3 votes

Newby-McMahon Building

Seventh and LaSalle, Wichita Falls, Texas 76301 USA

Independent

“The World's Smallest Skyscraper”

The Newby-McMahon Building, commonly referred to as the world’s smallest skyscraper, is located at 701 LaSalle Street (on the corner of Seventh and LaSalle Streets) in downtown Wichita Falls, Texas. This late Neoclassical style red brick andcast stone structure is 40 ft (12 m) tall,[2] and its exterior dimensions are 18 ft (5.5 m) deep and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide.[3][4] Its interior dimensions are approximately 12 ft (3.7 m) by 9 ft (2.7 m), or approximately 108 sq ft (10.0 m2). Steep, narrow, internal stairways leading to the upper floors occupy roughly 25 percent of the interior area. Reportedly the result of a fraudulent investment scheme by a confidence man, the Newby-McMahon Building was a source of great embarrassment to the city and its residents after its completion in 1919. During the 1920s, the Newby-McMahon Building was featured in Robert Ripley's Ripley's Believe It or Not! syndicated column as "the world's littlest skyscraper", asobriquet that has stuck with it ever since. The Newby-McMahon Building is now part of the Depot Square Historic District of Wichita Falls, a Texas Historic Landmark.

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Reviewed by
cemiddleton

2 Reviews
4 Helpful

July 15, 2014

quaint building in downtown Wichita Falls. not a lot to see beyond this building - downtown is pretty desolate. but interesting to drive through, nonetheless.

2 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
davidlgood

10 Reviews
1 Helpful

May 25, 2015

Rated 1.0

This is known, to locals, as the "World’s Littlest Skyscraper." It's nothing more than a made-up "tourist attraction"... but there isn't much that should attract someone. It's a building. Nothing more. Nothing to do, nothing to see. Just an old building that has suffered years of neglect. Just because someone claims that something is an "attraction" doesn't mean we should all blindly flock to it with cameras in-hand. This is a great example of why I dislike "tourist attractions". How anyone could give this more than a single star rating is beyond me (I'm still amazed that it's even listed as an attraction here).

1 person found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Hott Scolly's Last Known Photo

5 Reviews
1 Helpful

March 04, 2020

Rated 5.0

The world's Smallest Skyscraper is currently open to the public, and is occupied by a marvelous little antique store called Hello Again. Admission is free, but there's a donation jar at the top, as well as Shortest Skyscraper souvenirs and some very reasonably priced decor items to support them by purchasing. My wife bought a plate with a frog on it. I'm told it was a great deal.

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