What happened to Dallas’ first skyscraper? A look at its legacy and how it got its unique name

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When it opened in 1909, the Praetorian Building towered over downtown Dallas. It was built on Main Street and Stone Place and, at 15 stories, was the first skyscraper in Dallas. The structure was the tallest building in Texas – and the tallest building west of the Mississippi. If anyone looked at Dallas, they saw the Praetorian Building.

However, its status as the highest part of the Dallas skyline lasted less than three years. Soon the Praetorian Building was overshadowed by taller, more modern buildings, and it never regained its former glory.

The Dallas Morning News looks back on the rise and fall of the city’s first skyscraper.

Who are the Praetorians?

The steel frame of the Praetorian Building under construction. Published March 17, 1907.(The Dallas Morning News)

On April 4, 1898, the Modern Order of Praetorians was founded by Charles Gardner, an Illinois book wholesaler. The order was considered his idea. The idea of ​​a fraternal society emerged after meeting Gardner; George Taylor, who worked in life insurance; and Louis Blaylock, the future Dallas Police Commissioner and later Dallas Mayor.

When the contract began operating in 1899, it was the first life insurance company to be chartered in Dallas. Texans typically bought life insurance from companies outside of the state, and the early years were meager for the Praetorians. The Order did not have enough funds to pay for his first death, and Blaylock had to pay it out of his pocket.

Eventually the fraternity was successful, having between 4,000 and 5,000 members in the first five years.

Dallas’ first skyscraper

The Praetorian Building (in this undated photo) opened in 1909. At the time, its 15 stories made it the tallest skyscraper in Dallas – a title it only held for a few years. According to The Dallas Morning News of February 28, 1909, it offered “a beautiful view of the entire city.”(The Dallas Morning News)

In late 1904, the Praetorians bought vacant lots on Main Street and Stone Place. The plans originally called for a seven-story structure that would cost around $ 75,000.

Excavations began in the summer of 1905, but a promised $ 250,000 loan failed just in time for the rainy fall season. The excavated hole that was once called “Gardner’s Folly” became known as the “Gardner’s Swimming Pool”. It slumbered for at least a year before the building’s steel frame arrived. Finally the financial situation was resolved and in 1907 the foundation stone for the building was laid.

The Praetorian Building, which cost $ 800,000, opened to visitors in 1909. Some Dallas supporters were initially skeptical that such a tall building would be safe. Others stood happily in line, paying 25 cents each to ride the elevator and see Dallas from the top floor. According to The News of February 28, 1909, it was “a beautiful view of the entire city.”

The Fraternal Monitor, a magazine discussing fraternal societies like the Praetorians, called the building “a real work of art”. The exterior was gray granite with blue-gray terracotta columns and blue-gray porcelain bricks. The steel frame inside was constructed to withstand fire, and each office suite contained a fireproof vault. The interior was decorated with mahogany, tiles and marble.

The building housed much more than just the Praetorians. When it opened in 1909, there was a barber shop and cafe on the ground floor. The offices of the Anti-Saloon League of Texas and the recruiting headquarters of the Texas National Guard during World War I were located there. 1919 was halfway through the 12th. In 1923, the Dallas Astronomical Society held rooftop meetings.

A modern overhaul

1958 was a year in red letters for the Praetorians and their building. In January of this year, the contract was awarded to Praetorian Mutual Life Insurance Co., a life insurance company with legal reserve. On October 2, 1958, The News reported that the Praetorian Building, now “towered over by newer and taller buildings,” was about to receive a “facelift” that would cost about $ 1.5 million. Construction began in August 1959.

Advertisement for the converted Praetorian building. Published November 15, 1966.(The Dallas Morning News)

The building looked radically different after its renovation. It was almost completely rebuilt, floor by floor, with only the original steel frame remaining. This renovation also added another floor to the building. The first reactions were positive, and on April 23, 1961, shortly before completion, The News called the new checkerboard a “symphony of colors”. The glass-metal design alternated white and Praetorian Yellow, a color created for the building.

Changes and rejection

The 1970s and 1980s marked a period of decline marked by rapid changes in management and ownership. Praetorian Mutual Life sold the building in August 1970. Various management and real estate firms sold it and resold it in 1981, 1983 and 1986. The building was later put up for auction.

In May 1987, The News reported that Praetorian Mutual Life is moving its headquarters to an office building in Las Colinas. Later, new owners could no longer keep up with the rent, and the Praetorian Building finally closed its doors in June 1993. It was open for 84 years.

The remains of the Praetorian Building, photographed on Wednesday September 24, 2014.(Rex C. Curry / special contributor)

The Praetorian building remained empty for the rest of its days. Contemporary pieces in The News berated the 1960s renovation as “unattractive” and that the building’s design was “scrapped” and “wiped out”.

Although various owners tried to restore the original appearance in the 2000s, the renovation had destroyed all neoclassical architectural features and made them irretrievable. Despite efforts – including by former mayor Tom Leppert – to preserve the building as a historic landmark, it was demolished in 2012.

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