Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building
Encyclopedia
The Dewitt C. Greer State Highway Building is an eight-story structure in downtown Austin, Texas
housing offices of the Texas Department of Transportation
since its completion. Located at the southwest corner of 11th Street and Brazos Street, the building was designed by San Antonio architect Carleton Adams and finished in 1933 at a cost of $455,000. It features elaborate Art Deco
styling, including decorative carved limestone panels above the front doors.
The building is located at 125 E. 11th Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
along with the 1918 State Office Building
in 1998.
farmers demanded all-weather access to markets just as automobiles revolutionized transportation for all travelers. Good roads promoters envisioned a central state agency to organize safe, consistent routes. In 1916 the federal government offered matching funds to build a statewide highway system. In 1917, legislators created the Texas Highway Department, and Texans registered 195,000 automobiles. Agency employees worked in the Capitol, then the 1917 Land Office, and soon the agency opened district offices across the state. In 1921 federal officials approved a 2,900-mile Texas system, ensured by a one-cent-per-gallon state gas tax after 1923. During the Great Depression
, federal relief funds stimulated massive road building. Engineers also promoted a new headquarters, and in 1933 completed this state highway building. From here, Dewitt Carlock Greer (1902–1986) served as state highway engineer, 1940–1967, and commissioner, 1969 to 1981, when legislators named the building for him. That year, as the agency's role expanded to public transportation, it managed 71,000 miles of highways for 12 million Texas vehicles. (1997)
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
housing offices of the Texas Department of Transportation
Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas. Its stated mission is to "work cooperatively to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods" throughout the state...
since its completion. Located at the southwest corner of 11th Street and Brazos Street, the building was designed by San Antonio architect Carleton Adams and finished in 1933 at a cost of $455,000. It features elaborate Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
styling, including decorative carved limestone panels above the front doors.
The building is located at 125 E. 11th Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
along with the 1918 State Office Building
James E. Rudder State Office Building
The James Earl Rudder State Office Building is a historic office building in downtown Austin, Texas, USA. Built in 1918, the five-story structure features 18-foot ceilings and terrazzo and marble flooring....
in 1998.
Texas Historical Commission Marker Text
Established April 4, 1917 - Early 20th century TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
farmers demanded all-weather access to markets just as automobiles revolutionized transportation for all travelers. Good roads promoters envisioned a central state agency to organize safe, consistent routes. In 1916 the federal government offered matching funds to build a statewide highway system. In 1917, legislators created the Texas Highway Department, and Texans registered 195,000 automobiles. Agency employees worked in the Capitol, then the 1917 Land Office, and soon the agency opened district offices across the state. In 1921 federal officials approved a 2,900-mile Texas system, ensured by a one-cent-per-gallon state gas tax after 1923. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, federal relief funds stimulated massive road building. Engineers also promoted a new headquarters, and in 1933 completed this state highway building. From here, Dewitt Carlock Greer (1902–1986) served as state highway engineer, 1940–1967, and commissioner, 1969 to 1981, when legislators named the building for him. That year, as the agency's role expanded to public transportation, it managed 71,000 miles of highways for 12 million Texas vehicles. (1997)