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Mobley Hotel

Cisco, Eastland County, Texas Listed Ref. 81000628 Building Vacant per nomination

Also known as: The First Hilton Hotel

Mobley Hotel, Cisco, Texas
Photo: Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Why it's listed

Built in 1916 for Henry Mobley by A.J. Olsen Construction, this two-story brick hotel in Cisco, Texas, sits across from the railway station on the south side of the Texas and Pacific line. Its flat roof, stucco-over-brick parapet, belts and pedestal, and sash windows reflect the plain commercial style common in west central Texas. The hotel was built in two stages, and its cafe served rail passengers on short stopovers. During the Ranger oil boom Mobley expanded it from 40 to 120 rooms by renting beds in eight-hour shifts. In 1919 Conrad Hilton, then a young banker, bought it for $40,000 cash. He used it to test ideas about economical use of space, staff morale and lobby shops, which he later applied in his own hotels, starting with Dallas in 1924. Later it became a senior citizens home and apartments. In 1979 it was designated a memorial museum, and restoration was underway.

Significance in brief: It is significant as the first hotel owned by Conrad Hilton, who bought it in 1919 during the Ranger oil boom. Hilton tested ideas there, such as reducing wasted space, building staff morale and placing a shop in the lobby, that shaped his hotel chain and modern hotel management. The form argues it was the birthplace of the modern hospitality industry.

Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 81000628, listed May 13, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).

Key facts

Address4th St. and Conrad Hilton Ave., Cisco
CountyEastland County
ListedMay 13, 1981
Reference number81000628
Resource typeBuilding
Architect / builderA.J. Olsen Construction
Architectural styleVernacular commercial and institutional architecture of the southern frontier, typical of west central Texas
Areas of significanceCommerce, Transportation
Level of significanceNational
Status (as stated in the nomination)Listed as unoccupied, deteriorated and altered, with restoration work in progress to convert it into a museum of Conrad Hilton memorabilia.
Acreage1
Within districtCisco Historic District
Coordinates32.39178, -98.98121 (NPS GIS)

What listing means for this property

For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.

Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.

Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.

Sources and further reading

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.