The Pecan Park Eagle

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

——————–

Tallest Office Edifice South of Chicago

——————–

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..