If you happen to be eye level with this building downtown, it can be a pretty shocking sight to see. However, the story behind it is actually a nice tribute.

Every few years, Wichita Falls goes viral for The Hamilton Building downtown. Once again, someone who is unaware of the historical significance of this building had many questions when they were here for a wedding.

If you're on the street level. It's very hard to see the artwork on the top of this building. Across the street, a few floors up, you can spot the swastikas adorning the windows of The Hamilton Building clear as day. Now this photo above crops out a very important piece of this building's history.

The Hamilton Building is a Tribute to Native American Culture

At the top of the Hamilton Building, several Indian Chiefs look over downtown Wichita Falls. Surrounding the windows of the upper floor, are symbols in Native American culture that are important to their history. At the time that this building was erected in 1927, the swastika was not known worldwide as the symbol of the Nazi party. This symbol we now know of nowadays as the Nazi swastika, didn't become known worldwide til around 1933.

What Does the Swastika Mean in Native American Culture?

According to a Native American Art Page, this symbol is used to signify the four directions. The Navajo tribe referred to it as 'whirling log of life' and was actually used as a symbol for good luck or friendship. Around 1938, tribes were encouraged to distance themselves from this symbol in their art.

Because the above ornament which has been a symbol of friendship among our forefathers for many centuries has been desecrated recently by another nation of peoples, Therefore it is resolved that henceforth from this date on and forever more our tribes renounce the use of the emblem commonly known today as the swastika or fylfot on our blankets, baskets, art objects, sandpaintings and clothing.

An American National Guard Troop in Arizona Once Used the Symbol

In 1923, the 45th Infantry Division was a unit of the National Guard comprised of over 5,000 men from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Since these areas are home to several Native American tribes, they used the symbol for good luck on the uniforms. You can actually see some old patches from their uniforms at a museum in Arizona.

Will Wichita Falls Ever Take These Down?

Since it's almost the 100 year anniversary of this building, it is highly unlikely. Plus the swastikas on the building are in color, which is the style of many of the Native American symbols. An all black swastika is the one that we associate with the Nazi party.