aware of the unique environment in which they work and live and are actively involved in preservation efforts. The Robertson County Historical Survey Committee has provided leadership in these efforts, as they have sponsored the Annual Springtime Pilgrimage of some of Calvert's most significant homes and they are currently restoring the old courthouse for use as the Robertson County Historical Museum.

The following is a list of exemplary and/or the more salient structures found in the Calvert Historic District:

1. 404 - 408 Main Street. This three building row of one- story commercial structures were erected ca. 1890. All are masonry structures with cast iron store fronts. French doors and large plate glass windows covered by transoms fill the ground floors. Brick panels and pressed tin cornices are used as the decorative elements.

2. Masonic Hall, Pierce Lodge, 410 Main Street. The ground floor facade of this late nineteenth century structure was constructed with cast iron while the upper story was sheathed in sheet metal, a fashionable late nineteenth century building material. Emulating elaborate carved stone, the sheet metal provided a decorative, distinctive and economical facade to the Main Street elevation. The Mitchell Street masonry elevation is capped with a continuation of the metal cornice. The angled opening allowed access from two avenues. The Masonic Lodge retained the upper floor for their own use and leased the ground floor as commercial space. This structure displays the three part division of the commercial style.

3. Hazel's Flower and Dress Shop, 403 Main Street. At one time this three-bay, nineteenth century one-story commercial structure was marked by three large brick arches which spanned its facade. The supportive brick pilasters were removed to allow the installation of a new opening framed by large plate glass windows The remaining brick arches are sagging because the wooden lintel cannot support the weight of the masonry. A brick cornice acts as a decorative element.

4. 407-411 Main Street. This three building row of one- story, three-bay masonry commercial structures were constructed ca. 1880 and are exemplary of nineteenth century commercial construction. Romanesque in flavor, the building at 407 Main is especially handsome with its three sets of French doors capped fanlights. The other two structures are marked by wooden fronts with French door openings covered by transoms. All the structures maintain the same roof line. 409 and 411 Main share an identical continuous line of brick dentils and corbelling below the cornice.

5. 413 Main Street. Although it is in poor structural condition, this late nineteenth century commercial building has maintained much of its original design. The facade is spanned by six sets of French doors set into the cast iron store front.

6. 500 - 502 Main Street. Built in ca. 1870 to house the Calvert Foundry, one of Calvert's first industries, these structures now house Robert Davis Antiques (500) and C. S. Allen Hardware (502). The north building reveals considerable alteration as it displays a twentieth century store front. The south building is masonry with a cast iron front from St. Louis. Two sets of double doors which are framed by large plate glass windows and capped by transoms fill the ground floor.

7. Jaques Adoue Building, 506 Main Street. This two-story commercial structure with its cast iron and pressed metal front is one of the most commanding Main Street buildings. Four-bays wide, entrance is gained through four sets of French doors. The metal cornice is capped by a metal panel stamped with J. Adoue, the name of banker/merchant who constructed the building in 1884. Adoue owned several businesses and it is said this store set an ambitious style for the town.

8. 516 Main Street. Originally constructed as a bank, this building is now a dentist's office. A one-story masonry structure, its formal neo-classical details are enriched further by the raised parapet above the pressed tin cornice. Distinguished by its corner entrance favored by banks, the entry is emphasized by the Ionic columns which flank the doorway and by the elaborate pedimented entrance.

9. Oscar Building, 507 Main Street. Built in 1879 by the Oscar family, prominent Calvert merchants, this two-story, four-bay masonry building retains its original facade almost intact. Remodeling has altered one bay. Originally all ground level openings were filled with French doors. Brick label moldings surround the second story windows. The building is terminated by a metal pedimented cornice stamped with the name of the builder.

10. Cotton Blossom Antiques, 610 Main Street. A fine example of nineteenth century commercial Victorian design, pressed tin, cast iron, wood and brick have been used to obtain a visual richness. A set of center French doors framed by large plate glass windows fill the ground floor of this two- story, three day structure. A unique feature of the interior, originally constructed as a dry goods store, is the second story mezzanine which curves around the interior, open in the center to the first floor.

11. Citizens State Bank, 620 Main Street. Although the first floor facade of this two-story three-bay nineteenth century structure has been altered, the exterior retains its 1887 style. Brick arch moldings surround first floor openings while segmental arches span second level openings, giving them a visual continuity. Interest is provided at the cornice by a raised brick parapet with brick corbelling.

12. Cuzzeri Building, 619 Main Street. An additional expression of a commercial structure utilizing a corner entry to provide access from two approaches, this one-story masonry commercial Victorian building was erected ca. 1880. Brick panels and a pressed tin cornice carrying the name B. Cuzzari provide distinctive decorative elements.

