Building 98, Fort D.A. Russell
Also known as: Officer's Club and Bachelor Officers' Quarters
Why it's listed
Building 98 is a one-story concrete and adobe structure at Fort D.A. Russell, the former Camp Marfa, on the south side of West Bonnie Street in Marfa, Texas. Finished in March 1920 at a cost of $8,000, it served as the Officers' Club and Bachelor Officers' Quarters until the post closed in 1946. Its A-shaped plan encloses two courtyards, and two east wings were added in 1936. Inside are a historic bar room, a dance hall with oak floors, and two rooms covered in murals painted by German prisoners of war held at the fort between 1943 and 1945. The murals show regional scenes of mountains, ranches, windmills and cattle work. The building was listed for its associations with military history and art. It keeps its original design and much original hardware, despite aluminum windows and replaced roofing. The murals are described as the most intact prisoner-of-war artwork surviving in Texas.
Significance in brief: The building is nominated under Criterion A in the areas of Art and Military, at state and local levels. It served as the officers' club and quarters until the fort closed in 1946. It retains a high degree of integrity and holds murals painted by German prisoners of war in 1943-45, described as the most intact such artwork surviving in Texas.
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 04000100, listed February 25, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | West Bonnie St., Marfa |
|---|---|
| County | Presidio County |
| Listed | February 25, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000100 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1920-1946 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Military |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use under current functions. The text also says it was used as a private residence for 38 years and that rehabilitation plans exist for an educational and artist-in-residence facility. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Within district | Fort D.A. Russell Historic District/ Donald Judd Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 30.30319, -104.02787 (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 04000100.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16255786
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.