Gates Memorial Library
Why it's listed
Overlooking a lake that marks the Texas-Louisiana line, this Port Arthur library is a severe, carefully proportioned example of Classical Revival design. Six limestone Corinthian columns, 23 feet tall, front a 90-foot-wide facade, and half-columns line the sides. The reinforced concrete structure is faced in Indiana limestone. Warren and Wetmore of New York designed it, and George A. Fuller Contracting Company built it between 1916 and 1917 at roughly $75,000. Mrs. Dellora R. Gates funded it in memory of her husband John W. Gates, a wire and steel manufacturer and oil investor who became the city's leading philanthropist and also founded the Port Arthur Business College and built a Methodist church. She gave the library and land to the city in 1918. A one-story addition in 1952 added reading, work and meeting rooms. Lamar University took title in 1980 and continues to run it as a library and home of a local historical museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a faithful example of Classical Revival style that is unique in the Port Arthur area. It was a gift to the city from Mrs. Dellora R. Gates in memory of her husband John W. Gates, an industrialist and philanthropist. It is one of three building complexes the Gates estate built on city park land.
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 81000632, listed May 4, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 317 Stilwell Blvd., Port Arthur |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | May 4, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000632 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917, 1918 |
| Architect / builder | Warren and Wetmore: Architects; George A. Fuller: Builder |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a library; title passed to Lamar University in 1980, which plans to keep it as a library with a Port Arthur Public Library branch and the Port Arthur Historical Society museum. Condition rated excellent, altered by a 1952 addition. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 29.87868, -93.92738 (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 81000632.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107317923
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.