Universal Manufacturing Company Building
Also known as: 5410
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 at the corner of Locust and South Second streets in Abilene, this two-story warehouse is made of reinforced concrete with a brick veneer. Its east facade is divided into six bays by buttress-like elements, each bay holding a double-door entrance, and smaller buttresses create a vertical rhythm for the multi-light windows. A wood canopy on metal poles covers the loading dock, and the crowning feature is the patterned brickwork and cast stone detailing in the parapet. The building reflects Abilene's rise as a wholesale and distribution center for West Texas, when merchants built warehouses near the city's three railroads. Most such warehouses date from the 1900s to the 1930s and stand in the eastern part of downtown. This one is simple in form, as its function suggests, but carries Art Deco decoration. Few comparable buildings remain so little altered, which led to its recognition for both commerce and architecture, with a period of significance of 1927 to 1939.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to Abilene's growth into a regional wholesale and distribution center served by its railroads (Criterion A, Commerce). It is also an excellent local example of an industrial building with Art Deco ornamentation (Criterion C, Architecture). Few local warehouses keep their integrity to such a high degree.
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 92000208, listed March 23, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 150 Locust St., Abilene |
|---|---|
| County | Taylor County |
| Listed | March 23, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000208 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1939 |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current use are both listed as commerce/trade warehouse; the form describes the building as virtually unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.44758, -99.73018 (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 92000208.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110001321
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.