Hardy-Williams Building - San Marcos, TX
Posted by: vhasler
N 29° 53.000 W 097° 56.450
14R E 602276 N 3306328
Over the years, this building has been a feed store, blacksmith, hardware store, a pharmacy and drugstore, and now the Black Rabbit Saloon.
Waymark Code: WMK4G3
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/11/2014
Views: 10
From the NRHP Application,
The north side of the courthouse square is distinguished by the Hardy-Williams Building (now Hillburn's Pharmacy). It is a two-story commercial structure of ashlar (front facade) and roughcut (side walls) limestone. Five round-arch windows with fouroverfour lights pierce its second-floor, south facade. The windows are capped by key stones and stone hoodmolds that connect as a stringcourse. Another stringcourse connects the sills. Six similarly shaped and paned windows are on each of the side walls, and their arches are formed by three rows of reddish-brown bricks. Dressed stones form the frames and sills. A door with a dressed-stone arch but a modern fitting forms the drive-up prescription window in the alley. There is a third door at the west end of the south wall, which leads up a stair to a second floor pool hall.
The Hardy-Williams Building is the best preserved of the commercial structures on the north side of the courthouse square, and strongly reminiscent of the preboom, late 19th century. Of rough and smooth-cut limestone, the building is accented with round arches on its second floor. Several businesses important to smalltown life have occupied the structure.
The building was constructed prior to 1886 by H. Hardy as a feed store. At one point, there was a double door that allowed horse carts to enter. Talmadge and Hudson then operated a hardware store at this address. During the first decade of the 20th century, probably in 1906, Dr. William C. Williams opened his medical office upstairs. His brother, John, ran Williams Drugstore downstairs. Dr. Williams, a native of nearby Caldwell County, and a 1905 graduate of the University of Tennessee's Medical School, also ran the San Marcos Sanitarium at 1251 Belvin. Following Dr. William's death in 1947, the business was sold to Mr. B.D. Hillburn, although the building remained in the hands of Williams' heirs. John Carson now runs a drugstore there, and the soda fountain continues to be a downtown gathering point.
The building now houses the Black Rabbit Saloon which has kept its historical look on the town square.
Street address: 127 E. Hopkins Street San Marcos, TX USA 78666
County / Borough / Parish: Hays County
Year listed: 1983
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Periods of significance: 1875-1899
Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Health Care
Current function: Commerce/Trade
Privately owned?: yes
Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2014 To: 12/31/2014
Hours of operation: From: 10:00 AM To: 2:00 AM
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions: Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
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