Historic Preservation - City of Round Rock

Preservation News and Events

HPC date change
The October HPC meeting has been rescheduled a day earlier, to Monday, October 15th instead of the 16th.

Changes at Nelson-Crier House
The Preservation Office has received a number of calls asking about the brick walls being painted at the Nelson-Crier house (a.k.a. Woodbine) at 405 E. Main Street. The painting was approved by both the city’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and the Texas Historical Commission. The owner wanted to restore it to the appearance it had in 1931, when the six large columns were installed and the brick walls were washed white (see photo at left, ca. 1940s). The contractor is using a mineral paint that will not trap moisture and damage the brick as a latex paint would.

Stagecoach Inn structural move
The stagecoach inn was moved to its new home in Bathing Beach Park over the weekend of April 27-30. Check the City of Round Rock or Round Rock Preservation‘s facebook pages for updates.

Historic Preservation in Round Rock

The St. Charles Hotel (built ca. 1870) is now Williamson Museum on the Chisholm Trail

The City of Round Rock was founded in the 1840s where the Chisholm Trail crosses Brushy Creek, at the area now known as “Old Town.” In 1876, many of the businesses and residents moved to the current downtown area (“New Town”) when the railroad extended its tracks there. Since then, the City has grown steadily.

As it grows, the City of Round Rock works with owners of older and historic properties to encourage maintenance and upkeep, as well as retention of the historic character of buildings, structures, sites, and districts. The Department of Planning and Development Services (PDS) manages the City’s historic preservation programs. These include:

Advising property owners who want to renovate historic buildings and approving their proposed changes
City-wide preservation planning
Maintaining an inventory of historic properties
Designating local landmarks and historic districts
Managing a property tax exemption program available to historic property owners
Educating the public about Round Rock’s history and the City’s preservation programs

Find the Information You Need

Historic properties in Round Rock
Historic Architecture in Round Rock
Designated Historic Landmarks
Downtown Historic District (National Register District)
Chisholm Trail Historic Area
Downtown Historic Building Information Placards
Historic Round Rock Guide and Walking Tour (map/brochure, pdf)

Local history
The Historic Round Rock Collection
Preservation Minutes (videos about Round Rock history and preservation)
Local Legends
Local History Resources
Sam Bass and the Great Round Rock Shootout of July 19, 1878 (brochure, pdf)

Preservation program information
Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)
Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) 2018 meeting schedule
Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Goals for 2017-2018
Certificate of Appropriateness application packet for 2018
Historic Designation & Historic Overlay Zoning
Historic property Tax Exemption
2010-2013 Survey and Inventory of Historic Resources

Designation of Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts (brochure, pdf)
Historic Design Guidelines for Residential Properties (pdf)
Historic Design Guidelines for Commercial Properties (pdf)
Partial Tax Exemption for Historically Significant Properties (brochure, pdf)
Historic Preservation Commission Schedule (pdf)
Protecting Historic Properties: A Citizen’s Guide to Section 106 Review (brochure, pdf)

Contact Us
Planning & Development Services Department
301 W. Bagdad Avenue, Suite 210 (map)
Round Rock, Texas 78664
Phone: (512) 218-5428
Fax: (512) 218-3286
Walk-in hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday