I always figured this was a hotel, given its size and proximity to the train station. However, there was no signage left on the entire building. Research on the web confirmed my speculation; it was called the Hotel Blazilmar. Blazilmar is such an unusual name, sounding even exotic. It was named after the owners, Howard Bland, A.J. Zilker, and T.W. Marse, combining the first three characters of their last names.

The hotel originated as the Murphy Hotel, built in 1917. It was considered a modern hotel for its time, boasting 90 rooms, steam heat, and ceiling fans. The hotel also housed a ballroom and served as the Greyhound bus station.

It’s one thing to see an abandoned house or even a defunct gas station, but a large structure like this really brings out my curiosity. How did such a substantial building fall into disrepair? Taylor grew on the cotton trade and its prime location to the freight lines. Perhaps with the rise of trucking, the freight train lines lost their dominance, bypassing the once-booming downtowns.

Here’s the hotel from the rear. Although it’s reduced in ornamentation, the same bricks are used throughout, giving it a high-quality appearance. I imagine the open lot once housed a building, long gone, but with remnants of its foundation still visible.

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