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Astrodome designated as historical landmark

The Harris County Historical Commission will dedicate a new Texas State Historical Marker for the Astrodome Tuesday afternoon.

HOUSTON – The Harris County Historical Commission dedicated a new Texas State Historical Marker for the Astrodome Tuesday afternoon.

There were brief remarks from multiple speakers including Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, who has been a tireless advocate of repurposing the building, and Dene Hofheinz, daughter of Roy Hofheinz who is most associated with the creation of the Astrodome.

The research and marker application was done by Historical Commission member and Heritage Society Program Director Mike Vance and Mike Acosta, team historian for the Houston Astros. The two are longtime researchers in Houston sports history, and both have worked for years on efforts to preserve and reimagine the iconic Astrodome.

Photos: Astrodome designated as Texas Historic Landmark

The marker makes the building a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, judged by the state to be both historically and architecturally significant. This is in addition to the Astrodome’s status as a State Antiquities Landmark and the honorific title of being on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Astrodome opened in 1965 as the Harris County Domed Stadium, home of the Houston Astros, the city’s newly renamed professional baseball team.

It was quickly tagged as the Eighth Wonder of the World, indicative of its well-deserved status as an engineering marvel. It was not only the world’s first domed stadium; it was the largest dome on Earth by an exponential margin.

The Dome also sported the first luxury suites in sports and the first artificial playing surface.

In addition to baseball, it was the home of Houston Oilers and Houston Cougars football, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, famous matches in tennis and boxing, noteworthy basketball games and everything from bloodless bullfighting to stunt motorcycle jumps. In short, it placed Houston on the world stage like nothing ever before.

This Texas State Historical Marker was generously sponsored by the World Champion Houston Astros.

Photos: Fans get last look inside Astrodome at 'Domecoming'

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