Depot Square Historic District
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Why it's listed
Depot Square is a railroad-side commercial district in the far northeast corner of downtown Wichita Falls, Texas. It covers parts of seven blocks next to the Ft. Worth & Denver and Katy tracks. Most of its buildings went up between 1885 and 1925 and are one- and two-story brick commercial blocks built to the sidewalk line, with ornament mostly limited to parapets. A few carry more elaborate detailing, including the Holt Hotel, the Kemp Wholesale building and the Route Building. The oldest brick building dates to 1885. Uses over time included livery stables, saloons, hotels, groceries, wholesale houses, garages, an ice factory and oil-field supply companies, reflecting the settlement, railroad and oil boom periods. Thirty-one of the forty buildings contribute to the district's character. It was recognized for its role in the city's commerce and community development between 1885 and 1953, as the core railroad-related business area of a regional center. Today the buildings house shops, restaurants, a theater and apartments.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant under Criterion A, in Community Planning and Development and Commerce, at the local level. It is the core railroad-associated commercial district of a city that served as a regional commercial, industrial and civic center from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. It retains good integrity, with 31 of 40 buildings contributing.
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 03001552, listed February 4, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by 8th St., Indiana St., 5th St. and MKT Railroad tracks, Wichita Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Wichita County |
| Listed | February 4, 2004 |
| Reference number | 03001552 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1885-1953 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | 1-part and 2-part commercial blocks; Commercial Style; Classical Revival, Italian Renaissance Revival, Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current uses include businesses, restaurants, antiques shops, a theater, a museum and multiple dwellings; some buildings are listed as work in progress or vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 21.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.91631, -98.49107 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 03001552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999550
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.