Farmers Union Gin Company
Why it's listed
Beside the MKT railroad tracks in San Marcos, the Farmers Union Gin Company complex centers on a buff-brick ginning room built in 1910-11 under a gabled corrugated-tin roof. Brown-brick segmental arches, string courses and a nine-pane roundel decorate the south facade. Later additions include a red-brick building for a third battery of gins from the early 1920s and a coal room from the late 1920s. Inside, iron trusses carry the roof and very hard concrete still supports the heavy equipment. Five area farmers bought the site in 1908, and Oscar Calvin Smith, Sr. organized the operation. A fire in 1910 destroyed the first iron building, and Smith rebuilt in brick at three times the size, allowing three bales to be ginned at once. The company also sold coal and built motorized cotton-transport chassis from Model T parts. Cotton was a mainstay of the county economy for about 50 years, and this was the last gin in Hays County to close, in 1966. The building is now being rehabilitated as a restaurant.
Significance in brief: The gin was central to the cotton industry that anchored the Hays County economy for about 50 years. Its brick building is notable for Victorian string courses, arched windows and polychrome decoration. The gin was the last in Hays County to close, in 1966.
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 83004494, listed August 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 120 Grove St., San Marcos |
|---|---|
| County | Hays County |
| Listed | August 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004494 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Oscar Calvin Smith, Sr. (rebuilt the gin in 1910-1911) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition good but altered; rehabilitation under way for use as a restaurant (Farmers Union Company Restaurant). |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 29.87616, -97.94066 (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.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83004494.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5435808
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.