Thompson Building (First Brick Building on Square)

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about the Thompson Building in Bee County. Now settle in, because this old brick corner has seen more lives than most folks have hot meals. Built in 1892, the Thompson Building was put up by a grocer named J.C.

Thompson, born in 1836 and gone by 1905, and he didn't cut any corners. He sourced his brick from the Calavaros Kiln, way out near Elmendorf, and when that building went up on the square in Beeville, it was the first brick building on that square. Victorian architecture, standing proud, saying to every wooden storefront around it: I intend to last.

And last it did. Now here's where the story starts layering up like good soil. That very same year, 1892, the second floor was already occupied.

A young lawyer named Lon C. Hill had his law office up there. You may not know that name yet, but hold onto it, because Lon C.

Hill went on to found Harlingen. A founder of a city, sitting upstairs above a grocery, doing his paperwork. After Hill moved on, that second floor didn't sit quiet for long.

It became the armory for the Beeville Light Guard. So the same rooms that once held legal briefs were now holding, well, considerably more serious equipment. Then 1910 comes around and the Eureka Telephone Company acquires the building entirely.

And from 1912 to 1920, that building served as the communications headquarters for Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Company. After that, Southwestern Bell took over those lines, and the Thompson Building kept right on being the voice of the region all the way until 1957. A grocer built it.

A city founder worked in it. A militia drilled in it. And for decades, the telephone conversations of an entire corner of Texas passed right through its walls.

J.C. Thompson picked good brick.

What the marker says

Victorian architecture. Built 1892 by grocer J.C. Thompson (1836-1905) of brick from Calavaros Kiln near Elmendorf. Upstairs in 1892 was law office of Lon C. Hill, who later founded Harlingen. Afterward on second floor was "Beeville Light Guard" Armory. Acquired in 1910 by Eureka Telephone Company, was communications headquarters (1912-20) for Southwestern Telegraph & Telephone Company, and then for Southwestern Bell until 1957. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1971