Corsicana Commercial Historic District

Corsicana's downtown commercial core spans roughly 20 blocks and holds 197 resources, 117 of them contributing. Most are brick one- and two-story storefronts built between about 1880 and 1925, arranged in dense rows along Beaton, Commerce and Main streets. Red brick pavers laid during a campaign begun in 1915 still survive along many streets. Rail service arrived in 1871 and spurred the first wave of building on Beaton Street. A second surge came in the 1920s, when oil-related businesses created demand for office space and owners built anew or refaced older buildings. Italianate and Romanesque Revival designs dominate the earlier buildings, while Classical, Mission and Spanish Colonial Revival details appear on later ones. The eight-story State National Bank Building of 1926, with Gothic Revival terra cotta ornament, is the tallest building in the city. Postwar remodeling and demolition for parking cost some integrity, but Main Street Program rehabilitation since 1984 has supported revitalization.