Old Hess Building was built in 1898 by Crummel Oric Hess (1853-1945) of native sandstone. It housed the Hess furniture and undertaking business for 43 years. Hess came to Jacksboro in 1882 and married Miss Lizzie Longmire in 1885. He was one of the first licensed embalmers in the state, a prominent civic leader, served on the city commission in its early years, helped organize Jacksboro National Bank, had the first long-distance telephone in the area, and organized the first cemetery association there.