{"nrhp_refnum":"100001226","name":"Paris Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase)","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"100 3rd St. NW.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Paris","county":"Lamar County","state":"TX","lat":33.66023984,"lon":-95.55670914,"geom_source":"wikidata"},"listed_date":"2017-06-19","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Community Planning and Development","Commerce","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A T-shaped, roughly 28-block commercial and civic historic district in downtown Paris, Lamar County, Texas, centered on the Plaza. Most buildings date from 1916-1920, rebuilt after the great fire of March 21, 1916.","why_significant":"The district is argued to be significant for architecture, commerce and community planning. It holds a cohesive set of early 20th-century commercial and Beaux Arts public buildings, rebuilt rapidly after the 1916 fire and influenced by Midwestern styles. The relocation of the courthouse and the creation of Bywaters Park and Market Square are called exceptional in a Texas city of Paris's size.","narrative":"Downtown Paris, Texas, is a T-shaped district of about 28 blocks organized in a grid around the Plaza, the site of founder George Wright's store. Fires in 1877 and again on March 21, 1916, destroyed much of the earlier commercial core, so most of what stands today was built between 1916 and 1920. Architects influenced by Midwestern trends, including the work of Louis Sullivan, produced mostly one- and two-story masonry buildings that are harmonious in scale and material yet varied in style. Beaux Arts public buildings include the Lamar County Courthouse, City Hall and Fire Station, and the Public Library. Architect J.L. Wees designed the Scott Building, the library, the Peristyle in Bywaters Park and the Culbertson Fountain. Bywaters Park and Market Square were laid out after the fire, following a 1914 planning recommendation. The district is considered significant for its architecture, commerce and community planning.","period_of_significance":"1895-1936","architect_builder":"J.L. Wees; Sanguinet & Staats; Curtis, Broad & Lightfoot; Griffith & Barglebaugh; W.H. Dunn (planner)","architectural_style":"Early 20th-century commercial styles, including Beaux Arts, Prairie School, Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival and Gothic Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Mostly intact, though some storefronts have false fronts and there are vacant lots and parking areas, especially near Market Square. The City Hall and Fire Station and the Public Library still serve their original purposes.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:23.347497-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/27/9698/40969827/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/88001937.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/100001226/2f0e2cfd78-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/100001226/2f0e2cfd78-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Renelibrary","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris_Commercial_Historic_District_Wiki_(1_of_1).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Renelibrary</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paris_Commercial_Historic_District_Wiki_(1_of_1).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":null,"wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109999556"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/lamar-county/paris-commercial-historic-district-boundary-increase-100001226/"}