Former TSTA Building

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about this one. Now, some buildings just hold offices. But some buildings hold *stories* — and this one in Fort Worth has been holding both for a long, long time.

Completed in 1930, it was built with a single purpose: to serve as the headquarters of the Texas State Teachers Association. And whoever was doing the hiring had good taste, because the man they brought in to design it was Wiley G. Clarkson — a noted Fort Worth architect — and he did not mail it in.

Clarkson gave the place Renaissance Revival styling, the kind of look that says whatever happens inside these walls, it matters. And for nearly two decades, what happened inside was the business of Texas teachers. Then, in 1949, the decision was made to move the TSTA offices to Austin, and just like that, this grand old building found itself between chapters.

Now, a lesser building might've faded right there. But this one? It got picked up by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association — and they stayed for thirty years.

Thirty years. Teachers gave way to cattlemen, and the Renaissance Revival walls didn't flinch either way. I suppose in Texas, that's just good architecture.

What the marker says

Completed in 1930, this building was constructed to serve as the headquarters of the Texas State Teachers Association. Noted Fort Worth architect Wiley G. Clarkson design the structure, which features Renaissance Revival styling. In 1949 the decision was made to move the TSTA offices to Austin, and the building was later purchased by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association which remained here for thirty years. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark- 1981.