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Built:
1922- 1923
Designed by: Sir Alfred C. Bossom
Type: Hotel
Location: Commerce and Akard Streets
City: Dallas
State: Texas
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T
his is one of those cases where a building's symbolic meaning to the community outshines its architectural significance. The hotel was built in the 1920's as the headquarters for the Magnolia Petroleum Company, a division of Standard Oil of New York. Magnolia eventually became Mobil Oil, which became ExxonMobil in 1999. Constructed in a giant horseshoe shape, it has a bridge on the 18th floor that connects the two points of the "U". Toward the top there is a penthouse level at the 25th floor, and another at 29. This building became a cultural icon to Dallas because of the city's fervent wish to do things bigger and better than anywhere else. The Magnolia Oil building was the tallest in Texas for two decades, and people would brag that it was the biggest building south of Washington, D.C. But what made this structure really stand out was literally its crowning achievement: An oil derrick topped by a red neon Pegasus. This winged horse would remain the symbol of the Mobil Oil company through its history. There are actually two neon horses since the whole affair rotates lazily through the Dallas sky. Over the years if lost its luster, but thanks to a fundraising campaign late in the 20th century, it was refurbished. The damage was too extensive, so a replica was created at a cost of $600,000.00 and on 13 December, 1999 crews began hauling the great symbol of Dallas back up to its perch where today it rotates, reflecting the north Texas sun by day and lighting up the Dallas skyline by night.
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