16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 1 - Staff Report — original pdf

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CASE NUMBER: C14H-2025-0095 ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET HLC DATE: October 1, 2025 PC DATE: October 28, 2025 CC Date: APPLICANT: Historic Landmark Commission (commission-initiated) HISTORIC NAME: Calhoun House WATERSHED: Boggy Creek ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 2401 Givens Ave. ZONING CHANGE: SF-3-HD-NP to SF-3-H-HD-NP COUNCIL DISTRICT: 1 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the proposed zoning change from family residence- historic district-neighborhood plan (SF-3-HD-NP) to family residence-historic landmark-historic district- neighborhood plan (SF-3-H-HD-NP) combining district zoning. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: architecture, community value, and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: October 1, 2025: Grant the proposed zoning change from family residence (SF-3-HD-NP) to family residence-historic combining district (SF-3-H- HD-NP) zoning (8-0). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Austin Lukes, 512-978-0766 NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Independent School District, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Del Valle Community Coalition, East Austin Conservancy, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Overton Family Committee, Preservation Austin, Rogers Washington Holy Cross, Upper Boggy Creek Neighborhood Planning Team DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The 2016 East Austin Historic Resource Survey recommended the property as contributing to a potential local historic district. The property was subsequently listed as a contributing resource in the 2020 ordinance designating the Rogers Washington Holy Cross local historic district. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: § 25-2-352(3)(c)(i) Architecture. The property embodies the distinguishing characteristics of a recognized architectural style, type, or method of construction; exemplifies technological innovation in design or construction; displays high artistic value in representing ethnic or folk art, architecture, or construction; represents a rare example of an architectural style in the city; serves as an outstanding example of the work of an architect, builder, or artisan who significantly contributed to the development of the city, state, or nation; possesses cultural, historical, or architectural value as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian or vernacular structure; or represents an architectural curiosity or one-of-a-kind building. Designed and constructed by local builder Hal Starkey, the Calhoun House exemplifies the California ranch style and is one of the few remaining examples left in East Austin. It features several of the architectural features associated with the Ranch form and style generally, such as a low, long street facing elevation and an attached garage at one side, facing the street. The California ranch elements are more evident at the rear and interior of the property, including vaulted ceilings in the main entry room and wood paneling. The layout of the house at the rear surrounds the yard on two sides, which were originally planned to face a 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 11 of 75 backyard pool. The interior layout is laid out by public and private sections of the home. Since it is all one story, the layout winds around to create a sprawling footprint yet is still in scale for a single family, with additional space for hosting events or guests. The house still features original wood paneling and materials from construction. § 25-2-352(3)(c)(ii) Historical Associations. The property has long-standing significant associations with persons, groups, institutions, businesses, or events of historical importance that contributed significantly to the history of the city, state, or nation or represents a significant portrayal of the cultural practices or the way of life of a definable group of people in a historic time. The Calhoun House is associated with the T.C. and Thelma Calhoun, who had a long legacy of involvement with the largely African American East Austin civic community generally, and the education community in and around what would later be designated as Rogers Washington Holy Cross specifically. T.C. Calhoun served for several years as the president of the Teachers State Association of Texas (TSTA), an organization of several thousand black teachers across the country. The historic zoning application further describes his achievements: T.C. held numerous leadership positions in the community. In 1948 he was elected president of the Austin Negro Chamber of Commerce.28 In 1963, he served as president of the Teachers State Association of Texas (TSTA), an organization of 9,000 African American teachers, and the District Teachers Association. TSTA was founded during Reconstruction and achieved crucial civil rights wins for Black students and teachers in Texas. T.C. was instrumental in creating the Austin-Travis County Teachers Credit Union, which is thought to have helped finance loans for several homes in Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross. He was a charter member on the board that worked to build the first Senior Activity Center on Shoal Creek Boulevard and 29th Street. T.C. was also a board member of the local chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons and a major contributor to the Children’s Haven Association, a nonprofit founded in 1946 to serve underprivileged children in East Austin. He served in leadership roles with the American Red Cross, United Fund of Austin, the Austin-Travis County Tuberculosis Association, and the Texas Credit Union League. He was listed in Who’s Who in American Education and Who’s Who in Colored America. Thelma Calhoun came from a family of educators and shared their passion for strengthening the educational foundation of the community. