Fort Worth’s Will Rogers Complex Added to National Register of Historic Places
Image courtesy of the City of Fort Worth.
City of Fort Worth
Three structures that form the backbone of the Fort Worth Cultural District are now included in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Will Rogers Memorial Center, at 3401 W. Lancaster Ave., was built in 1936. Architect Wyatt C. Hedrick designed the three buildings for the Texas Centennial celebration using a mixture of Classical Revival and Modern styles. All three buildings are constructed with buff-yellow brick.
The buildings are significant as one of the most outstanding examples of Art Deco architecture in Texas. The three-part main building features the iconic Pioneer Tower flanked by a domed coliseum to the east and an auditorium to the west.
The coliseum, tower and auditorium are substantial as they were constructed in 1936. The few changes that have been made reflect maintenance needs and legal requirements, such as accessibility. 
The National Register listing is an important symbolic achievement and places no restrictions on the use or treatment of the buildings.
