Magnolia Hotel, Historic hotel in downtown Dallas, United States.
The Magnolia Hotel occupies the 29-story Magnolia Petroleum Building, a Beaux-Arts tower of light-colored stone in downtown Dallas. Its narrow facade rises in rows of rectangular windows divided by decorative stone bands to a stepped, flat roofline. Carved stone figures flank a central crest above the words "Magnolia Building," and an American flag rises from that carved section. Architects Alfred C. Bossom and the firm Lang & Witchell designed it.
The Magnolia Petroleum Building opened in August 1922 next to the Adolphus Hotel, cost US$4 million and was designed by British architect Alfred C. Bossom with the firm Lang & Witchell. It served as headquarters for the Magnolia Petroleum Company and, at 29 stories, stood as the tallest building in Texas for many years. In 1934 the company mounted its neon Pegasus on the roof for the American Petroleum Institute meeting; the sign stopped rotating in 1974.
The red neon Pegasus figure crowning the roof represents the city's connection to the oil industry and shapes the Dallas skyline. This symbol remains deeply rooted in how locals perceive their downtown landscape.
The hotel sits within walking distance of downtown attractions and serves as a convenient base for exploring the city center. Its location provides easy access to nearby shops, dining options, and cultural venues.
The 1934 Pegasus was taken down in 1999 for restoration, found beyond repair, and replaced by a new rotating sign lit at midnight on 1 January 2000. A copy of the original sign, long displayed at a Mobil station in Casa Linda, is now at the Old Red Museum.
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