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Prairie View College and a master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan, she worked for Travis County Schools, then a segregated institution: …she served as a Jeanes Supervisor for the segregated Travis County Schools. Jeanes Supervisors were a group of African American teachers who worked in southern rural schools and communities in the United States between 1908 and 1968. “Also known as Jeanes Teachers, Supervising Industrial Teachers, or Jeanes Workers, they derived their name from Philadelphia philanthropist Anna T. Jeanes, who provided funding for black education in the South.” Thelma later worked as a reading specialist for the Austin Independent School District. Like T.C., Thelma valued community service and served in leadership roles with the Children’s Haven Association and Ebenezer Third Baptist Church, where she was a founder and director of the children’s choir. Thelma also belonged to Delta Sigma Theta sorority and was a charter member of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Throughout her life she received awards for her civic and service contributions. The combined decades of work and service by the Calhouns resulted in a strong legacy and connection with development of education in East Austin and the African American community during the mid-20th century onward. § 25-2-352(3)(c)(iv) Community Value. The property has a unique location, physical characteristic, or 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 12 of 75 significant feature that contributes to the character, image, or cultural identity of the city, a neighborhood, or a particular group. Due to their work with the community, especially at schools for black students prior to integration, the Calhoun family home provided community value for its use as a gathering space for civic meetings. The historic zoning application describes the following: The home’s community value also stems from its role as the site of community service meetings in the early years of the Calhouns’ residence and through the present. Their daughter Patricia continues to enrich the community value of the home through her neighborhood advocacy and work with a local non-profit. The neighborhood, and the Calhoun House specifically, served as a large geographic area of African American middle class home ownership, which was made more difficult at the time due to the relative lack of financing options for such pursuits. This strong community allowed for many of the families to stay in place and not be forced to relocate when priced out of the area. Furthermore, the prominent location of the house in the Rogers Washington Holy Cross neighborhood allows it to serve as one of the main pillars on a main residential intersection in the community. PARCEL NO.: 0212101417 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 14 WASHINGTON SUBD ESTIMATED ANNUAL TAX EXEMPTION (homestead, capped): AISD $2,557.81 COA $2,056.37 TC $1,483.05 TC Health $464.87 Total $6,562.11 APPRAISED VALUE: $728,458 (Land: $380,508, Improvement: $347,950) PRESENT USE: Residence DATE BUILT/PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANCE: 1959; 1959-1970 INTEGRITY/ALTERATIONS: Strong integrity. East patio was enclosed in the late 1970s, now used as a game room. Minor weathering present, but house has been routinely maintained since construction. PRESENT OWNERS: Patricia Calhoun ORIGINAL OWNER(S): Theodore C. & Thelma Dotson Calhoun OTHER HISTORICAL DESIGNATIONS: Contributing resource to the Rogers Washington Holy Cross local historic district 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 13 of 75 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 14 of 7516 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 15 of 75B. Tax Map 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 16 of 75 C. Tax Certificate16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 17 of 7516 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 18 of 7516 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 19 of 75 Historical Documentation - Deed Chronology F. 1 Deed research for 2401 Givens Avenue Date Transaction Vol./Page or Instrument 1959-12-23 1987-07-15 2003-06-13 2012-04-25 2015-01-25 2016-02-05 2017-12-15 2017-12-18 2018-04-12 WASHINGTON HAZEL EVAN to CALHOUN T C & THELMA D Vol. 2143, Page 100 CALHOUN T C & THELMA D to CALHOUN PATRICIA & THELMA D Vol. 10372, Page 709 CALHOUN PATRICIA & THELMA D to CALHOUN THELMA C & PATRICIA CALHOUN THELMA C & PATRICIA to CALHOUN THELMA C LIFE ESTATE 2003153655TR 2012072747TR CALHOUN THELMA C LIFE ESTATE to CALHOUN PATRICIA None CALHOUN PATRICIA to CALHOUN PATRICIA C TRUST CALHOUN PATRICIA C TRUST to EDWARDS KAREN CRAWFORD EDWARDS KAREN CRAWFORD to CALHOUN PATRICIA C CALHOUN PATRICIA C to CALHOUN PATRICIA C TRUST 2016024472 2017198036 2017199429 2018058878 F.2 Historical Documentation - Occupancy History Occupancy Research for 2401 Givens Avenue Year 1959 1990 2015 Occupant Name and Reference Theodore C. and Thelma Dotson Calhoun Thelma Dotson Calhoun Patricia Calhoun Source Patricia Calhoun Patricia Calhoun Patricia Calhoun Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 110 of 75 Biographical Data F.3 See Section F.2 for occupancy history and Section F.9 for data on owners and occupants. Historically Significant Events F4. See Section F.9 for history of the building and its occupants. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 111 of 75 F.5 Color Digital Prints Image 1 North elevation, facing south Photo by Meghan King 2025 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 112 of 75 Image 2 West elevation, facing east Photo by Meghan King 2025 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 113 of 75 Image 3 West and south elevations, facing northeast Photo by Meghan King 2025 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 114 of 75 Image 4 South elevation, facing north Photo by Meghan King 2025 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 115 of 75 Image 5 East elevation, facing west Photo by Meghan King 2025 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 116 of 75 Image 6 East and south elevations, facing northwest Photo by Meghan King 2025 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 117 of 75 Image 7 Interior view, living room Photo by Lauren Kerr 2021 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 118 of 75 Image 8 Interior view, kitchen/dining area Photo by Lauren Kerr 2021 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 119 of 75 Image 9 Interior view, kitchen Photo by Lauren Kerr 2021 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 120 of 75 Image 10 Interior view, bathroom Photo by Lauren Kerr 2021 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 121 of 75 Image 11 Interior view, hallway Photo by Lauren Kerr 2021 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 122 of 75 F. 6 Architect/Builder/Contractor/Craftsmen See F.9 for information on builder of the subject property. