Aerial photograph of the Petroleum Building (center) and the Western Life Building (left) as viewed from the southwest. The Petroleum Building has Gothic-styled spires along the front edges of the building, textured relief features between windows, and a large "SHELL" sign on the roof. The Western Life Building is made of smooth concrete, with a large sign reading "PETROLEUM LIFE" along the southeast corner of the building. Cars are parked along Texas Avenue, adjacent to the buildings.

Photograph of the cornerstone ceremony for the Midland City Hall, arraigned by the Masonic Lodge. The cornerstone is held by chains above the base of the City Hall's wall, nine courses of bricks partially built with a Mason holding a trowel above one of the corners of the wall. A band with sheet music stands is behind the wall, seated and watching the lowering of the corner stone, while the Texan flag is visible at left.

Photograph of the Midland-Odessa Symphony "Debs", a group of women in light-colored dresses with pearl necklaces and matching hairdos. Four rows of four women stand on a staircase as the rest of the group fans out in front of them, each facing forward and smiling. A note at the top of the picture identifies Beverly Baker Thompson, fourth from left and indicated with a dot drawn above her head.

Photograph of a local Rotary meeting in Midland, held in a dining room with multiple dinner tables. At center, Dr. Kurt Lekisch stands with a microphone in front of him; to his left stands Jack Washburn, and to the right is Fred Kester. Washburn and Kester wear identical pins on their chest.

Fisheye photograph of the opening of a state women's bowling tournament in Midland Lanes, viewed from between two bowling lanes. Across the aisles, bowlers release their bowling balls in front of a busy crowd standing behind the ball dispensers.

Photograph of John Valentine Pliska's blacksmith shop, a large wooden frame building along the southwest corner of Texas Avenue and Baird Street. Metal equipment, junk, and scrap pieces are haphazardly placed in a fenced-in lot adjacent to the blacksmith shop (left). Office buildings in the Midland skyline are visible behind the shop. This building was torn down in 1962.

Photograph of the Scharbauer Hotel in Midland, a large six-story building on the corner of Loraine and Main Street in downtown Midland with shops along the ground floor such as a coffee shop, a drug store, and a barber shop.

Photograph of the Wilco Building in Midland, its office lights illuminated in the shape of a double cross for Christmas, 1964. The tower's radio mast glows brightly above, as does the streetlamps and lights along the buildings below.