Don’t Sleep On Van Alstyne or This Historic Queen Anne Victorian

If you’re not familiar with Van Alstyne, you’re about to be. 

It’s a city north of McKinney, Melissa, and Anna. It’s about an hour from Dallas — less from the surrounding suburbs. It’s a quiet town that’s on its way up. Keller Williams’ Bob Smit said Kubota Tractor has moved in on the north and John Deere is there, too. With that comes an influx of residents … all seeking homes.

Putting Van Alstyne on The Map

Smith said new builders are making their way in and shops and restaurants are starting to pop up in downtown Van Alstyne. McKinney has seen considerable growth and Smith said he thinks Van Alstyne will follow suit. There’s a new city manager and Chamber of Commerce president and they’re very interested in putting Van Alstyne on the map.

Smith said since December he’s seen a considerable increase in showings. It’s the natural flow of real estate – an uptick as we head into spring, but this is something else.

His listing is a “magnificent Queen Anne Victorian” that’s registered on the National and Texas Register of Historic Homes. It’s rare to find a Victorian so remarkably untouched by remodelers. Smith said the current owners set out to restore it to its former glory, but time got away from them and now they’re ready to pass on this beauty to the next owners. 

As for the updates that have been completed, there are quite a few – and it’s the big stuff, too. A new roof was added just last year and plumbing and electrical have been updated as well. The intricately detailed staircase and the fireplace surround in the primary bedroom have been gloriously restored as well.

This is a huge home – it’s 4,088 square feet with five bedrooms and three bathrooms and all the rooms are oversized by today’s standards. On top of that it’s on a massive half acre corner lot at the highest point in the city. 

The nomination form for the National Register comes with the home. It’s an incredibly detailed document that tells you who built the house (James and Julia Umphress), when (1903) and why (Van Alstyne’s “future seemed brightest”).

And there’s an even more incredibly detailed description of the home – it borrowed from several styles – Queen Anne-Eastlake, Shingle Style, and Colonial Revival. 

One more kind of cool detail? The foundation is cast-stone.

Smith has the Umphress-Taylor House located at 161 E Paris Street in Van Alstyne listed for $370,000.