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 123 of 75 F.7 Historical Photographs/Maps Map 1 2025 aerial view subject property, courtesy of Google Maps Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 124 of 75 Map 2 Plat of the Washington Subdivision, Calhoun house located at the southeast corner of Givens and Maple Date unknown Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 125 of 75 Map 3 1935 redlined map of Austin, edited by author to show the future location of the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 126 of 75 Map 4 1965 aerial of subject property, courtesy of USGS Earth Explorer. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 127 of 75 Image 1 North elevation Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 128 of 75 Image 2 West and south elevations, view northeast Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 129 of 75 Image 3 South elevation Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 130 of 75 Image 4 Drawings, exterior elevations Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 131 of 75 Image 5 Drawings, floor plan Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 132 of 75 Image 6 Interior photo, living room, view west Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960s Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 133 of 75 Image 7 Interior photo, living room, view east Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960s Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 134 of 75 Image 8 Interior photo, dining room/living room Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. 1960s Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 135 of 75 Image 9 Portraits of Thelma Dotson Calhoun and Theodore C. Calhoun in the Calhoun Home Photographers unknown, dates unknown Photo by Lauren Kerr, 2021 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 136 of 75 Image 10 Notice of marriage license issued for Thelma Dotson and T.C. Calhoun The Austin American, August 27, 1938 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 137 of 75 Image 11 Pat Calhoun with father T.C. Calhoun at the Miss Kealing Pageant Courtesy of Pat Calhoun c. late 1940s Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 138 of 75 Image 12 Announcement of T.C. Calhoun’s election as president of the Austin Negro Chamber of Commerce The Austin Statesman, December 8, 1948 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 139 of 75 Image 13 Photograph of men signing contract for building the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Austin, TX; T.C. Calhoun seated in first row, second from right Photographer unknown, date unknown - likely late 1940s, early 1950s University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Jacob Fontaine Religious Museum https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth17373/m1/1/?q=t.c.%20calhoun Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 140 of 75 Image 14 Officers of the Teachers State Association of Texas (TSAT) with architect John S. Chase, FAIA, at the groundbreaking of the TSAT headquarters at 1911 Navasota Street, Austin, TX The Texas Standard, Volume 26, Number 5, November-December 1952 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 141 of 75 Image 16 T.C. Calhoun named on building dedication of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Austin, TX Photographer unknown, August 8, 1955 University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Jacob Fontaine Religious Museum https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth17374/ Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 142 of 75 Image 17 Reporting of Thelma Calhoun as supervisor for twenty-five Negro teachers in county schools The Austin American, July 14, 1955 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 143 of 75 Image 18 Memo from T.C. Calhoun, Treasurer, to members of the Austin-Travis County Teachers Credit Union October 1, 1957 Courtesy of Pat Calhoun Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 144 of 75 Image 19 T.C. Calhoun with Kealing Junior High students Roselyn Fowler and Vicky Kirk Photo by Neal Douglass March 27, 1958 University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth19513/ Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 145 of 75 Image 20 Notice of T.C. Calhoun elected as president of the Teachers State Association of Texas (TSAT) The Austin American, Friday, April 6, 1962 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 146 of 75 Image 21 Message from T.C. Calhoun during his time as president of TSAT The Texas Standard, Volume 36, Number 5, November-December 1962 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 147 of 75 Image 22 Photo of the TSAT headquarters at 1911 Navasota Street, Austin, TX, designed by architect John S. Chase, FAIA The Texas Standard, Volume 37, Number 2, March-April 1963 Photographer unknown Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 148 of 75 Image 23 Announcement of T.C. Calhoun presiding over meeting of TSAT during his time as president The Austin American, October 24, 1963 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 149 of 75 Image 24 Reporting mentioning Thelma Calhoun as president of the Austin alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority The Austin American, May 14, 1964 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 150 of 75 Image 25 Marriage announcement of Patricia Calhoun The Austin American, July 6, 1969 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 151 of 75 Image 26 T.C. and Thelma Calhoun at the renaming of Pennsylvania Avenue, location of Kealing Junior High, after Mr. Calhoun upon his retirement from Kealing Junior High Photo by Darl Hyatt for the Austin Statesman, May 1971 Courtesy of Pat Calhoun Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 152 of 75 Image 27 The Austin American, Thursday, July 29, 1971 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 153 of 75 Image 28 Notice of T.C. Calhoun to speak at NAACP dinner in his capacity as representative of the Travis County Teachers Association Credit Union The Austin American, February 8, 1973 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 154 