Tyler City Hall
Also known as: Municipal Building
Why it's listed
Tyler City Hall, at 212 North Bonner Avenue, was completed in 1938 as a home for municipal government. Funded with a Public Works Administration grant and built for about $125,000, it was designed by Tyler architect T. Shirley Simons, Sr. and constructed by A. M. Campbell & Co. The limestone-veneer building has a three-story central block with five tall multi-pane windows, flanked by two-story wings, and combines Art Deco massing with Classical Revival detailing such as fluted pilasters and Greek key lintels. Inside, terrazzo floors, marble wainscoting, and an aluminum balustrade survive. The city bought the site in 1930, before the oil boom's effects were fully felt, and earlier offices had been scattered in commercial buildings. It is considered the only known building in Tyler constructed solely for city government, and it remains in use as city hall. Its significance rests on its architecture, its link to Depression-era public works, and its role in local government and community development between 1938 and 1956.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good local example of a Depression-era government building mixing Art Deco and Classical Revival styling, designed by prominent Tyler architect T. Shirley Simons, Sr. It also served as the center of city government during the oil-boom growth that followed the discovery of the East Texas Oil Field. It is described as the only known building in Tyler built solely as headquarters for city government.
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 07000129, listed March 7, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 212 N. Bonner Ave., Tyler |
|---|---|
| County | Smith County |
| Listed | March 7, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000129 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1938-1956 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: T. Shirley Simons, Sr.; Builder: A. M. Campbell & Company |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement/Art Deco; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as city hall; described as being in excellent condition with a very high degree of integrity. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Within district | Tyler Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.35218, -95.30599 (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 07000129.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7859971
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.