13. Salazar's Garage, 717 Main Street. This handsome four- part, eight-bay one-story masonry structure terminates the block. Eight sets of double doors with transoms set in stilted brick arches span the cast iron front. Decorative brick corbelling and pilasters capped with brick finials satisfies the desire for opulence and imparts individuality to the facade.

14. Abrams-Allay House, 207 Burnett Street. The outstanding feature of this 1-1/2 story rambling Victorian house which was built ca. 1890 is the elaborately decorated pediments. The one-story porch which stretches across the front is supported by turned columns with stylized Ionic capitals.

15. Calvert Hotel, 408 Railroad Street. The original section of this structure, which was utilized as a hotel from 1890- 1966, dates from 1872. Raised on a brick foundation, this two-story structure reflects the style which emerged from the transition of the Greek Revival to the Victorian. The two-story gallery which extends across the front is supported by Doric columns and the front elevation is pierced by asymmetrically placed openings. The structure is currently under restoration for use as a hotel/residence.

16, Dunn House, 302 Texas Street. The corner bays of this late Victorian wood frame residence are set at 45 degree angles and belie the symmetry of its plan. This simple vernacular structure is enriched by the imbricated shingles in the gables, tin finials, turned porch columns and pressed tin set around the footings. This rambling two-story Victorian house was remodeled in the early twentieth century to reflect the more popular Colonial Revival style which had been introduced in the east during the 1880s. Ionic columns with egg and dart molding support the two-story pedimented portico. A circular second level balcony projects from the center bay. The transom and side lights are filled with leaded bevelled glass. A Gothic Revival cast iron fence partially surrounds the property.

18. Fancher-Drennan-Cobb House, 301 Gregg Street. The site on which this Victorian cottage is built was originally designated as the Courthouse Square, but was sold when the county seat was transferred to Franklin in 1879. This 1-1/2 story frame residence was constructed in 1885 for Dr. R. B. Faucher. It was remodeled by later owners ca. 1890. A turreted bay distinguishes the porch, which is decorated by a variety of Victorian jig-saw cut details. Metal cresting extends along the roof ridge.

19. R.W. Burnett House, 305 Gregg Street. (Burned Feb. 1984) It is the reference to the Victorian Italianate which distinguishes the Burnett House. A handsome three-story tower marks the entrance of this two-story, frame residence which was built ca. 1890. The one-story L-shaped porch and second level balcony are embellished with X-shaped jig-saw cut balusters and lattice work. Many of the window moldings reveal a classical influence. Brackets with pendants are found under the deep eaves. The property is partially surrounded by a cast iron fence with a Gothic Revival cast iron gate.

20. Gibson House, 406 Texas Street. The Gibson House and its property occupy an entire block. Originally a small cottage, the house was enlarged in the early years of the twentieth century by the Gibsons, who owned the Gibson Gin and Oil Company. This 2-1/2 story wood frame house exemplifies the Colonial Revival style, yet retains many Victorian details. Coupled Ionic columns mark the east elevation, while Doric columns are used at the north and south elevation.

21. Collat-Hucks House, 401 Gregg Street. A rich and fanciful composition, this two-story frame residence has retained most of its original detail, on both the interior and exterior. The house was built in 1892 and displays a multiplicity of Victorian ornament including decorated bargeboards, metal cresting and stained glass. The L-shaped two-story gallery which frames the house is especially picturesque because of its Eastlake embellishments.

22. Fanny R. Jones House, 409 Gregg Street. (Burned - Removed) Exhibiting a multitude of Victorian elements, this imposing two-story galleried residence was built in 1879. Turned columns and bargeboards, jig-saw cut balustrades, lattice work and brackets and stained glass windows all contribute to the visual richness of this structure.

23. First Presbyterian Church, 401 Barton Street. Built at Sterling before the Civil War, this church, reflective of the Greek Revival style, was moved to Calvert in 1868 by oxen and was moved again to its present site in 1913. Four Doric columns support the pedimented portico.

24. Presbyterian Manse, 403 Barton Street. An example of the symmetrical Victorian, this one-story, five-bay wooden residence was constructed ca. 1880. The central entrance is bordered by side lights and a transom.

25. Drennan-Doremus-Burnitt House, 502 Texas Street. Constructed ca. 1870, this large Victorian residence provides another example of a twentieth century remodeling to Colonial Revival style popular in the early decades of this century. Rambling in composition, this 2-1/2 story structure is enriched by the small Ionic columns found at the porches, the stylized Palladian window set into the gables, and the elaboration of carving in the pediments.