of 75 Image 29 Article on the closing of Kealing Junior High following desegregation The Austin American-Statesman, August 25, 1976 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 155 of 75 Image 30 Notice of T.C. Calhoun honored by Bishop College Alumni Hall of Fame Austin American-Statesman, March 20, 1980 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 156 of 75 Image 31 Announcement of Thelma and T.C. Calhoun’s 50th wedding anniversary Austin American-Statesman, August 28, 1988 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 157 of 75 Image 32 Obituary for T.C. Calhoun Austin American-Statesman, June 14, 1990 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 158 of 75 Image 33 Obituary for Thelma Calhoun (incorrect age cited - actual age 103) The Austin American-Statesman, February 2, 2015 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 159 of 75 Image 34 Obituary for Thelma Calhoun Legacy.com, published in The Austin American-Statesman February 1-2, 2015 https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/statesman/name/thelma-calhoun-obituary?id=18860687 Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 160 of 75 F.9 Historical Narrative Introduction: T.C. and Thelma Calhoun established an enduring legacy in Austin and helped build community for Black Austinites that spanned nearly a century, from the 1930s to the present day. Their leadership in education, community service, and neighborhood advocacy lives on in their daughter Patricia, who considers the Calhoun House her personal legacy to the neighborhood and the city. T.C. and Thelma succeeded and supported others despite the barriers of the Jim Crow South, establishing a tradition of excellence in education and community service that comprises an inspiring chapter in Austin’s history. The home built by T.C. and Thelma Calhoun is a modest but groundbreaking example of California ranch architecture that is significant for the historical associations and community value of its inhabitants and their lives. As one of the original homes in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross (RWHC) Historic District, it has a long and fabled association with the Calhoun family and their contributions to Austin, making it an important part of the city’s cultural heritage and warranting its designation as a historic landmark.1 Summary The Calhoun House is a one-story home located at 2401 Givens Avenue within the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District, which lies two miles east of the Texas Capitol.2 The home was built in 1959.3 The RWHC Historic District is one of the most intact concentrations of post-World War II housing for African Americans in Austin. As an early neighborhood developed by Black professionals for Black professionals, its development pattern is strongly tied to its cultural significance as a professional, middle-class, suburban neighborhood.4 The period of significance for the RWHC Historic District is 1953-1970, which corresponds to important economic trends in Austin. These include post-war growth patterns and the district’s associations with developers Nash Phillips, Hal Starkey, A.D. Stenger, and architect John Chase, known for their impact on Austin’s growth and development.5 The Calhoun House embodies those trends while showcasing the history of its owners. T.C. and Thelma Calhoun were committed educators and civic leaders in Austin’s Black community during the mid-twentieth century, when “separate but equal” racial policies continued to hinder the prosperity of Black Americans. The Calhouns played pivotal roles in the success and cohesiveness of the RWHC neighborhood. The home’s massing and detailing are representative of ranch-style homes, one-story, low-slung houses that underscored a new concept of simplicity for a postwar American family living a more casual lifestyle. 1 “Historic Districts,” City of Austin website, accessed July 6, 2025, https://www.austintexas.gov /page/historic-districts#Rogers%20Washington%20HC. 2 Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Preservation Plan & Narrative History, accessed July 6, 2025, https://services.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=343959. 3 Travis Central Appraisal District, accessed July 6, 2025, https://travis.prodigycad.com /propertydetail/204110/2025. 4 Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Preservation Plan & Narrative History. 5 Ibid. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 161 of 75 The underlying aesthetic fit with the informality and optimism that prevailed in the 1950s postwar era, by which time the ranch form had become the most popular housing style for new housing development. Also referred to as a California ranch, the ranch form had its origins on the West Coast in the 1930s work of California architects and was loosely based on the low, rambling courtyards of Spanish Colonial ranching houses.6 Statement of Significance: The Calhoun House demonstrates significance in the categories of historical associations and community value. The home, one of the first to be built in the subdivision and the anchor of a key intersection, has been owned and inhabited by the Calhoun family since its construction by T.C. and Thelma Calhoun in 1959.7 For over thirty years, T.C. was the principal of nearby Kealing Junior High School, the only middle school in Austin for African American children during segregation. He also held leadership roles in organizations that served African American educators, among many other civic titles.8 Thelma was a Jeanes supervisor for African American Travis County schools and a reading specialist at two local elementary schools. Both T.C. and Thelma were long-time leaders at nearby Ebenezer Third Baptist Church.9 The home’s community value also stems from its role as the site of community service meetings in the early years of the Calhouns’ residence and through the present.10 Their daughter Patricia continues to enrich the community value of the home through her neighborhood advocacy and work with a local non-profit. While architecture as a category is not considered in this application, it is worth noting that the Calhoun House is a high-integrity example of the California ranch style. Architectural Description The Calhoun House is sited at a prominent corner of Givens Avenue and Maple Street and is a contributing property in the RWHC Historic District. It sits on 9,743 square feet of land (.2237 acres) and has 2,213 square feet of living area.11 The house embodies the California ranch style through its massing and details. Designed by local builder Hal Starkey, the distinctive home has a low, elongated roof and clever integration of indoor and outdoor space that includes three patios.12 In keeping with the 6 Virginia Savage McAlester, “Modern Houses – Ranch, ca. 1935-1975,” in a Field Guide to American Houses (New York: Knopf, 2013), pp. 596-603. 