The Gulf Building in Houston officially opened on July 28, 1929 as the tallest building in the USA south of Chicago.
HOUSTON’S GULF BUILDING OPENS
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Tallest Office Edifice South of Chicago
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Houston, July 27 (AP) – The 37 story Gulf Building erected here by Jesse H. Jones will be opened formally to the public Sunday (July 28), although some sections of the structure have already been put to use.
This structure, the tallest building south of Chicago, is 428.8 feet in height. There are 1000 offices n the building, and its estimated population is 2,500, with a daily flow of approximately 35,000.
Jones Is Active
The Gulf Building is the latest structure to be built here by Jones, who has erected some score of major buildings in Houston during the past 15 years. In addition to his building activity in this city, Jones has built extensively in Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, and New York City.
Italian Fresco
One of the features of the Gulf Building, which is attracting wide attention, is a group of eight murals done in Italian fresco and Pompeian colors depicting the history of Texas from the earliest days which history has recorded up to the present time.
Mounted on the roof of the building is an aerial beacon, said to be the most powerful in this section, for the guidance of night fliers.
~ Associated Press, Port Arthur News, Saturday, July 28, 1929, Page 2
Now heading toward its 85th birthday this summer, The Gulf Building today is now called the JPMorgan Chase Building..
The Pecan Park Eagle 
March 6, 2014 at 4:06 pm |
I provide consulting services to many downtown buildings. During construction of the group of hi-rise buildings known as 500, 600, and 601 Jefferson (late 60’s), they would test the integrity of installed windows by erecting an airplane engine/propellor to push forced air at the windows. I had a chance to review the black and white photos of this process which are stored currently on site. The photos include persons as well. Looks kinda staged since the women are in high heels and dresses and the men in suits. Interesting to say the least.
March 6, 2014 at 4:37 pm |
It was a thrill as a kid coming into downtown Houston in the 1950s and seeing the towering Art Deco masterpiece with the illuminated, rotating Gulf sign. Now, when I return to Houston and go downtown,
it’s hard to find the “little” Gulf Building amid all the new skyscrapers.
My aunt graduated from Houston’s Central High School in 1925 and worked at the Gulf Building for over 40 years, retiring in 1971.
March 6, 2014 at 11:33 pm |
I love that building! I worked on the fifth floor there for KXYZ Radio in 1958 and 1959.