Old Rock Saloon
58 W. Elm St., Hillsboro, TXThe Rock Saloon is architecturally significant as the only surviving limestone structure within the central business district. Judging from the cornerstone date of 1876, the vernacular building is probably the oldest commercial structure in Hillsboro. The saloon, which originally featured a bar extending the length of the downstairs area, was owned for a time by J. E. Ballard, Mayor of Hillsboro from 1889-1893. Originally located at the rear of the building was a cockfighting pit and, upstairs a gambling hall. Subsequent businesses operating here have included a confectionery, a tailor's shop, a pool hall, a sewing machine shop, and a hamburger joint.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.