7 Interview with Pat Calhoun by Mary Kahle, June 24, 2025. 8 Theodore C. Calhoun obituary, Austin American-Statesman, June 14, 1990; interview with Pat Calhoun. 9 Thelma Calhoun obituary, Legacy.com, accessed July 6, 2025, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries /statesman/name/thelma-calhoun-obituary?id=18860687; interview with Pat Calhoun. 10 Interview with Pat Calhoun. 11 Travis Central Appraisal District. 12 Profile sheet, 2401 Givens Avenue, Preservation Austin Homes Tour 2024. Sources for profile sheet include Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Preservation Plan & Narrative History, Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Design Standards, Hal Starkey obituary, and “Common Ground: The story of Austin’s newest, and only Black, historic district,” by Marla Akin (Sightlines Magazine, 2021). Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 162 of 75 California-style plan, the house was intended to be built around a pool; however, the Calhouns didn’t swim, and the pool was never built.13 Like similar ranch-style homes in the neighborhood, the Calhoun House is a low-slung, single-story brick and wood structure, with a low-hipped roof, prominent sliding glass doors, and a deep overhang with a minor front porch. The front porch features a horizontally oriented wooden fence for privacy from passersby. The garage, which was originally also intended for extra entertainment space, repeats the ceiling design of the living room and reflects the growing prevalence of car ownership after World War II. Original features in the home are extensive, including the living room’s exposed beams and clerestory windows, paneled wood walls throughout, a galley kitchen with wood cabinetry, ceramic tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms, and a pass-through area from the kitchen. Many of the current furnishings are also original, including the mid-century modern dining set and hutch, and a wood high-low table with molded chairs in the breakfast area. The dining room and breakfast area ceiling light fixtures are also original. In keeping with the ranch style, the Calhoun House features architecturally separate “zones,” with the private bedrooms and bathrooms separated from the public living room and kitchen. This zoned floor plan contributes to the exterior appearance as elongated and rambling. The public zones of the house–the kitchen and living room–are integrated with the outdoors through the use of large windows and sliding glass doors in every room except a bathroom where the glass door was removed for security reasons. The outdoor emphasis is further heightened by the incorporation of built-in planter boxes at the front door and in the interior dining room.14 The property has always been used as a private home. The Calhouns enclosed the east patio for use as a game room in the late 1970s, but otherwise the home retains much of its historic integrity and is in good condition due to the diligent care of the Calhoun family.15 Today the home has energy efficient sliding glass doors and kitchen windows.16 Historical Overview As an early neighborhood developed by Black professionals for Black professionals, the development pattern of the RWHC Historic District is strongly tied to its cultural significance as a professional, middle-class, suburban neighborhood. Neighborhood residents were influential in the fields of science, architecture, local and national government, and education, as well as the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and more. Architecturally, the houses represent postwar stylistic trends, including ranch, minimal 13 Nicole Villalpando, “Preservation tour offers story of segregation, prosperity and Austin's Black community,” Austin American-Statesman, June 5, 2021, accessed July 6, 2025, https://www.statesman.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/2021/06/05/preservation-austin-tour-goes-inside-histori c-black-austin-neighborhood/5286440001/. 14 Profile sheet. 15 Kahle interview with Pat Calhoun. 16 Profile sheet. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 163 of 75 traditional, modern, and split-level styles.17 Comprised of just forty-six contributing homes, the historic district’s small footprint belies the impressive legacy of history, activism, and community that exists here. The district is bound by E. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Chestnut Avenue, East 21st Street, and Cedar Avenue.18 It bears the name of African Americans Eli Rogers and Dr. Marcellus Washington, who previously owned and later developed the land, and of the nearby Holy-Cross Hospital (no longer extant). An important East Austin landmark, the 1951 hospital was built for African Americans and gave Black physicians all admitting and surgical privileges.19 Givens Avenue, where the Calhoun House is sited, was named after Dr. Everett Givens, a community leader and one of Austin’s first Black dentists. A civil rights advocate who pushed for equal rights and opportunities for African Americans, in 1950 Givens subdivided a tract of land he owned off E. 19th Street (now MLK Jr. Blvd.). This tract was adjacent to Holy Cross Hospital. With A.D. Stenger, a white architect and builder famed for his mid-century modern designs, Givens platted Holy Cross Heights, the first “Negro” subdivision in Austin to have Federal Housing Authority approval. Stenger-designed homes were never built on any of the Holy Cross lots, but after adjacent landowners Rogers and Washington subdivided their plots, local builders including Lott Lumber (the largest Black-owned lumberyard in Texas), Hal Starkey (builder of the Calhoun House), Travis Cook, and Nash Phillips developed the neighborhood throughout the 1950-60s.20 Prior to this, East Austin’s development was defined by the policies of the Jim Crow South. Legal segregation began with racial covenants on property deeds that barred