Have you ever heard of a skyscraper that started as a parking garage? Look around you at the Continental Building. It’s hard to imagine, but this towering structure began its life in 1948 as a humble four-story underground parking garage. The Continental Building, then named the Mercantile Commerce Building, was built for the Mercantile National Bank. It was a symbol of progress, boasting the first underground parking structure in Dallas. This marvel of engineering, designed by Walter W. Ahlschlager, could hold an astounding 1,250 cars in its continuous spiral. But the story doesn’t end there. In 1958, the bank decided to expand, adding eight floors to the existing structure. The Continental Building, as we know it today, was born. It housed the bank’s expanding offices and even served as the FBI’s Dallas headquarters for a time. Today, the Continental Building stands as a testament to Dallas’s ever-evolving landscape, a blend of history and modern living.
Harrison Cemetery Plaque
Is it possible for a place to hold so much history in just one acre? You might not think so,