Alico Building
Waco, McLennan County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Designed and built by Sanguinet & Staats and Roy E. Lane, the 22-story home office of the Amicable Liife Insurance Co. was erected in 1911 as publicity for the new firm. The structure's Beaux Arts styling features rich terra cotta details on the top four floors. For many years the tallest building in the southwest, it withstood the 1953 Waco tornado. Today the Alico Building serves as a landmark in Waco and as a reminder of the city's early economic growth. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1982
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Rising 22 stories over downtown Waco in 1911, the Amicable Life Insurance Company's home office was built as much for publicity as for offices, announcing the ambitions of a new firm. Designed by Sanguinet & Staats with Roy E. Lane, its Beaux Arts form is crowned with rich terra-cotta detailing on the top four floors. For years the tallest building in the Southwest, the Alico famously stood firm through the deadly 1953 Waco tornado.
Why it matters
The Alico Building marks the arrival of the skyscraper in the American interior, a symbol of early-20th-century commercial confidence that became an enduring civic landmark.
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Related people
- · Roy E. Lane
Themes & tags
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