people of color from living in certain neighborhoods, mainly those in West and North Austin. These practices were later codified by the 1928 City Plan that pushed Black and Latino Austinites east of East Avenue, now I-35, by denying city services to those who resisted relocation.21 Housing segregation was further enshrined in a 1934 city survey produced by the federal Home Owners Loan Corporation, established to facilitate homeownership by restructuring existing mortgages on better terms. The agency’s risk assessment maps, however, redlined “hazardous” areas and prohibited federally-backed mortgages for homes there. Virtually all majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in Austin were redlined based on race and regardless of a home’s actual condition. This included much of East Austin, along with former freedman colonies citywide. Homeownership thus became easier for white residents living in “desirable” neighborhoods and that much harder for Black residents with limited housing options.22 After World War II, hard-won economic, educational, and social opportunities created an emergent Black middle class seeking its own vision of suburban life. Yet the postwar building boom was largely out of 17 Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Preservation Plan & Narrative History. 18 Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Preservation Plan & Narrative History. 19 Profile sheet. 20 Ibid. 21 A City Plan for Austin, Texas, Koch & Fowler Consulting Engineers - 1928, accessed July 6, 2025, file:///Users/Mary/Downloads/txu-oclc-9451130%20(6).pdf. 22 “Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America,” University of Richmond, accessed July 6, 2025, https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining/map/TX/Austin/context#loc=13/30.289/-97.7453. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 164 of 75 their reach, again because of segregationist policies. The Federal Housing Administration prohibited Black families from obtaining the same low-cost mortgages available to white families, or from buying into the large-scale, developer-driven subdivisions that the agency backed.23 Black Americans had to find alternative, and often more expensive, routes to homeownership. These barriers make the existence of African American communities like Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross all the more remarkable. The Calhoun House was one of the first new homes built in RWHC starting in the late 1950s, when incoming city services readied the neighborhood for exciting new growth. The neighborhood attracted Black professionals largely by word of mouth, including schoolteachers, professors, business owners, and veterans. Like so many postwar suburbs, ranch-style homes prevail here, ranging from stylish to modest. RWHC residents often worked directly with building professionals to design their homes, resulting in an architectural character that reflects the personal tastes of each family––character which distinguishes their neighborhood from the segregated, large-scale, FHA-backed subdivisions with hundreds of inexpensive but identical homes. Developed during the height of the Civil Rights movement, at a time of increased economic prosperity for all, the neighborhood was imbued with a sense of optimism and promise that homeownership brings. In Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross, this sentiment found architectural expression through the use of modern styles, which looked with hope towards a more just and prosperous future. Biographical Data: The Calhoun Family The Calhoun family purchased the property on Givens in 1959 and has inhabited the home since its completion in spring of 1960.24 Family members have a history of leadership, accomplishment, and community engagement that makes their home significant to their neighborhood and to Austin. Theodore Calvin (“T.C.”) Calhoun (1905-1990) T.C. Calhoun was born into a large family in Corsicana, Texas, in 1905 and left home at the age of fifteen or sixteen. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Bishop College, a historically Black college located in Marshall, Texas, before becoming a math teacher in Mansfield, Louisiana. T.C. subsequently came to Austin, where he united with Ebenezer Third Baptist Church. He was a coach and the chairman of the L.C. Anderson High School math department for ten years. He became the principal of Kealing Junior High in 1941, and, in emergencies, would step in to teach a math class. He retired in 1971. T.C. earned a master’s degree from the University of Michigan in 1941and completed post-graduate studies in administration for junior high school programs at the University of Boston and the University of Connecticut. 25 23 “A History of Racist Federal Housing Policies,” Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center, accessed July 8, 2025, https://massbudget.org/2021/08/06/a-history-of-racist-federal-housing-policies/. 24 Kahle interview with Pat Calhoun. 25 Allen Jackson, “Principal Retiring as School Closes,” Austin American-Statesman, July 29, 1971; “Principal of Kealing to Preside,” Austin American-Statesman, October 24, 1963; interview with Pat Calhoun; and Theodore C. Calhoun obituary. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 165 of 75 T.C. met and married Thelma Clarissa Dotson (see next section) in the late 1930s during the period when he was teaching at L.C. Anderson High School, Austin’s segregated high school for Black students. According to daughter Patricia “Pat” Calhoun (1943-), they met through friends connected with Prairie View College, where Thelma earned a degree in education in 1934.26 Despite the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case of 1954, Austin’s public schools remained de facto segregated until 1971, when the federal government forced compliance on the district. For East Austin, this meant the closure of Kealing and L.C. Anderson and the beginning of busing Black students out of their neighborhoods. While the necessity for integration was evident, the burden largely fell on Black Austinites. Pat recalls that the closure of Kealing was difficult for her father and motivated his decision to retire. It was also challenging for the community, which was losing the support system provided by the schools.27 T.C. held numerous leadership positions in the community. In 1948 he was elected president of the Austin Negro