Singer Building
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Completed in 1928 for the Singer company, this Spanish colonial revival style structure was designed by noted El Paso architect Henry Trost. For more than 50 years the ground floor served as Singer's Retail Store, while the second story was occupied by a school for seamstresses. Constructed of reinforced concrete, the building features a corner tower with red tile roof, iron grillwork, and the Singer crest above the eastern upper-story window. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1983
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Completed in 1928 for the Singer company, this Spanish Colonial Revival building was designed by the prolific El Paso architect Henry Trost. For more than fifty years its ground floor housed Singer's retail store, while the upper story held a school that trained seamstresses on the company's famous sewing machines. Its corner tower, red tile roof, iron grillwork, and the Singer crest set over an upper window still mark it as a showpiece of 1920s commercial design.
Why it matters
The building ties a small border city to one of America's great industrial brands, and its seamstress school reflects how the sewing machine reshaped women's work in the early 20th century.
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Related people
- · Henry Trost
Themes & tags
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