Green and Faris Buildings
Also known as: First National Bank Building; San Marcos Title Company Buildi
Why it's listed
Two adjoining two-story commercial buildings face the south side of the San Marcos courthouse square. The larger, at 140-144 East San Antonio Street, was built in 1879 by banker Ed J.L. Green of rough-cut limestone on the sides and rear and brick on the front, with nine second-floor windows under segmental arches. Next door, the Faris Building at 136-138 was built between 1881 and 1885 of painted brick. The Green Building first housed the bank that became First National Bank of San Marcos, chartered in 1885 and described as the oldest operating business in the town. Lawyers, doctors, real-estate agents and a general store also rented space. The bank moved to the east side of the square in 1909, and the buildings later served various uses. Both have been heavily altered, leaving little original first-floor or interior fabric, but their plain design is typical of the town's early commercial growth, and together they form a single visual unit.
Significance in brief: The buildings housed the First National Bank, described as the oldest operating business in San Marcos, which opened here in 1879. They are considered two of the handsomest and perhaps oldest buildings on the courthouse square, with an unadorned design typical of the period when the town was developing as a commercial center. They are nominated for architecture and commerce.
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 83004498, listed August 26, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 136-144 E. San Antonio St., San Marcos |
|---|---|
| County | Hays County |
| Listed | August 26, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004498 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, in good condition but altered; commercial use on the ground floor with apartments upstairs, on the original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Hays County Courthouse Historic District |
| Coordinates | 29.88202, -97.94018 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 83004498.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000899
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.