2007 National Register Information

• Address: 112 S. Pecan
• Name: Vacant
• Previous Name: Hoya building / Firestone
• Date: 1900
• Type: Two part
• Contributing: Yes

The Hoya Building at 112 South Pecan Street was designed by Dietrich Rulfs in 1900. Although now extensively altered on its primary facade, this red and buff brick building at one time represented an outstanding example of Rulfs’ architectural abilities, and reflected the ambitions of local land surveyor, banker and businessman Charles Hoya.

This two-story brick building serves as an anchor for plaza principal, and from its comer lot, faces onto South Pecan Street. Because of its siting at the comer of the main square, and because of the gentle sloping of South Pecan that begins just to the south of this building, it maintains a rather imposing character. Constructed primarily of buff brick, this building is accented by simple red brick details. The primary façade is divided into two horizontal segments, marked by a simple string course (the original brick feature is retained on the south elevation, but the primary facade has been covered with stucco). The façade is divided into three vertical bays, delineated on the ground floor by a series of cast-iron pilasters, and on the upper floor by the fenestration pattern. The ground floor storefront is framed in cast iron forged in 1900 by Tyler Foundry & Machine, Tyler, Texas. Within the cast iron frame lies a three-part wooden facade, consisting of 16-light display windows (4×4) flanking a central entryway. The primary entrance is wood-frame, 6-light, single door with transoms above. The original configuration, including the flat awning suspended on rods, appears to be intact, although it is doubtful that the original materials have been retained. The 3-part, horizontally disposed transom windows remain intact about the awning. The region above the transoms, comprising the second floor, has been altered extensively. Although the three window fenestration pattern and indications of the edge pilasters and parapet line remain intact, the façade has been covered in a layer of tan stucco. This treatment renders all brick surfaces and detailing invisible. Still, the windows retain their original form of a round top arched opening flanked by two segmented arch-top windows, the lay of which correspond to the fenestration on the Pilar Street facade. The once-remarkable façade of this building is indicated by the Pilar Street elevation, which retains its original surface treatment and details. Decorative brickwork is skillfully executed in a combination of buff and red brick. Here, a stringcourse (aligned with that on the primary façade) marks the internal
dispensation of floors, and a series of pilasters divide the elevation into three bays. At the ground floor level, the surface remains undecorated. A corbelled string course is placed just above this area. The upper level of the building features three distinct bays, of which the center bay is characterized by an arched parapet with roundel. The center bay houses three segmented-arch window openings, visually connected by a stringcourse which runs the length of the façade (interrupted only by the bay-defining pilasters). Corbelled dentils likewise stretch along the facade at cornice line, again, pausing at each pilaster. These run just above series of inset panels (Four in each bay), and just below the parapet cap. The outer bays are identical to one another, each featuring two segmented-arch top windows. All windows on this façade trimmed with a brick hood and are united by the continuous stringcourse that extends from the lower (spring) of the hood. Historic photos indicate that this brick detailing was also present on the primary façade.

Although the Pilar Street elevation reflects the quality of this Rulfs-designed building and the alterations at the second floor on the primary façade impact the character of this building, the surface treatment appears reversible. Many historic photographs as well as the intact Pilar Street elevation would provide ample evidence for any restoration effort.

Commissioned by Charles Hoya in 1900, this building was still under construction in October as the Sanborn Map of that year was completed. The impressive two-story brick building and its one-story contemporary counterpart to the north served as permanent replacements for several wood-frame buildings that had formerly occupied this prominent location on the plaza principal. The lots for this property, the neighbor the north, and the Hoya Land Office to the south (Property #95, NR 1992, RTHL 1974, Nacogdoches City Landmark), had long been in the Hoya family. The patriarch of the family, Joseph T. von der Hoya, came to Nacogdoches with his family and three brothers from Damme, Germany in 1836. Although they lived on farm property south of town, the Hoyas purchased the southwest comer of plaza principal sometime just after 1836, as a number of town lots were sold to pay a debt to the Mexican government. Joseph Hoya purchased Adolphus Sterne’s home on South Lanana Street in 1866, bringing his young family, including his son Charles (1848-1926), into Nacogdoches at this time. Charles was trained as a land surveyor by Captain A. A. Nelson, who had surveyed this part of east Texas both during the Republic and afterward. The enterprising young Charles – who had since married Frances Meisenheimer in 1887, and built a house around 1888 at 210 S. Lanana Street directly across from the Sterne-Hoya home, soon recognized the county’s need to provide protective services for land surveys and ownership documents, as well as finance the purchase of property. To meet these needs, Hoya formed the Hoya Land Office in 1897, charging Houston architect Frank E. Rue to design the first fireproof building in town. Hoya selected this site near the downtown square, not only because his family owned the property, but because it was the heart of the town’s commercial activity. Hoya worked as a surveyor for Nacogdoches County from 1897 until his death in 1926. In addition to his survey work and loan services, in 1903 he, along with Jeff Hayter, I. L. Sturdevant, and W. U. Perkins, organized the Stone Fort National Bank. Hoya served as the bank’s first president and assumed a prominent role in the town’s business circles. In
1900, shortly before the formation ofthe bank, Hoya commissioned Dietrich Rulfs to replace the one-story wood building at the comer of Pilar and South Pecan with the two more permanent – and fire-proof – brick structures. Rulfs probably designed the two buildings in tandem, and they were likely constructed at nearly the same time. The one-story bldg to the north and the two-story bldg to the south shared many of the same characteristics and materials, including cast-iron store fronts manufactured by Tyler Foundry in 1900 (both marked “Chas. Hoya 1900). Hoya leased the ground floor of the south building to various mercantile firms, sometimes with access to the neighboring building, sometimes independently. Property # 13 housed numerous businesses over the years, including the Milam Lodge who leased the second floor until their own building was completed. In 1906, the building to the south housed a store for music, pianos, organs; in 1912 it was home to a grocer, with the Masonic hall on second floor. In 1921, a tin shop was in residence, with Masonic hall remaining on second floor. In 1922, the tin shop branched out to deal in plumbing services and supplies. By 1929, a furniture store (likely Jasper Furniture) had moved in, and from 1947 to 1952, Montgomery Ward was the tenant.