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honor the contract after learning how small the building was. No stairway was installed in the building upon its initial completion, as none was included in the original blueprints. Rather, a ladder was employed to gain access to the upper three floors. By the time construction was complete, McMahon had left
Wichita Falls and perhaps Texas, taking with him the balance of the investors' money.
552:
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demolishing the building. Dick Bundy and his partners became fascinated with the history and legacy of the building; they arranged a partnership with Marvin Groves
Electric, another local business, to purchase the building. In December 2000, the city council voted to allow the WCHS to sell the building to Marvin Groves for
492:
On June 11, 2003, a storm swept through
Wichita Falls, bringing gusts of wind as strong as 97 miles per hour (156 km/h). A 15-foot (4.6 m) section of brick wall from the McMahon Building complex was knocked down. The damage from this storm was repaired, but full restoration of the building
458:
After the Great
Depression, the building housed a succession of tenants, including barber shops and cafés. The building changed hands many times and was scheduled for demolition on several occasions, but escaped this fate apparently because a sufficient number of local residents came to its defense.
435:
Upon its completion and opening in 1919, the Newby-McMahon
Building was an immediate source of great embarrassment to the city and its residents. The ground floor had six desks representing the six different companies that occupied the building as its original tenants. Throughout most of the 1920s,
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According to legend, investors brought a lawsuit against McMahon over the size of the building, but to their dismay, the real estate and construction deal was declared legally binding by a local judge. They did recover a small portion of their investment from the elevator company, which refused to
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structure. It stands 40 ft (12 m) tall, and its exterior dimensions are 18 ft (5.5 m) deep and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide. Its interior dimensions are approximately 12 ft (3.7 m) by 9 ft (2.7 m), or approximately 108 sq ft (10.0 m). Steep,
484:
By 1999, the Newby-McMahon
Building had proved to be an excessive burden on the limited capital reserves of the WCHS. The following year, the city council hired the local architectural firm of Bundy, Young, Sims & Potter to stabilize the crumbling structure, amid steadily growing talk of
459:
It was eventually deeded to the city of
Wichita Falls. As the building continued to deteriorate, in 1986 the city gave the building to the Wichita County Heritage Society (WCHS), with the hope that it would eventually be restored, making it a viable part of the Depot Square Historic District
357:
Though it initially lacked the infrastructure needed for this sudden increase in economic and industrial activity, Wichita Falls was a natural choice to serve as the local logistical hub, being the seat of
Wichita County. Because office space was lacking, major stock transactions and
394:
According to local legend, when McMahon announced in 1919 that he would build a high-rise annex to the Newby
Building as a solution to the newly wealthy city's urgent need for office space, investors were eager to invest in the project. McMahon collected
513:
After its renovation, the building was home to an antiques dealership, the
Antique Wood, which opened in 2006 on the ground floor. Since 2013, a furniture and home décor consignment boutique by the name of "Hello Again!" has occupied the building.
479:
Plaque attached to the Newby-McMahon Building, also known as the "world's littlest skyscraper". This plaque refers to the one-story brick building adjacent to the "skyscraper" which was completed in 1906; the "skyscraper" itself was completed in
410:, was that legal documents listed the height as 480" (inches) as opposed to 480' (feet). Investors did not seem to notice, and McMahon apparently never verbally stated that the actual height of the building would be 480 inches.
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The original structure, referred to as the Newby Building, is a single-story brick building located near the railroad depot in downtown Wichita Falls, constructed in 1906 by Augustus Newby (1855–1909), a director of the
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McMahon used his own construction crews to build the McMahon Building on the small, unused piece of property next to the Newby Building, without obtaining prior consent from the owner of the property, who lived in
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and many Wichita County residents had become wealthy virtually overnight. As people streamed into the local communities in search of high-paying jobs, the nearby city of Wichita Falls began to grow in importance.
1091:
1309:
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525:" building. Having survived tornadoes, a fire, and decades of neglect, the building is currently part of the Depot Square Historic District of Wichita Falls. It has been declared a
1329:
321:
syndicated column as "the world's littlest skyscraper," a nickname that has stuck with it ever since. It is now part of the Depot Square Historic District of Wichita Falls, a
311:, the Newby-McMahon Building was a source of great embarrassment to the city and its residents after its completion in 1919. During the 1920s, the building was featured in
467:
1279:
455:
struck North Texas and office space became relatively inexpensive to lease or purchase. A fire gutted the building in 1931, rendering it unusable for several years.
