Hall of State, Dallas

The Hall of State was built during the Depression in 1936 at a cost of $1.2 million. That made it one of the most expensive buildings in the state at that time, when factoring in the cost per square foot of space. The building is a wonderful example of Art Deco and is made from Texas limestone. It was built to celebrate the centennial of the Republic of Texas. The facility does a great job with its intended purpose. The entrance way to the building is very impressive with its curved exedra and its pillars that are over 70 feet tall.

Once inside the building, the hall of heroes houses six bronze statues of famous Texans including Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin. Straight behind this entry way is the Great Hall. This beautiful room features a huge gold leaf Great Seal of Texas that is truly gorgeous whether the visitor is a Texas native or from elsewhere. The Art Deco iron works in the light fixtures are just beautiful and were done by a local company. This room can be rented for events and weddings.

The building also houses the West Texas room which is also a library, the East Texas room, the South Texas room and the North Texas room. The library houses books and historical documents that number over 3 million.