Ragland, R. A., Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1901 at 113-117 Third Street in Sweetwater, Texas, this limestone commercial building was erected by attorney R. A. Ragland for his law office. The original one-story structure had a six-bay facade divided by stone pilasters, with recessed entrances, transoms and Ragland's name carved in stone at the top. In 1906 Ragland remodeled it, adding a second floor with segmental-arched windows, a stairway entrance from the street and a parapet. Ragland arrived in Sweetwater in 1881, opened the city's first law office and became Nolan County's first county attorney. In 1907 he formed the county's first abstract company with offices in the building. After he sold it in 1909, tenants included a newspaper, law firms, physicians and retail stores. Years of neglect led to condemnation proceedings before new owners restored the exterior to its 1906 look. The building is valued as an early West Texas commercial structure and a link to Sweetwater's settlement period.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a good example of an early 20th century vernacular commercial building in West Texas and one of the oldest commercial buildings in Sweetwater. It is also tied to R. A. Ragland, one of the town's earliest and most prominent businessmen. It serves as a visual reminder of Sweetwater's early settlement period.
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 79003001, listed May 14, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 113--117 3rd St., Sweetwater |
|---|---|
| County | Nolan County |
| Listed | May 14, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003001 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Early 20th century vernacular commercial building |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant; the owners had recently restored the exterior to its 1906 appearance and rehabilitated the interior, with a local business expected to re-occupy it. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.47140, -100.40852 (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 79003001.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000495
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.