San Marcos Telephone Company - San Marcos, TX
Posted by: vhasler
N 29° 52.931 W 097° 56.541
14R E 602131 N 3306200
A Spanish Revival style commercial building constructed in 1929 for local telephone exchange.
Waymark Code: WMKCBX
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/19/2014
Views: 7
From the NRHP application, we discover that:
In 1928, the San Marcos Telephone Company constructed the Spanish-Colonial Revival, two-story building at 138 West San Antonio Street. The freestanding, flat-roofed office building of stuccoed brick is accented by peaked pilasters at its front corners, and a red, barrel-tile, pent roof that stretches about six feet beyond the front facade.
The San Marcos Telephone Company opened for business in March 1899, with 61 subscribers. The founder was R.T. Durrett. Sam R. Kone was the first businessman to have phone service between his home and work place. When Southwestern Telephone and Telegraph opened a competing exchange in 1903, Durrett sold his company to Franc C. Smith. Both companies operated until 1919 when the local firm absorbed Southwesten's (Southwestern Bell since 1910) subscribers.
Emphasizing the company's local connections was a common advertising theme. The 1910 directory asked customers to "Consider where your money goes. Will it be spent in San Marcos, so that you may see it again, or will it go to the Northern capitalists?" The advertisement must have worked, because by 1928 the telephone business was so active that a new building was necessary to replace the temporary quarters. A two-story Spanish Colonial design was chosen under the leadership of then president, Walter Donalson. The company remained in the building until November 5, 1955.
The current building occupant appears to be the law office of Tom E. Garner, who specializes in DWI defence. Parking is available on the sstreet.
Street address: 138 W. San Antonio Street San Marcos, TX USA 78666
County / Borough / Parish: Hays County
Year listed: 1983
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1925-1949
Historic function: Business
Current function: Business
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 1: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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