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O. T. Bassett Tower facts for kids

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O. T. Bassett Tower
Bassett Tower El Paso.image.jpg
The O. T. Bassett Tower
General information
Status open
Architectural style Moderne, Art Deco, Stepped skyscraper
Location 303 Texas Avenue
El Paso, Texas
Coordinates 31°45′35″N 106°29′10″W / 31.7597°N 106.4862°W / 31.7597; -106.4862
Construction started 1929
Completed 1930
Technical details
Floor count 15
Design and construction
Architect Trost & Trost
O. T. Bassett Tower
Area less than one acre
MPS Commercial Structures of El Paso by Henry C. Trost TR
NRHP reference No. 80004101
Added to NRHP September 24, 1980

The O. T. Bassett Tower is a cool skyscraper located in Downtown El Paso, Texas. It stands at 303 Texas Avenue. This building is famous for its Art Deco style, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

About the Bassett Tower

The O. T. Bassett Tower was built by Charles N. Bassett. He named it to honor his father, Oscar T. Bassett. The building was designed by a well-known architecture firm called Trost & Trost.

Building History

Construction of the tower finished in 1930. It was one of the last projects designed by Henry Trost. For a short time, the Bassett Tower was the tallest building in El Paso. However, it was soon surpassed by the Hilton Hotel in the same year.

Tower Features

The Bassett Tower is 217 feet (66 meters) tall. It has 15 stories. You can see special "setbacks" on the tenth and thirteenth floors. This means the building gets a bit narrower as it goes up.

The outside of the tower is covered with tan brick. It also has cool decorations made from stone and terra cotta. One interesting detail is a sculpted face above the main entrance. Many people believe this face looks like Henry Trost himself!

Historic Recognition

The O. T. Bassett Tower is an important part of history. In 1980, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special building worth protecting.

See also

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