Chamber of Commerce.28 In 1963, he served as president of the Teachers State Association of Texas (TSTA), an organization of 9,000 African American teachers, and the District Teachers Association. TSTA was founded during Reconstruction and achieved crucial civil rights wins for Black students and teachers in Texas. T.C. was instrumental in creating the Austin-Travis County Teachers Credit Union, which is thought to have helped finance loans for several homes in Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross. He was a charter member on the board that worked to build the first Senior Activity Center on Shoal Creek Boulevard and 29th Street.29 T.C. was also a board member of the local chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons and a major contributor to the Children’s Haven Association, a nonprofit founded in 1946 to serve underprivileged children in East Austin. He served in leadership roles with the American Red Cross, United Fund of Austin, the Austin-Travis County Tuberculosis Association, and the Texas Credit Union League. He was listed in Who’s Who in American Education and Who’s Who in Colored America.30 Pat notes that her father had a pin denoting membership in the Lions Club but says that he would not have been formally accepted into the organization during the height of his career, as it was a segregated organization at that time. Thus he had quasi-membership status as someone who maintained alliances and friendships within the white community in a situation where he was “accepted but not fully accepted.”31 26 Interview with Pat Calhoun; “Thelma Clarissa Calhoun: 1911-2015,” Legacy.com, accessed July 6, 2025, https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/statesman/name/thelma-calhoun-obituary?id=18860687. 27 Preservation Austin (unknown employee) interview with Pat Calhoun, circa 2020; Allen Jackson, “Principal Retiring. 28 “T.C. Calhoun Heads Negro C.C.,” Austin American-Statesman, December 8, 1948. 29 Correspondence between T.C. Calhoun and TSTA membership; Correspondence between T.C. Calhoun and credit union membership; Theodore C. Calhoun obituary; “History,” TSTA/NEA, accessed July 6, 2025, https://www.tsta.org/about tsta/history/; interview with Pat Calhoun. 30 Theodore C. Calhoun obituary. 31 Kahle interview with Pat Calhoun. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 166 of 75 T.C. was a deacon, trustee, and treasurer at the historic Ebenezer Third Baptist Church (1010 E. 10th Street), where he sang in the Bright and Early Choir, one of the first to broadcast on the radio. His name is on the cornerstone of the main building.32 Thelma Dotson Calhoun (1911-2015) Thelma Clarissa Dotson was born in Austin in 1911, the oldest of seven children. She attended L.C. Anderson High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Prairie View College (today’s Prairie View A&M University) in 1934. She earned a master’s degree in education at the University of Michigan and certification as an education specialist at the University of Texas at Austin.33 Descended from a long line of educators, she served as a Jeanes Supervisor for the segregated Travis County Schools. Jeanes Supervisors were a group of African American teachers who worked in southern rural schools and communities in the United States between 1908 and 1968. “Also known as Jeanes Teachers, Supervising Industrial Teachers, or Jeanes Workers, they derived their name from Philadelphia philanthropist Anna T. Jeanes, who provided funding for black education in the South.”34 Thelma later worked as a reading specialist for the Austin Independent School District.35 Like T.C., Thelma valued community service and served in leadership roles with the Children’s Haven Association and Ebenezer Third Baptist Church, where she was a founder and director of the children’s choir. Thelma also belonged to Delta Sigma Theta sorority and was a charter member of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. Throughout her life she received awards for her civic and service contributions.36 Patricia “Pat” Carol Calhoun (1943-) Pat Calhoun, the daughter of T.C. and Thelma Calhoun, was born in Austin in 1943. The Calhoun family lived at 1408 Cotton Street prior to their move to 2401 Givens Avenue in 1960. Pat graduated from L.C. Anderson High School in 1960 and earned a degree in interior design at Michigan State University in 1964. She was the second African American to graduate from the interior design program. After finding it difficult to find a job as an African American in the interior design industry, Pat eventually landed a job at Sears in Chicago through a friend of her father T.C. After her marriage and subsequent move to Detroit, she was the first African American interior designer in the Design Studio of the J.L. Hudson Department Store. Pat was one of the first African Americans registered in the State of TX as an NCIDQ certified interior designer and currently maintains that certification. Today she is a manufacturer’s representative with her own agency. Pat lived in Carrollton, Texas, for many years before returning to Austin and the family home on Givens Avenue in 2016. She also returned to and is an active member of Ebenezer Third Baptist Church. 32 Theodore C. Calhoun obituary; Kahle interview with Pat Calhoun. 33 “Thelma Clarissa Calhoun: 1911-2015”; interview with Pat Calhoun. 34 “Jeanes Supervisors,” Encyclopedia of Alabama, accessed July 6, 2025, https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/jeanes-supervisors/. 35 “Thelma Clarissa Calhoun: 1911-2015.” 36 Ibid. