Mildred Buildings

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about the Mildred Buildings in Jefferson County. Now settle in, because this is a story about oil money, family love, and bricks that have been standing since before the Great Depression hit its stride. Seven hundred thousand dollars.

That's what Miles Frank Yount spent, in 1929 and 1930, to build this complex right here. And he named it for his daughter, Mildred. Not a statue, not a scholarship.

A whole complex of buildings, bearing her name in stone and terra cotta and red tile. That's a particular kind of Texas affection right there. Now, who was Miles Frank Yount to have that kind of money to spend?

He was a founder and partner in the Yount-Lee Oil Company, and that company made its fortune in the second Spindletop Oil Boom, in 1925. Spindletop. If that name doesn't raise the hair on your arm, you may not have been in Texas long enough.

The complex Yount built includes an apartment building, a commercial-retail building, and a garage. The heart of it all is a three-story apartment building, and it is something to behold. Terra cotta glazed brick.

Projecting bays. Hipped-roof porches. Parapet walls.

And crowning it all, a red tile roof. They call it a fine example of the Mediterranean revival style in Texas, and standing before it, you'd have a hard time arguing otherwise. The National Register of Historic Places agreed, listing the complex in 1978.

Oil booms come and go. But Mildred's buildings are still here.

What the marker says

Constructed in 1929-1930 for $700,000, this complex was built by Miles Frank Yount and named for his daughter. Yount was a founder and partner in the Yount-Lee Oil Company, which made its fortune in the second Spindletop Oil Boom in 1925. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, the complex includes an apartment building, commercial-retail building, and garage. The core of the complex is the three-story apartment building, featuring terra cotta glazed brick, projecting bays, hipped-roof porches, parapet walls, and a red tile roof. It is a fine example of the Mediterranean revival style in Texas. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1999