26. Drennan-Field-Doremus House, 508 Texas Street. Distinguished by the two-story tower which marks the entrance, this one-story frame residence was once a part of the original residence at 502 Texas Street. Victorian ornament is provided by the jig-saw cut balustrade, lattice work and bargeboards.

27. Proctor House, 509 Gregg Street. Displaying the strong influence of the bungalow style as a result of remodeling, this two-story frame residence was constructed ca. 1905. The porte cochere and gallery additions date ca. 1920. Cresting caps the peak of the steep hipped roof.

28. Church of the Epiphany, Gregg Street at Elm Street. Organized in 1870, this carpenter Gothic structure is the oldest church in Calvert and has been used continuously since the parish was founded. The church is distinguished by the three-story tower, lances windows and jig-saw cut bargeboard.

29. Hammond House, Block 107. Originally constructed in 1875 as the Robertson County Courthouse, the county seat was moved to Franklin before its completion. The Victorian Gothic structure was then adapted for use as a residence until 1966, when it was purchased for use as the Robertson County Historical Museum. Restoration is currently underway. The jail and a carriage house of a later date are found to the east of the structure. (See National Register submission, Hammond House).

30. Private Residence, 908 China Street. This 2-1/2 story asymmetrical Victorian frame residence was ordered prefabricated from Sears.

31. Randolph-Field House, 800 China Street. Constructed in 1873, this one-story, five-bay raised cottage displays many features of the Greek Revival in plan and overall form. The plan is the classic one of a central hall with balanced rooms on each side. The three center bays are covered by a pedimented porch carried on Doric columns. The two interior chimneys are offset, left and right. The house was built by George Randolph of Virginia, who is thought to be a descendant of Thomas Jefferson.

32. Jones House, 609 Gregg Street. The Jones House has appeared in several publications as illustrative of the Queen Anne style. The chimney which surrounds the large plate glass window on the south elevation has been treated as the outstanding feature of this late nineteen century, 2 1/2 story residence. The irregular plan and massing and the variety of color and materials are exemplary of the Queen Anne style and are employed here to develop a visual richness. Typical of many nineteenth century residences, the plans for this house were ordered from a magazine.

33. Private Residence, 700 Texas Street. This late nineteenth century 1-1/2 story residence grew around a two room structure which had been moved to this site. Five-bays wide, the house displays the symmetrical central hall plan. The hipped roof is pierced by four gables. Victorian influence is indicated by the imbricated shingles found in the gable, art glass windows and jig-saw cut brackets at the porch. A detached kitchen is located at the west elevation.

34. Virginia Field Park Pavilion and Gazebos, Virginia Field Park. Land for a city park was donated by the Houston and Texas Central Railroad in 1868. In 1895 a pavilion and two gazebos were constructed from the design of a New York architect. The pavilion is octagonal in plan and covered by a two-tiered roof.

35. Calvert Cemetery. Organized in 1870, many fine examples of Victorian sepulchral sculpture are to be found here.

36. Clara Barton House, 404 Maple Street. Unique because of its brick construction, the Barton House was built at the turn of the century and marks the transition from the Victorian to the Colonial Revival. The asymmetrical entrance to the two story residence is indicated by the two-story pedimented portico supported of Doric columns. A second level porch extends across the front elevation, while an L- shaped porch partially surrounds the ground level.

While the major cities have seen their turreted mansions and picturesque frame houses disappear, Calvert has retained the majority of its original nineteenth century form and fabric, with a minimal number of twentieth century intrusions. Those structures which comprise the Calvert Historic District are reflective of the wealth and prosperity of Calvert during the last three decades of the nineteenth century when cotton truly was king and railway lines converted a small community almost overnight into a boom town. The history of Calvert essentially dates 1870- 1900; little happened in the area before, not much afterwards. The twentieth century largely by-passed Calvert, and only within the past ten years have significant changes been visible again in Calvert.

Colonists were settling near Calvert as early as 1834, but the city was not established until after the Civil War. Prior to this date, the small community of Sterling, located three miles to the west of Calvert, was the center of activity. The decade of the 1850s marked the beginning of extensive cotton production in the rich farmlands surrounding Calvert. The successful operation of the cotton plantations was observed by government and railroad officials in Houston. When the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company began to expand their rail lines northward during the late 1850s their endeavors were enthusiastically supported by planters in the Calvert area, some of whom sent their slaves to help clear the way and lay the rail ties. The Civil War disrupted all expansion plans and the lines had reached only to Millican, about 15 miles south of Bryan, by 1860. Cotton production continued during the war as planters subscribed cotton for government projects. Reconstruction, proved to be a serious economic blow to the area. Many farmers had been reduced to poverty after being paid in Confederate money and the high sales tax on feed, cotton and farm animals rendered many penniless. Federal troops were placed within what are now the city limits of Calvert for a while in 1867 much to the dismally of the population, who sought to make it as unpleasant as possible for the soldiers. Apparently they were successful, for the soldiers named the place, "The Yankee Hell Hole." Beginning in 1868, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Company announced they were to continue construction of rail lines northward.

