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 Littlefield Building
N 30° 16.082 W 097° 44.541
14R E 620974 N 3349155
The Littlefield Building is still a classic building even after being used for more than 100 years in downtown Austin, TX.
Waymark Code: WMHT6A
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 08/11/2013
Views: 6
George Littlefield, one of the largest donors to the University of Texas, Austin, made his money in ranching and cattle. He made enough money to open his own bank, the American National Bank, in the first floor of the Littlefield Building he built in 1910. The Littlefield Building was originally an 8-story building with a rooftop garden when it opened, but after three years, the garden was enclosed within the additional ninth floor. This extra floor made the Littlefield Building the tallest skyscraper between New Orleans and San Francisco, at least for a short time. An innovation that made to the American National Bank was that it had a lady's banking department that catered to women who wanted to manage their own wealth. This was an innovation ahead of its time but made the bank popular with women with money to invest. The building is still in active use as a center of commerce and as a bank. There are two entrances into the building. The main entrance is facing Congress Avenue and is at the corner of the building where Congress and 6th street intersect. The side entrance (which is probably used more often) is located at 106 E 6th Street, Austin, TX. It is to the proper right of the side door entrance where this Texas historical marker is found mounted on the granite façade at eye level. Additional sources: ( visit link)
Marker Number: 12734
Marker Text:
George Washington Littlefield (1842-1920) came to Texas from Mississippi in 1850. After serving in Terry's Texas Rangers in the Civil War, he made his fortune ranching and driving cattle. He moved to Austin in 1883 and, in 1890, established the American National Bank, which included a ladies' banking department. He hired architect C. H. Page, Jr., to design this Beaux Arts Classical building, which opened in 1912 with a rooftop garden. His bank was on the ground floor. For the corner entrance, he commissioned Tiffany's of New York to cast bronze, bas-relief doors. by sculptor Daniel Webster. These were later donated to the University of Texas, of which Littlefield was a major benefactor.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2002
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