Wichita Falls Route Building
Also known as: Kemp and Kell Depot
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at 503 Eighth Street in Wichita Falls, Texas, this two-story brick building served as a depot, office block and shop space for the Wichita Falls Route railroad. Moore and Richolt constructed it for Joseph A. Kemp and Frank Kell, whose rail lines ran out of the city to the surrounding grain, cattle and coal country. Its design is a small, simplified version of Romanesque Revival, with darker brick imitating rusticated stone, a large basket arch and stained glass showing an elk and grapes. Tracks once ran through an alley in the middle of the building so cars could unload on either side. Later it housed cafes, a bus station and several hotels. A fire in 1974 destroyed the western half. It is described as the oldest remaining railroading structure in Wichita Falls, since the adjacent Union Station was demolished in 1968. The city bought it in 1977 and planned its restoration.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the oldest surviving railroading structure in Wichita Falls and housed the offices of the railroads built by Joseph A. Kemp and Frank Kell, who drove the city's early economic growth. It is also cited for its fine masonry detail, a simplified take on Romanesque Revival design.
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 78002999, listed November 29, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 503 8th St., Wichita Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Wichita County |
| Listed | November 29, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002999 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909 |
| Architect / builder | Moore and Richolt (Lee Moore and J. A. Richolt) |
| Architectural style | Simplified Romanesque Revival, with Richardson-style influence |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied at the time of nomination, owned by the City of Wichita Falls, which planned to lease it to the Heritage Society for restoration. Half of the building was destroyed by fire on February 10, 1974, but the remainder is described as structurally sound. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 33.91370, -98.48851 (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 78002999.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000502
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.