Old Thiele Building
Miles, Runnels County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Built 1904 by Joe Thiele (1850-1940), sheep rancher and civic leader. Native stone used here was dug at Willow Creek (2 mi. W). First floor housed Runnels County National Bank; upstairs was Miles Opera House -- social and cultural center of town -- staging road shows, political rallies, and wrestling bouts. In 1923, school was located here. Later this structure was used as dry goods store, grocery, post office, hotel, and (again) a bank. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1968 SUPPLEMENTAL PLATE: Building was owned after 1929 by Henry W. Bigler (1878-1966) and wife, Mabel Hancock Bigler (1886-1961), who operated it as the "Hotel Miles".
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Sheep rancher and civic leader Joe Thiele built this native-stone building in 1904 from rock dug at nearby Willow Creek. Its ground floor held the Runnels County National Bank while the upstairs Miles Opera House served as the town's social and cultural heart, hosting road shows, political rallies, and wrestling matches. Over the years the versatile structure also housed a school, stores, a post office, and a hotel run by later owners as the Hotel Miles.
Why it matters
A single small-town building that served as bank, theater, school, and hotel shows how early Texas communities concentrated their whole civic life under one roof.
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Related people
- · Joe Thiele
- · Henry W. Bigler
- · Mabel Hancock Bigler
Themes & tags
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