Burnett, Burk, Building
historic place
The Burk Burnett Building, a historic place in Fort Worth, Texas, stands at 500 Main Street. Construction of this twelve-story structure, designed by architects Sanguinet and Staats, was completed in 1914. It was originally built as the headquarters for the State National Bank. At the time, it was considered Fort Worth's first skyscraper and the tallest building in the city. However, the State National Bank failed by May of 1915. In March 1915, Samuel Burk Burnett, a prominent cattle and oil entrepreneur, purchased the property. He then affixed his name to the building. The Neo-classical design features a base with white terra cotta and granite columns. The central section is red brick, separated by terra cotta bands. The uppermost floors are white terra cotta, capped with a decorative cornice. The Burk Burnett Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 12, 1980. It represents an important period of commercial architecture in Fort Worth.