This
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.
