One of the many Texas Engineering Landmarks in celebration of Texas ASCE’s Centennial: 1913-2013 “Engineering a Better Texas.” Visit them all!
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[ANSON] MILLS BUILDING, ASCE TEXAS SECTION HISTORIC CIVIL ENGINEERING LANDMARK (HCEL) AWARD 1981
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The first and only commercial building recognized as a Texas Historic Civil Engineering landmark, El Paso’s Mills Building (also called the Anson Mills Building) is distinguished as the first large reinforced structure in Texas and a contemporary of the earliest skyscrapers of its type in the United States. Indeed, it is recognized as the first reinforced concrete-framed and second concrete-framed skyscraper in the U.S. – and one of the largest all-concrete buildings in the U.S. at that time.
The building is named for its commissioner, Anson Mills, a local engineer who surveyed and platted the settlement of Franklin (which he renamed El Paso in 1859). Anson Mills hired Henry C. Trost of the Trost & Trost architectural firm to design and construct the building. Trost was the area's foremost pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete. At the time, concrete construction was a new method for buildings, and there was even less guidance on reinforced concrete design. Adolphus Gustavus Trost (Henry’s younger brother), is credited as a pioneer what is now a de rigueur method in his development of Mills building design.
Construction began on the structure in 1909; completion to eight stories was accomplished in 1911, and ultimately four additional stories were completed in 1915. At 145 feet (44 m), the 12-story Mills Building was the tallest building in El Paso when completed, holding that distinction until 1930.
The building stands on a corner site opposite San Jacinto Plaza, with a gracefully curved street facade that wraps around the south and east sides. Like many of Trost's designs, the Anson Mills Building's overall form and strong verticality, as well as details of the ornamentation and cornice, are reminiscent of the Chicago School work of Louis Sullivan.
Trost & Trost moved its offices to the building upon completion, where they remained until 1920. The Mills family sold the building in 1965. In 1974 the Mills Building's windows were replaced with vertical bands of mirrored glass, radically altering its appearance.
At present, the entire area is under revival, with the intention of preserving its architectural and historical value.
Records:
Owner/Engineer/Architect- General Anson Mills
Engineer- Adolphus Gustavus Trost of El Paso (concrete)
FAQS (Henry C. Trost Historical Organization “Mills Building” (
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Description: The Mills Building
Other Names: Anson Mills Building
Address: 303 North Oregon Street at Mills Avenue, El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Type: commercial: office with street level stores
Original Client: Anson Mills
Historic Inventory: Texas Historic Civil Engineering Landmark
Date: 1910-1911
Condition: extant
Architect or Firm: Henry C. Trost
Associated Architect or Firm: Trost & Trost; John J. Stewart, supervising architect
Contractors: H. L. Stevens Construction Company, Atlanta and Houston
Dimensions and Orientation: 12 stories, L-shaped; approximately 74 feet on Mills Street, including the curve, x 145 feet on Oregon; entries on both streets
Budget/Cost: $300,000
Foundation: concrete
Wall Materials: exposed reinforced concrete
Roofing Materials: flat
Other Materials Used:
Remodeling and Additions: remodeled by Trost & Trost, 1928 and 1940; remodeled by Greener & Sumner, 1974-1975 (See Remarks [5])Remodeled basement by Trost & Trost, September 30,1916
FURTHER READING:
Anson Mills Building (wikipedia) (
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Henry C. Trost Historical Organization “Mills Building” (
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Handbook of Texas Online “MILLS, ANSON” (
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Epic Expansion Driving West Texas Market (July 2008) (
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The face of Downtown El Paso changing (2/21/13) (
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