9927-9929 Railroad Avenue (Duplex), 9927-9929 Railroad Avenue, Texas, Baltimore County, MD

Significance: Situated in "Limestone Valley," the village of Texas was developed to exploit the nearby limestone quarries. The village embodies the characteristics of a mid-nineteenth century working class, predominantly Irish-Catholic community. Specifically constructed as a workers' duplex, the house is a vernacular adaptation of Greek Revival classicism, featuring a symmetrical plan with details such as stone quoins and wood dentils. Erected during the late 1840s to early 1850s, the house is one of the earliest remaining buildings in Texas from 1840-1900, the period of the town's greatest growth, and is a fine example of a limestone worker's residence. The house, like many other nineteenth century houses in Texas, was located near the road with outbuildings and gardens behind. The building's siting along the railroad tracks and near the old lime kilns was another typical, but important, aspect of the former mining town. Except for a few houses on the east side of the railroad tracks, most of that cluster of houses has largely been destroyed. Today, the house is the only surviving stone dwelling on Railroad Avenue.
Survey number: HABS MD-1002