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 167 of 75 Pat is also a family historian – her home is filled with antique photographs and documents chronicling the many branches of her family tree spanning centuries. A particularly special touch are the heirloom quilts still on display, some of them over a century old. Today Pat is a fierce advocate for the community and neighborhood and was instrumental in the neighborhood achieving historic district status in 2020, Austin’s first historic district designated to honor Black heritage. As she notes, “We have become a more diverse – ethnically – neighborhood but we still have that great sense of community and the love that was there when we were all African American is still here. Which is really great because our new families have embraced the stories and histories as well.”37 While the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Neighborhood Association has existed for nearly as long as the neighborhood, the neighborhood’s path to historic district designation began in 2016 after an uptick in demolition. A state historical marker will soon honor the site of Holy Cross Hospital. Pat and other neighbors are involved with a non-profit they established to support the neighborhood and find ways to give back to the community. Pat – like her parents T.C. and Thelma – is a leader at the Children’s Haven Association, the non-profit established in 1946 to serve underprivileged children and their families in the area. Pat also holds membership in Preservation Austin, the Austin History Center Association, the American Society of Interior Designers, and the International Institute of Business Designers.38 37 Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross: Black Heritage, Living History, interview with Pat Calhoun by Meghan King, June 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNbrmsvyyV4 38 Interview with Pat Calhoun. Calhoun House Historic Landmark Application 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 168 of 75 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 169 of 75From: To: Subject: Date: City of Austin Historic Preservation Office Case # -C14H-2025-0095 Monday, September 22, 2025 7:26:37 PM This message is from Ms. Ora Houston . I am in favor (for) this zoning request. 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 170 of 75September 30, 2025 RE: Calhoun House Historic Landmark Designation Dear Chair Heimsath, Vice Chair Evans, and members of the Austin Historic Landmark Commission, Preservation Austin exists to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful community culture through preservation. We write today in support of historic designation for 2401 Givens Avenue, also known as the Calhoun House, for its historic associations and community value. This home and the people who lived there embody the invaluable contributions Black Austinites made to our city during the 20th and 21st centuries. We are proud to partner with the home’s owner, our friend Ms. Patricia Calhoun, in preparing this much-deserved nomination. The Calhoun House was built in 1959 by Theodore “T.C.” Calhoun and Thelma Dotson Calhoun in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood, one of Austin’s first suburban developments built by and for Black Austinites during segregation. The Calhouns were educators and civic leaders in Austin’s Black community during the mid-twentieth century, when “separate but equal” policies hindered Black prosperity. Mr. Calhoun was the longtime principal of Kealing Middle School, Austin’s only middle school for Black students. Mrs. Calhoun was a Jeanes supervisor for segregated rural schools and later a reading specialist. Both were active leaders of Ebenezer Third Baptist Church and held significant civic roles, including with the Austin Negro Chamber of Commerce and the Teacher’s State Association of Texas. T.C. and Thelma Calhoun created an enduring legacy and helped build community for Black Austinites, establishing a tradition of excellence in education and service that marks an inspiring chapter in Austin’s history. Their leadership lives on in their daughter Pat, who sees the Calhoun House as her personal legacy. Among her many accomplishments, Pat was a leader in the grassroots effort to designate Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross as a historic district and preserve this remarkable community’s story. Preservation Austin is honored to call Pat our partner and friend of nearly a decade. From early support for the historic district effort, to our documentary that tells the story of this incredible neighborhood, Pat’s partnership and generosity have made an indelible impact on our organization. We are thrilled and proud to support the designation of the Calhoun House as a City of Austin Landmark. Thank you for your consideration and your service to the City of Austin. Sincerely, Miriam Conner, President 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 171 of 75 From: To: Cc: Subject: Date: Historic Preservation Office Attn: Austin Lukes, case C14H-2025-0095 today 6pm Wednesday, October 1, 2025 3:39:53 PM You don't often get email from . Learn why this is important External Email - Exercise Caution Hello! I’d like to submit my letter of support for case C14H-2025-0095 for the public hearing today October 1, 2025 at 6pm. 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 172 of 75Thank you!!!! Emily M Donohoo 512-751-1384 The information in this email may be confidential and/or privileged. This email may be reviewed only by the intended recipient named 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 173 of 75above. Any review, use, or disclosure of the information contained in this email, or any attachments by anyone other than the intended recipient, is prohibited. CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL email. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious or phishing email, please report it using the "Report Message" button in Outlook. For any additional questions or concerns, contact CSIRT at "cybersecurity@austintexas.gov". 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 174 of 75From: To: Subject: Date: Historic Preservation Office Support for Case C14H-2025-0095 Wednesday, October 1, 2025 3:51:56 PM You don't often get email from . Learn why this is important External Email - Exercise Caution C14H-2025-0095 Attn: Austin Luke’s To whom it may concern: As a neighbor of Pat Calhoun's in the Rogers Washington Holy Cross District, I wanted to submit a letter of support for her application for Landmark status. I can attest to the care and dedication she has for the legacy her home represents in our community. Honoring her preservation efforts with this status will ensure her home remains a cultural touchstone in East Austin for neighbors and generations to come. All the best, Kaitlin Maud 2105 Maple Ave Austin TX 78722 CAUTION: This is an EXTERNAL email. Please use caution when clicking links or opening attachments. If you believe this to be a malicious or phishing email, please report it using the "Report Message" button in Outlook. For any additional questions or concerns, contact CSIRT at "cybersecurity@austintexas.gov". 16 C14H-2025-0095 - Calhoun House; District 175 of 75