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proposed the construction of a skyscraper. With a proposed height of 480 feet (150 metres), the new building would be among the tallest in the world at that time.
565:
778:
87:
1319:
505: (equivalent to $ 396,256 in 2023), the remainder of which was paid by the owners (Bundy, Young, Sims & Potter, Inc., and Marvin Groves Electric).
349:, experiencing explosive growth of their populations and economies. By 1918, an estimated 20,000 new settlers had taken up residence around the lucrative
598:
540:, a retrospective analysis of the city's architectural past produced in 2006 by Barry Levy, a public information officer with the city of Wichita Falls.
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deals were conducted on street corners and in tents that served as makeshift headquarters for the new oil companies. Sensing an opportunity,
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from this group of naïve investors, promising to construct a high-rise office building across the street from the St. James Hotel.
526:
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fund, to be invested in the restoration of the McMahon Building. Restoration of the building is estimated to have cost more than
322:
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1142:
291:, is a historic four-story building located at 511 7th Street (on the corner of Seventh and La Salle streets) in downtown
80:
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1036:
Edwards, Jennifer (2008). "The Panhandle: Wichita Falls & Environs". In Harmsen, Debbie; Nalepa, Michael (eds.).
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779:"Celebrating greed, fraud: Retelling the tale of the 'World's Littlest Skyscraper' in downtown Wichita Falls"
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and the adjacent Newby Building was delayed until late 2005. In June of that year, the City Council granted
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ended only a few years later. The building was vacated, boarded up, and virtually forgotten in 1929 as the
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syndicated column as "the world's littlest skyscraper", which is a name that has stuck with it ever since.
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606:. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. pp. 14–15.
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narrow, internal stairways leading to the upper floors occupy roughly 25% of the interior area.
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the building housed only two firms. During the 1920s, it was featured in Robert Ripley's
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723:(1st ed.). College Station, Texas: Texas A & M University Press. p. 215.
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Supposedly, the key to McMahon's swindle, and his successful defense in the ensuing
391:, was one of seven tenants whose offices were based in the original Newby Building.
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The building is among several historic buildings featured in the documentary film
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The Newby-McMahon Building has never met the criteria for the definition of a
300:
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The Newby-McMahon Building and the "Hello Again!" storefront in October 2015
350:
984:
Texas Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Offbeat Fun
420:
346:
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986:(3rd ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press. p. 72.
756:
407:
849:(1st ed.). Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press. p. 78.
717:
Texas Committee for the Humanities (1986). O'Connor, Robert F. (ed.).
1069:(1st ed.). Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press. p. 67.
1229:. Wichita Falls, Texas: Wichita Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau
982:
Kelso, John; Permenter, Paris; Bigley, John (2018). "North Texas".
968:
Report of the Governor of Oklahoma to the Secretary of the Interior
1159:. Emporis Standards. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007
474:
466:
749:"'Hello Again' owners purchase the World's Littlest Skyscraper"
497: (equivalent to $ 39,002 in 2023) in funds from the city's
1315:
National Register of Historic Places in Wichita County, Texas
307:
Reportedly the result of a fraudulent investment scheme by a
345:
in 1912. Burkburnett and its surrounding communities became
971:. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 51.
1040:(1st ed.). New York: Random House, Inc. p. 517.
1256:"Why The World's Littlest Skyscraper Was A Massive Scam"
533:. The building attracts visitors from around the world.
252:
Depot Square Historic District (Wichita Falls, Texas) (
1221:
Wichita Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau (2022).
1067:
Oddball Texas: A Guide To Some Really Strange Places
379:. The oil-rig construction firm of J. D. McMahon, a
878:. Denton, Texas: Texas State Historical Association
826:(8). Austin, Texas: Texas Electric Cooperatives: 38
698:(1). Austin, Texas: Texas Electric Cooperatives: 25
630:"Cowboys Mosey On, But Littlest Skyscraper Remains"
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1310:Historic district contributing properties in Texas
1123:. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007
1092:"Downtown retail future gets boost from the past"
1295:Buildings and structures in Wichita Falls, Texas
1157:"Data Standards: high-rise building (ESN 18727)"
742:
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377:Wichita Falls and Oklahoma City Railway Company
845:Olien, Diana Davids; Olien, Roger M. (2002).
