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The architecture of Midland
is on the modern side, but a few buildings date back to when the city
was just getting on its feet.
One of these is the Petroleum Building. |
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Historical
Marker:
Petroleum Building
T. S. Hogan, a
Montana attorney, rancher and oilman, came to the Permian Basin in
1925, where he became active in the oil business. He was convinced
Midland was situated in the center
of the petroleum basin and that it would become the leading city of
the region. In 1927 he announced the construction of this building,
which would serve as a center for the area oil companies.
Designed by the prominent Fort
Worth architect Wyatt C. Hedrick, it was completed in 1929. A
formal dedication was held on July 4 of that year. Many believed that
Hogan's enterprise signaled Midland's
future as a major oil production center. The projections, unfortunately,
were premature. Only months after the building was completed, the
stock market crash occurred that resulted in the Great Depression
of the 1930s. With the discovery of oil in East
Texas, the price soon dropped to 15$ a barrel. Many companies
closed their Midland offices and it
was not until 1935 that they began to return to the Permian Basin.
When Midland eventually became a leading center of oil production
as Hogan had earlier envisioned, the petroleum building played a significant
role in the town's development.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1982. |
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Petroleum
Building fire escape
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, December 2009 |
| Photos
courtesy of Tom Hosier, September 2001 |
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