Abandoned hotel in Texas
Hotel McCartney, Texarkana Texas
Rising ten stories above the Texarkana skyline, the McCartney Hotel serves not only as a focal point for the city, but also asa visual reminder of the prominence Texarkana enjoyed as a major southwest railway center during the height of rail transportation. Reciprocally related to the Union Station Terminal, the hotel offered a variety of facilities to travellers and local residents alike.
The McCartney Hotel stands today as a reminder of the thriving commercial and industrial economy Texarkana boasted during the first half of the 20th century. Designed in the grand hotel style of the 1920's by Houston architect Joseph Finger, the hotel is prominently located across from Union Station Terminal, a major railroad center of the southwest. This convenient association enabled a symbiotic relationship to develop between the two structures which are located in the central business district. The hotel was an accommodating establishment for businessmen and tourists alike. Texarkana was established in 1873 at the site where the great Southwest Trail, for centuries the main route from Mississippi River Indian villages to those of the south and west, passed by a Caddo Indian village. In 1874 two major railroads were joined in this city which is located on the state line of Texas and Arkansas. By 1928 four major railroads included Texarkana in the vast network of rails woven across the continent. This railway connection enabled the economy of Texarkana to expand, based on the rich timberlands, arable farmland, and abundant and diversified mineral deposits of the area.
The site of the McCartney Hotel was the first town lot sold in the city, and was previously occupied by the three-story Cosmopolitan Hotel, noted for its appeal to travelling theatrical troupes and said to have hosted Will Rogers and Lilly Pons. The Cosmopolitan was razed in 1929 by owner W.A. McCartney, Sr. to make way for the larger, more accommodating McCartney Hotel, which remains the tallest building in Texarkana. The reinforced concrete and brick structure became a focal point for the city's skyline. Rising ten stories above the city, the structure bears a modified resemblance to the skyscrapers of the Chicago School. The first two floors relate to the street, the third through eighth floors are identically void of decoration and the top floor is emphasized with window trim and intermittent insertions of balusters at the parapet level. Mr. McCartney was a prominent resident of Texarkana, coming to the city in 1874 at the age of four years. In the 1940's and 1950's McCartney, who had then become known as the city's "unofficial historian," hosted gatherings at the hotel for national, regional, and local dignitaries, civic leaders, business leaders, and friends. From these prestigious meetings grew efforts led by McCartney which eventually resulted in the convergence in Texarkana of four major U.S. highways. The increase in highway transportation brought about the gradual decline in the importance of Texarkana as a railway center. As a result, the hotel ceased to operate as such in the early 1970's and in 1976 was sold and used for storage. Current plans are to restore the facade of the structure and convert into retail and office space.
Building Description
Constructed in a commercial style of building that is typical of the early 20th century, the McCartney Hotel, the tallest building in Texarkana, remains a focal point for that city's skyline. Occupying the first town lot sold within the city, the hotel is located in the hub of the downtown commercial district, prominently sited across from Union Station Terminal, which became a major southwest railway station during the height of rail transportation. The hotel no longer functions as such; however, it has suffered no drastic architectural or interior alterations since construction and remains a fine example of the early 20th century commercial style with outstanding Art Deco interiors.
This ten-story, reinforced concrete structure faced with pre-cast concrete and brick reflects the Chicago School arrangement of base, shaft, and cornice, The structure is composed of a two-story, polygonal-shaped base from which rises an eight-story tower, the upper floor distinguished as a cornice through the use of architectural decoration. Oriented to the traffic and pedestrian flows of the street, the first two floors of the hotel (base area) are easily accessible from the south, east, and west facades. The main entrance to the hotel lobby is located on the south facade directly across from the entrance to Union Station Terminal. The triple arched openings of both buildings reflect one another and a strong axial tie is established with this architectural reinforcement. Secondary entrances on the east and west facades are defined by single arches and all hotel entrances are protected with ornate flat canopies supported by decorative cables attached to the face of the structure. The ground floor is faced with pre-cast concrete blocks and-features large, store front windows separated by stylized pilasters, also of concrete blocks. The light-colored brickwork begins on the second level which is pierced with one-over-one, double-hung windows. These bracket-supported windows are faced with concrete blocks and feature a protruding keystone. The brackets are spanned with a concrete inset highlighted with a bull's eye motif. A strong horizontal emphasis is given to the base area with continuous courses of concrete blocks that encircle the south, east, and west facades. The polygonal shape of the base extends north and consists of two stories with a one-story, angular, projecting entrance to the garage. This flat-roofed base is terminated with a course of concrete blocks. The north facade of this structure was originally shielded by commercial structures facing Broad Street. Currently, these structures have been razed to allow the construction of the Bi-State Criminal Justice Center, which will also obstruct the view of the north facade. This unadorned brick facade is punctuated at regular intervals with six-over-six double-hung windows.
Rising an additional eight stories from the south end of the base is the shaft. Floors three through nine are treated identically symmetrical unadorned brick facades broken with regularly spaced, one-over-one, double-hung windows with slightly protruding sills. The tenth floor is distinguished by a continuous course of concrete blocks. The windows are faced with concrete blocks and rest on insets of fluted concrete. These windows are further enhanced with an enriched over-treatment. The south facade features windows with exaggerated cornices and three windows with broken pediment treatments.
The east and west facades feature a central window of Palladian inspiration flanked by identical corniced windows. Visible above the surrounding commercial structures, the north facade of the tower which is asymmetrical in composition, features bracketed and broken pedimented windows. Small, four-paned windows indicate a service shaft on the north side of the tower. The cornice features insets of turned concrete balusters which span the south, east, and west facades and extend around to either side of the north facade. Rising from the north side of the tower is a penthouse complex which houses the mechanical equipment of the structure.
Constructed at the height of the Art Deco period, the interior of the structure is an outstanding statement of that era. The first floor housed the hotel lobby and registration desk as well as cafes and other supporting businesses. The second floor offered a mezzanine and ballroom, the latter of which opened onto a roof deck. Floors three through ten, accessible from the lobby by stairs and elevators, were designated as sleeping quarters. The lobby and mezzanine were decorated in a bold display of Art Deco forms and decorative motifs, brilliantly accented in gold and silver. A curved marble staircase with Deco inspired railings connects the lobby and mezzanine, both of which feature marble wainscoting. The ceilings are accented with ornate, three-dimensional cornice molding and the mezzanine features and elaborate skylight. Preformed plaster figures and Deco light fixtured further enhance the overall feeling.
The late 1950's and early 1960's saw a cessation of rail passenger service and an increase in automobile travel. This shift in reliance from rail to highway decreased the importance of the McCartney's location and eventually, a lack of patronage closed its doors. In 1976 the hotel was used as a movie set followed by usage as a storage facility. The hotel has been zoned historic by the city of Texarkana and the new owners plan to renovate the building with respect to its historical integrity, adapting it for use as retail and office space.