San Angelo Telephone Company Building
Also known as: General Telephone Switching Station
Why it's listed
Built between 1927 and 1929 at 14 West Twohig in San Angelo, this two-story telephone building was constructed for the San Angelo Telephone Company at a reported cost of $160,000. Lang & Witchell of Dallas designed it, and P.O'B. Montgomery was the builder. The flat-roofed structure is faced in smooth coursed stone above a polished granite base, with Modern Gothic detailing. Its symmetrical facade has five openings on each floor, a recessed Gothic arch entry with bronze doors and a grille, and hooded windows with bas-relief decoration. Inside, an ornate cast plaster ceiling by local craftsman Dwight Holmes remains intact. The building met rising demand for telephone service in a rapidly growing city. John Y. Rust organized the company in 1899 and led it until 1948, extending service to nearby towns, including oil towns. General Telephone bought the company in 1952, and the building still holds switching equipment. Only two ground-floor windows have been altered, so it retains its original character.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites architectural significance at the local level, describing the building as a good representative of Modern Gothic style that kept its original character despite two window alterations. It also reflects the growth of San Angelo's independent telephone system, organized by John Y. Rust in 1899, which became one of the largest independent telephone companies in the Southwest.
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 88002593, listed November 25, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 14 W. Twohig, San Angelo |
|---|---|
| County | Tom Green County |
| Listed | November 25, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002593 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-29 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Lang & Witchell (Dallas); Builder: P.O'B. Montgomery |
| Architectural style | Modern Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Physical condition is good; the building still houses telephone switching equipment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.46151, -100.43664 (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 88002593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107323082
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.