Wilson Building (Dallas, Texas)
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Wilson Building
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The Wilson Building
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| Location | 1623 Main Street Dallas, Texas |
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| Coordinates | 32°46′52.6″N 96°47′49.47″W / 32.781278°N 96.7970750°WCoordinates: 32°46′52.6″N 96°47′49.47″W / 32.781278°N 96.7970750°W |
| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Sanguinet & Staats; Watson,A |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Other |
| NRHP Reference # | 79002931 |
| Added to NRHP | July 24, 1979 |
The Wilson Building is an historic 12-story building in the Main Street district of downtown Dallas, Texas. The building was completed in 1904 and patterned after the Palais Garnier in Paris, France. The historic structure fronts Main Street on the south, Ervay Street on the east, and Elm Street on the north. The Wilson building was the tallest structure in Dallas from 1904–1909 and was considered the premier commercial structure west of the Mississippi. The Wilson Building is situated across from the flagship Neiman Marcus Building and is adjacent to the Mercantile National Bank Building.
The building was built for John B. Wilson (1847–1920), who moved from Canada to Dallas with his brother Frederick P. Wilson, and together made their fortune in cattle during the 19th century. Designed by Sanguinet & Staats of Fort Worth, the plan of the building is "E"-shaped with rounded corners featuring intricate stone and brick work. The building contained 9 elevators: 2 for the department store and 7 for office tenants. Among its many luxuries, it was connected to a 1,500 ft deep artesian well and contained 2 telegraph offices.
The structure originally housed the Titche-Goettinger Department Store (later known as Titche's) in the basement and first two levels; upper levels housed offices accessed through a lobby on Main Street. Prior to the building's opening, most of Dallas retail traffic was centered several blocks to the west. The success of the Wilson Building and Titche-Goettinger convinced Neiman Marcus to build their flagship store across Main Street and forever changed the city's retailing history.
In 1911 a 12-story addition was completed along Elm Street, generally matching the style of the original building. This structure was used by Titche-Goettinger and was said to be the tallest building in the South occupied exclusively by a retail establishment.
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