What are the true costs of historical preservation in Kerr County?

Photos from the demolition of the Kellogg Building, back in 1987. Click on any image to enlarge.

In the spring of 1987, Kerrville had an unpleasant surprise. At the corner of Sidney Baker and Main Streets, a historical building, parts of which were built in 1875, was being torn down. Most of the community had no idea it was slated for demolition.

"A Kerrville landmark lost its battle with time and progress Friday," reported the Kerrville Daily Times in a front-page story on May 3, 1987. "Kellogg Building Bites the Dust," the headline read. Several citizens were quoted, expressing their sadness at seeing the old building go.

Secor Hospital, around 1911

Here's why the building was important to people: For many years, that old building served as Kerrville’s only hospital. If you were born in Kerrville between 1910 and 1949, before the Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital opened in 1949, it’s likely you were born in that building.

Even before that, a portion of the building was one of Kerrville’s first public schools. The original structure went by several names – the Masonic Building, the Quinlan Building – and was a two-story rock structure, reportedly built by John Oechse. Later, in 1878, it was deeded to “Kerrville School District No. 1,” for $423, for use as a school. It continued as a schoolhouse until 1883.

The Barker Building

In 1890, a hotel was built next to the building by J. D. Hutchison, which was sold to W. H. Rawson in 1904. In 1910, Dr. William Lee Secor moved to Kerrville and opened up an office on the lower floor of the stone building, turning the upstairs rooms into an operating suite. This became Kerrville’s first hospital and was the only accredited health care facility between San Antonio and El Paso.

After a fire in 1913, the building was rebuilt, doubled in size, and stuccoed on the outside. In 1920, the building was called the Kerrville Sanitarium. A few years later, the building was deeded to the City of Kerrville.

Demolishing the Kellogg Building, 1987

Dr. Secor leased the building from the city, and it became known as the Secor Hospital. In 1937, Dr. Secor died, and Dr. John D. Jackson bought the building, which then became the Kerrville General Hospital. When Dr. Jackson passed away in 1945, Dr. D. R. Knapp leased the facility and managed it until the Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital opened in 1949.

Andy Barker leased the building in 1949 from Dr. Jackson’s heirs. Until 1958, the building was known as the Barker Building. In 1958, the building was sold to W. B. Kellogg and renamed the Kellogg Building, the last name by which the structure was known. I remember it as the Kellogg Building.

Demolishing the Kellogg Building, 1987

In 1984, a Kerrville physician purchased the building as an investment. In 1987, it was torn down, and the lot was subsequently offered for sale by that doctor. Since then, the lot has been the site of John Miller’s car sales and rental, and is presently the home of Broadway Bank.

I remember the building as a maze of small offices. Walking through it felt like walking through the set of a 1940s movie. There's no doubt the building was old and outdated in 1987, and the owner was certainly within his rights to have it demolished. As for the community’s surprise, there's no requirement to make a public announcement when a building is being razed, regardless of its historical value. The city only requires a demolition permit.

The Kellogg Building, before 1987

If the building had been preserved, what purpose could it have served? How could it have been profitable for its owner, and what value could it have brought to our community? If renovated, how expensive would the construction have been?

Lately, I've been pondering these questions as I'm involved in a project renovating a historical Kerrville home built in 1908. When completed, this building will house a history museum for our community. While the final cost of this project remains uncertain, I've been reflecting on which would have a more significant impact on our community: the cost to renovate the structure or the cost of its loss?

Until next week, all the best.

Joe Herring Jr. is a Kerrville native who enjoys delving into Kerrville and Kerr County history. This column originally appeared in the Kerrville Daily Times July 22, 2023.

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