Abraham Grosbeak paid $3,321 for 1107 acres to be used as a townsite in January 1868 and transferred the land to an association of businessmen by quit claim. A map of the new town was drawn by Theodore Kosse, an engineer for the railroad company. A right of way through the town, and suitable blocks for depot and supply stations were deeded to the railroad company and the remaining lots were made available to the public.

The new town was named for Robert Calvert, a planter and state legislator, who had settled near Sterling when he arrived in Texas from Tennessee in 1850. Calvert was a direct descendant of Lord Baltimore, colonizer of Maryland. With the arrival of the railway lines, many families moved to Calvert from the smaller surrounding communities, which were then left deserted.

The first train arrived in Calvert in June 1869. As the terminus of the rail line the city prospered. Frame commercial buildings lined Main Street. By the early 1870s these were being replaced by more permanent masonry structures. Initial residential settlement was to the west of the commercial district. Movement to the east side began in the late 1870s-early 1880s.

Calvert was a boom town and like other towns which experienced quick, explosive growth, tales of shoot outs, stacks of gold piled high on the tables of the gambling house and barrels of whiskey kept in grocery stores for cash customers abound. Almost assured scenes of this sort must have been common, but to what extent no one can be sure. Tales of this nature make for good stories and interesting lectures and thus tend to be perpetuated and often overemphasized. Citizens attended to their social, fraternal and religious needs as schools were organized, churches were constructed and Casimer's Opera House provided operas, plays and concerts. Businesses thrived. The Sanger Brothers, who later founded the Sanger-Harris stores in Dallas, built a store in 1868. Calvert could claim a cosmopolitan population, as many ethnic groups were represented in the business community and general population. The Frenchmen Bertrand and Jacques Adoue, were prominent merchants and bankers. The Adoue Building (7) with its steel vault stands on Main Street, presently housing an antique store. Germans, Jews, Irish and Blacks all settled in Calvert to share in the prosperity. The Chinese were also a familiar sight along the streets of Calvert at this time. During Reconstruction a group of Chinese were brought to the area to help fill the labor shortage which developed after the slaves were freed following the Civil War.

The first serious blow to this thriving community was dealt by a yellow fever epidemic that killed almost three hundred residents and struck over 1900 others from September until November, 1873. The completion of the railway lines to Dallas soon after meant Calvert was no longer the rail head - now it was merely a stop along the route. A considerable decline in commerce was initiated as many businesses left the town.

The city had been named the county seat in 1870, but construction on a courthouse was not initiated until 1875. Before the Victorian Gothic structure (29) with its adjacent jail could be completed, the county seat was transferred to Franklin in 1870. The removal of the county seat had almost no affect upon the community. The completed courthouse was remodeled for use as a private residence.

Cotton production kept the city viable well into the twentieth century, when some emphasis was switched from cotton to cattle. The sizable incomes realized by planters and merchants were evidenced in the homes they built for themselves during 1800s-1900. Many notable examples of nineteenth century architecture are found in the historic district. The Burnitt House (19), an asymmetrical Victorian structure, displays an Italianate influence, while the variety of materials and color, and the irregularity of plan and massing give a visual richness to the Jones House (32) that is associated with the Queen Anne style. The Fanny R. Jones House (22) and the Collat-Hucks House (21), although separated by thirteen years, each reveal a multiplicity of Victorian detailing consistent with the period. The Foster Johnson House (17) and the Drennan-Doremus-Burnitt House (25) illustrate rambling Victorian residences which were transformed into Colonial Revival residences in the early twentieth century. The Gibson (2) and Clara Barton (36) Houses exemplify the transition from the Victorian to the Colonial Revival style of the early twentieth century.

The blocks surrounding the Calvert Historic District contain additional structures of architectural significance. The distinguishing characteristic of the historic district is the concentration of nineteenth century structures sharing similar scale, proportions and materials which have been pierced by few unsympathetic intrusions and which, acting as a group, contribute to the fabric of this nineteenth century community. Endangered structures in the historic district exist totally within the commercial area. These are the vacant building showing evidence of serious structural damage. Extensive restoration would be necessary, but they could certainly be reclaimed as contributing elements of the commercial district. A high level of awareness and concern exists within Calvert and it is assured that the community will continue to make its prime concern the protection and enhancement of the architectural legacy with which they have been entrusted.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON FILE IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER

SOURCE: TEXAS HISTORIC SITES ATLAS, TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us