McDermott Motors Building
Also known as: Fort Fiske Wright
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Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1928 at 1125 Washington Avenue in Waco, this two-story reinforced concrete building was designed by local architect Milton W. Scott for Wilford Dees McDermott's Buick dealership. Its buff tapestry brick walls, terra cotta detail, red tile roofline, arched transom windows and copper entrance canopy combine Spanish Colonial Revival style with Stripped Classical and Art Deco touches. The dealership failed by 1930, and from 1931 the local National Guard leased the building as an armory called Fort Fiske Wright, which also served as a social gathering place during the Depression. Beginning in late 1943, North American Aviation used it to assemble B-24 bomber parts, with about 100 workers, most of them women. Later occupants included car dealers, a printer, a gift company and a charity thrift store. A fire in April 2000 caused smoke and water damage but left the structure intact. The building is valued for its commercial and military history and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be significant locally under Criterion A for Commerce and Military history, as a car dealership, a National Guard armory known as Fort Fiske Wright, and a World War II B-24 parts assembly site. It is also significant under Criterion C as a distinctive example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture with Stripped Classical and Art Deco influences.
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 03001415, listed January 14, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1125 Washington Ave., Waco |
|---|---|
| County | McLennan County |
| Listed | January 14, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001415 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Milton W. Scott |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fire damaged in April 2000 but structurally sound; being converted to retail space and apartments through the Tax Rehabilitation Credit program. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Within district | Waco Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 31.55239, -97.13916 (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 03001415.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110002279
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.