National Register Listing

Belton Academy

a.k.a. #2;Wedemeyer,Charles,House

404 E. Ninth St., Belton, TX

The Belton Academy/Wedemeyer House, built in 1891, is a good example of a vernacular Victorian-era house with simple Queen Anne detailing. Structures such as this were once very common in Belton but most have been demolished or considerably altered over the years. Contextually, the house relates to Community and Regional Development in Belton, particularly to the development of education in the city because of its early function as a private school. The house meets National Register Criterion A in the area of Education for its association with one of the early schools in Belton, and it meets Criterion C in the area of architecture as a fine example of a vernacular Victorian house with Queen Anne details.

The Belton Academy/Wedemeyer House was built for Charles Wedemeyer by well-known local builder T. Hamp Birdwell in 1891. The building originally served as both Wedemeyer's residences and housed the private school that he operated. Wedemeyer was a graduate of Baylor University in Independence, Texas, and apparently came to Belton sometime in the late 1880s. Known as Belton Academy, the preparatory school operated from about 1891 until 1911. During the first years of the school's existence, the building housed the entire school; sometime later Wedemeyer relocated the school to a building (now demolished) across the street. Private preparatory schools were common in Texas during the second half of the 19th century, but few remain in recognizable condition. The Belton Academy/Wedemeyer House represents a good example of a simple vernacular late 19th-century domestic building that served an additional educational function.

Local significance of the building:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1990.