Tyler, Texas —
The Tyler Downtown Historic District was recently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) assisted in the nomination of this property in recognition of its importance to the history of Tyler and the State of Texas.
The Tyler Downtown Historic District comprises the heart of the city's central business area and contains a collection of late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth-century historic resources that reflect the city’s development and growth. As the center of a highly productive agricultural and oil producing region, Tyler evolved into a key East Texas city through the 20th century.
The Historic District’s commercial properties range from small scale nineteenth century buildings near the courthouse square to towering high-rise office buildings erected during the mid-twentieth century to accommodate the influx of oil industry professionals.
Numerous religious, industrial and fraternal properties also sit within the boundaries, including landmark governmental buildings like the federal district courthouse, the Smith County Courthouse and Tyler City Hall. Carefully designed churches and fraternal buildings attest to the citizenry’s commitment and investment in their community.
Modernist mid-rise and high-rise buildings erected during the mid-twentieth-century period convey the immense wealth and population growth that the discovery of oil in East Texas brought to Tyler.
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of cultural resources deemed worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register includes 3,400 listings in Texas. Listing affords properties a measure of protection from the possible impact of federally funded projects, as well as access to technical expertise and grant funds to facilitate their restoration and preservation. Income-producing properties are also eligible for federal tax benefits for sympathetic rehabilitation work.
To learn more about the National Register of Historic Places, contact the THC’s History Programs Division at 512-463-5853 or visit thc.texas.gov.
11/07/2022