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566:History of the tallest buildings in the world
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1330:Tourist attractions in Wichita County, Texas
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399: (equivalent to $ 3,514,779 in 2023) in
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688:"Legend Of The World's Littlest Skyscraper"
443:The oil industry ultimately proved to be a
431:Early occupancy and subsequent abandonment
31:
589:
587:
585:
1117:"Data Standards: skyscraper (ESN 24419)"
1063:"Wichita Falls: The Littlest Skyscraper"
1007:McLeod, Gerald E. (September 15, 2000).
337:was discovered just west of the city of
149: (equivalent to $ 3,514,779 in 2023)
1280:1910s architecture in the United States
847:Oil in Texas: the gusher age, 1895–1945
581:
1300:Commercial buildings completed in 1919
1170:
1134:
1090:McGinnis, Judith (February 28, 2016).
489: (equivalent to $ 6,631 in 2023).
538:Wichita Falls: The Future of Our Past
414:Construction and ensuing legal battle
7:
904:. Wichita Falls, Texas. July 5, 1909
898:"Clay County Texas: Obituaries 1909"
747:Belefanti, Chantale (May 26, 2021).
531:National Register of Historic Places
27:Building in Wichita Falls, Texas, US
1320:Office buildings completed in 1919
628:Whitaker, Bill (August 20, 1998).
25:
597:(February 4, 2004). "Section 7".
1193:"Depot Square Historic District"
777:Watson, Deanna (June 19, 2018).
550:
40:
1096:Wichita Falls Times Record News
183:40 m (430 sq ft)
125:
600:Depot Square Historic District
287:, commonly referred to as the
1:
1325:Roadside attractions in Texas
1223:"World's Littlest Skyscraper"
1290:1919 establishments in Texas
1009:"Day Trips: Best Skyscraper"
226:Newby–McMahon Building
46:Photographed in January 2016
1201:Texas Historical Commission
941:Texas Society of Architects
438:Ripley's Believe It or Not!
318:Ripley's Believe It or Not!
289:World's littlest skyscraper
1346:
1251:Street-view On Google Maps
1197:Texas Historic Sites Atlas
939:(Podcast). Austin, Texas:
447:to Wichita Falls, and the
162:12.2 m (40.0 ft)
1177:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
1141:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
686:Stowers, Carlton (2008).
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963:Barnes, Cassius McDonald
781:. Wichita Falls, Texas:
755:. Wichita Falls, Texas:
1061:Pohlen, Jerome (2006).
753:www.newschannel6now.com
527:Texas Historic Landmark
499:tax increment financing
463:Purchase and renovation
370:Proposal and blueprints
323:Texas Historic Landmark
188:Design and construction
816:"The Height of Deceit"
521:, nor even that of a "
481:
472:
285:Newby-McMahon Building
234:U.S. Historic district
35:Newby–McMahon Building
18:Newby-McMahon Building
933:"Littlest Skyscraper"
814:Garner, Chet (2020).
640:E. W. Scripps Company
635:Abilene Reporter-News
595:National Park Service
529:and is listed on the
478:
470:
238:Contributing property
1266:, December 16, 2019.
1014:The Austin Chronicle
872:"Burkburnett, Texas"
870:Hart, Brian (2021).
299:style red brick and
293:Wichita Falls, Texas
119:Construction started
73:Wichita Falls, Texas
902:Wichita Daily Times
385:structural engineer
335:petroleum reservoir
201:Structural engineer
103:33.9144°N 98.4897°W
99: /
56:General information
937:The Shape of Texas
638:. Abilene, Texas:
482:
473:
401:investment capital
341:, a small town in
261:Designated CP
175:4 habitable floors
1305:Confidence tricks
1285:1919 architecture
1121:Emporis Standards
1047:978-1-4000-0719-6
993:978-1-4930-2369-1
876:Handbook of Texas
820:Texas Co-op Power
783:Times Record News
692:Texas Co-op Power
381:petroleum landman
281:
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167:Technical details
108:33.9144; -98.4897
16:(Redirected from
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1274:Categories
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329:Background
309:con artist
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254:ID03001552
180:Floor area
94:98°29′23″W
91:33°54′52″N
1264:Tom Scott
648:0199-3267
523:high-rise
503:$ 254,000
397:$ 200,000
351:oil field
347:boomtowns
147:$ 200,000
127:Completed
64:Mixed-use
1173:cite web
1137:cite web
965:(1898).
544:See also
495:$ 25,000
421:Oklahoma
333:A large
69:Location
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