Hotel Provident and Heierman Building
historical marker
The Hotel Provident and Heierman Building, located in Austin, Travis County, Texas, holds a significant place in the city's history. It was constructed in 1887, commissioned by Tom Smith. Austin Mayor Joseph Nalle served as the contractor for the building. Initially, the structure opened as the Hotel Provident, operating under this and other names until the 1920s. The ground floor of the building housed various businesses, including a newspaper office and the Texas Invention Company. Around 1900, the Heierman family, specifically J. Frank and John G. Heierman, began their association with the building, operating various enterprises there until 1945. The Heierman family expanded the building's use beyond hospitality. The building's facade was altered after 1900, and it displays an incorrect date of 1880. In 1974, the Texas Historical Commission erected a historical marker for the Hotel Provident and Heierman Building, recognizing its historical importance. This marker designates it as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. The building stands as a tangible link to Austin's commercial and architectural development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.