{"nrhp_refnum":"83004509","name":"San Marcos Telephone Company","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"138 W. San Antonio St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"San Marcos","county":"Hays County","state":"TX","lat":29.87328023200007,"lon":-97.94224435999996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1983-08-26","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Communications"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story Spanish Colonial Revival office building of stuccoed brick at 138 West San Antonio Street in San Marcos, Hays County, Texas, built in 1928 by the San Marcos Telephone Company.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is significant for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and for its link to communications history. It was the former home of one of the largest locally owned telephone companies in Texas, and research found no comparable independent firm.","narrative":"Built in 1928 at 138 West San Antonio Street, this two-story, flat-roofed office building of stuccoed brick was constructed for the San Marcos Telephone Company in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. Peaked pilasters mark its front corners, and a red barrel-tile pent roof extends about six feet beyond the facade. The arched entrance on the south side sits within a panel, with casement windows above and beside it. The company opened in March 1899 with 61 subscribers under founder R.T. Durrett. After a competing exchange arrived in 1903, Durrett sold to Frank C. Smith, and the local firm absorbed Southwestern Bell's subscribers in 1919. By 1928 business had grown enough to justify a new building, chosen under company president Walter Donalson. The company stayed there until November 1955. The building matters for its architecture and as the former home of one of the largest locally owned telephone companies in Texas. Alterations include modern window mullions, some filled-in openings and a small rear addition.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899, 1900- (specific date 1928)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Spanish Colonial Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in good condition, altered, on its original site, occupied and used as commercial offices. The telephone company left the building in November 1955.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:54:19.499112-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/47/9695/40969547/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_TX/83004509.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83004509/7a41378e92-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/83004509/7a41378e92-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY 4.0","author":"Larry D. Moore","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_marcos_telephone_company_2008.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Larry D. Moore</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_marcos_telephone_company_2008.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/40969547","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110002829"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/texas/hays-county/san-marcos-telephone-company-83004509/"}