Praetorian Building
Also known as: Service Mutual Building; Southwestern Building; Franklin Tower
Why it's listed
Rising seven stories at the corner of South 6th Street and Franklin Avenue, this Waco office building was completed for the Modern Order of Praetorians in 1915. Dallas architects C.W. Bulger & Son designed it using Chicago School organization, with a granite base, cream-colored terra-cotta shaft and cornice, and a Mission Style parapet that adds a regional touch. Praetorian shields and the order's sword-and-shield logo decorate the facades. The Praetorians were Texas's first chartered life insurance company, and Waco was then known as the insurance city of Texas. The group's larger Dallas headquarters was heavily altered in 1961, leaving the Waco building as the most intact structure connected with the order. It later became the Service Mutual and Southwestern buildings and housed the Veterans Administration from 1962 to 1965. It has stood vacant since 1973, though the building keeps its essential integrity, and the terra-cotta is among the best surviving in Texas from the World War I era.
Significance in brief: It is presented as one of the earliest and most intact skyscrapers in Central Texas and the major surviving building tied to the early years of the Modern Order of Praetorians, the first life insurance company chartered in Texas. It was designed by the Dallas firm C.W. Bulger & Son, and is one of only two Chicago Style structures in Waco. It also reflects Waco's early twentieth century prosperity as an insurance center.
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 84001911, listed July 26, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 601 Franklin Ave., Waco |
|---|---|
| County | McLennan County |
| Listed | July 26, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001911 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1915 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: C.W. Bulger & Son; Builder: Hughes O'Rourke Const. |
| Architectural style | Chicago Style with a Mission Style parapet |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since 1973; the exterior and interior show mostly 1950s alterations, the terra-cotta is deteriorating, and plans call for restoration and stabilization of the main facades. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.55517, -97.13236 (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
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84001911.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7237563
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.