Designed by architect T. Shirley Simons, Sr. in the Art Deco style, this building has served as Tyler City Hall since its construction in 1938. It is three stories tall with two-and-a-half-story wings on the north and south sides. Notable features include Classical Revival ornamentation, fluted pilasters (columns), green marble blocks between the windows, and square blocks above the words "City Hall" that protrude from the wall. The building is also historically significant for its connection to the Public Works Administration (PWA), which provided the funding to the city to build it. The PWA was one of several programs the federal government established in the 1930s to provide jobs and support the national economy during the Great Depression.
The Gothic style church building belongs to the first organized church congregation in Tyler: The Methodist Episcopal Church South. They constructed this elaborately-adorned church building in 1890, and named themselves after the Bishop Enoch Mather Marvin, a Confederate Army chaplain who had visited Tyler after the Civil War. Today, the church building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as considered a Texas Historic Landmark.
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Reaching a height of 15 stories, the People's Petroleum Building is one of the most prominent landmarks in Tyler. Noted Houston architect architect Alfred C. Finn (1883-1964) designed it in the Art Deco style. The building, which was first known as the People's National Bank Building (its main tenant), was built by prominent local businessman, real estate developer, and attorney Samuel A. Lindsey (c.1863-1961) in 1932. He recognized the need for office space for geologists, companies, engineers, and attorneys involved in the oil industry, which was booming at the time in East Texas. The Texas Bank & Trust company and other tenants occupy the building today.
Housed in the historic Carnegie Library building, the Smith County Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and promoting the county's history. The building includes a museum and archives, and the Society hosts a variety of events throughout the year. The museum's permanent exhibit explores the county's past during the 20th century. The archives contains a wide range of materials including photographs, family records, books, newspapers, and maps. The Society also operates the nearby Camp Ford, which was the largest Confederate prison camp west of the Mississippi River. As for the building itself, it was erected in 1904 and named after philanthropist and steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie, who donated funds to build many other Carnegie libraries around the country.
The Art-Deco style theater was opened in 1930 by a Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Shields. The movie house operated for fifty years before closing and remaining vacant until the City of Tyler purchased the building in 2008. Extensive renovations headed up by architect Mike Butler resulted in the pristine Art-Deco architecture, 330 seats in the auditorium, and a stage that allows for both on screen movie showings as well as live performances. Renamed Liberty Hall, the theater began its second life in September of 2011.
The 1881 Smith County Jail was the first building constructed in Smith County following the Civil War. It was the fourth jail (or possibly the 3rd) in Smith County. It was designed by architect Eugene T. Heiner in the Late Victorian style and includes elements of Italianate architecture. In 1894, a second floor was added which doubled its cell space. A new jail was built in 1916 and Jefferson Y. Lewis purchased the building and converted it into Lewis Hotel, which operated until 1986. Today, the building serves as the headquarters for Randal B. Gilbert Attorney at Law. An original jail cell stands just outside the building.
The former Cotton Belt Depot is now a public museum filled with artifacts related to rail transportation, such as lanterns, stoves, switch keys, and various tools. There is also an impressive model train collection, featuring 200 locomotives and 1,600 cars. The depot was used for passenger service from 1905, when it was built by the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, until 1956. Its architecture is typical of train depots during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, incorporating Prairie, Mission Revival, and Craftsman architectural styles. It is the oldest remaining railroad-related building in Tyler and an important symbol of the city's history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. The museum opened in the early 2000s.
Built in 1939, the Art Deco-style building was designed by Preston M. Geren. The six-story building's purpose was to provide more office space for the expanding city of Tyler in the age of the East Texas oil boom. It stood along side the Blackstone Hotel, which was built in 1929 and owned by the same company--unfortunately, the hotel is no longer there because it was demolished in 1985. Some of the professionals who originally occupied the Blackstone Building included oil entrepreneurs, geologists, attorneys, and engineers. The building also housed the Union Bus Terminal from 1938 to the 1950s. Today, the building is still used for office space as well as the headquarters for the Tyler Chamber of Commerce. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Built in 1859 and originally named Bonnie Castle by first owner Samuel Gallatin Smith, the home was originally a one-story, four bedroom structure. Smith was unfortunately killed in the Civil War, and the home was sold to Franklin N. Gary. After Gary, the next homeowners were the Goodmans. W. J. Goodman, a Civil War surgeon and local doctor, bought the house in 1867 from his father. He and his wife Priscilla lived there the rest of their lives. Much of what is known about the home, which is now a museum, comes from the diary of Dr. Goodman's daughter Sallie, who detailed the goings on of the home from the house's role in the Civil War to the social parties hosted there.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This walking tour starts at City Hall and works its way through the downtown area including stops at several historic buildings and museums. Highlights of the tour include the Blackstone Building, the Cotton Belt Depot Museum, and the former Smith County Jail which was built in 1881. The tour concludes at the Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum
