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Denison History |
Firsts - First Plane - ShowBiz Connections - Tallest Building - Denison/French Connection - History - Home
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 Original 5 stories |
In 1891 the Leeper Building was completed, rising to a towering five stories at the northeast corner of main and Burnett, it became Texas' first Skyscraper. The building later became known as the Security Building because of the Security national Bank that operated on the ground floor until closed during the Depression. This was the tallest building in North Texas built by John B. Leeper and J.T. Balkrick, who employed a French architect named LeLardo to design the structure. |
| While the building was under construction skeptics warned that the fifth floor, with its high pitched roof and giant replica of a "teapot" on top, made the building to tall and dangerous. True to this warning, a few years later the top floor was judged a hazard and removed. | |
 5th floor removed |
Ownership through the years shuffled between various realty enterprises and at one time an auction was held on the site to sell the property. The Wolens Company bought the building in the early 1940's from a Weatherford man. Then Dec 3, 1952, the city declared the building a danger, ordering it condemned and to be destroyed. The few remaining tenants were given notice to vacate and Feb. 1, 1954, wreckers arrived and went to work. |
| Overlooking the ornately carved entrance had been an even more ornately carved head which became known as "Old Stoneface." "Old Stoneface" and the rest of the carvings are said to have been done by a colorful sculptor who hammered away artistically with his chisel between frequent breaks for visits to the neighborhood saloons. | |
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"Old Stoneface," after looking over Main Street for more than 60 years, toppled to its face May 31, 1954. However, it got the last word by crushing the sidewalk beneath part way into the basement area below. Stoneface first went next door to the yard of Lone Star Gas Co. When a tenant moved away to make room for a parking lot for the Gas Company, the giant stone was give to Mrs. J.E. Smith on Dripping Springs Road. The Stone continues to survey the serenity of the rural community , occasionally attracting the attention of a passing motorist or person with a camera doing research on some historical point of the area. |
