Roma Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Roma Historic District in Roma, Texas
preserves an intact example of a border town in the lower Rio Grande
valley. The town was an important port and transshipment point on the Rio Grande
from 1829 to the 1880s.
The architecture of Roma mirrors its sister city of Ciudad Mier
on the Mexican
side of the river, as well as Guerrero Viejo upriver. Roma is notable for its buildings of river sandstone, caliche
limestone and molded brick, using rejoneado (patterned large and small stones) and sillar (stone laid in an ashlar
pattern) masonry techniques. Both methods employ an outer finish of rough lime plaster
detailed with bands of smooth colored plaster, characteristic of northern Mexico.
Roma also features innovative use of molded brick, brought to Roma by German immigrant Enrique (Heinrich) Portscheller, who used techniques of flat brick roofing from Monterrey
to Mier, then developed a decorative brick used in Roma, Mier, Rio Grande City and Laredo
. Portscheller designed buildings with his products and used wrought iron balconies in a manner reminiscent of both New Orleans and Monterrey. Roma preserves the bulk of his extant work.
The historic district includes the 1928 Roma-Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge
, as well as the river wharfs and custom house.
. The site offered a convenient crossing on the Rio Grande, which became known as El Paso de la Mula (Pass of the Mules). The area was notable for a salt trade from the Roma area to Monterrey. The Roma area became the Mexican province of Tamaulipas
with Mexican independence, but then became part of Texas
with the establishment of the Republic of Texas
in 1835. Although there was a battle at Mier during the Mexican-American War in 1848, the region remained part of Texas. During the American Civil War
the region became wealthy on the cotton trade, which was transshipped via Mexico to Europe. While steamboats were able to access Roma through the mid-nineteenth century, lowering water levels as a result of development upstream ended river shipment by the 1880s. Bypassed by railroads, Roma stagnated and inadvertently preserved itself from development.
The Roma Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 1993.
Roma, Texas
Roma is a city in Starr County, Texas, United States. The population was 9,765 at the 2010 census. The city is located along the Rio Grande, across from Ciudad Miguel Alemán in Tamaulipas, Mexico....
preserves an intact example of a border town in the lower Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
valley. The town was an important port and transshipment point on the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
from 1829 to the 1880s.
The architecture of Roma mirrors its sister city of Ciudad Mier
Ciudad Mier
Mier , also known as El Paso del Cántaro, is a city in Mier Municipality in Tamaulipas, located in northern Mexico near the Rio Grande, just south of Falcon Dam. It is north east of Monterrey on Mexico Highway 2. In 1990 the population was recorded at 6,190. By the 2010 census, it had dropped...
on the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
side of the river, as well as Guerrero Viejo upriver. Roma is notable for its buildings of river sandstone, caliche
Caliche
Caliche may refer to:*Caliche, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate.*Caliche slang, a collection of slang words unique to Salvadoran Spanish....
limestone and molded brick, using rejoneado (patterned large and small stones) and sillar (stone laid in an ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
pattern) masonry techniques. Both methods employ an outer finish of rough lime plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
detailed with bands of smooth colored plaster, characteristic of northern Mexico.
Roma also features innovative use of molded brick, brought to Roma by German immigrant Enrique (Heinrich) Portscheller, who used techniques of flat brick roofing from Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
to Mier, then developed a decorative brick used in Roma, Mier, Rio Grande City and Laredo
Laredo
- Cities :*Laredo, Texas, United States*Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico - Towns :*Laredo, Cantabria, the original Spanish town with this name.*Laredo, La Libertad, Peru*Laredo, Missouri, United States...
. Portscheller designed buildings with his products and used wrought iron balconies in a manner reminiscent of both New Orleans and Monterrey. Roma preserves the bulk of his extant work.
The historic district includes the 1928 Roma-Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge
Roma-Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge
The Roma-Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge ordinarily serves a port of entry between Mexico and the United States. It is open 24 hours a day, all year long....
, as well as the river wharfs and custom house.
History
Roma was established in 1821 in what had been the Spanish province of Nuevo SantanderNuevo Santander
Nuevo Santander was a region of the Virreinato de Nueva España, corresponding generally to the modern Mexican state of Tamaulipas and southern Texas. Nuevo Santander was named after Santander, Spain, and settled by Spanish American colonists in a concerted settlement campaign peaking in 1748-1750...
. The site offered a convenient crossing on the Rio Grande, which became known as El Paso de la Mula (Pass of the Mules). The area was notable for a salt trade from the Roma area to Monterrey. The Roma area became the Mexican province of Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
with Mexican independence, but then became part of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
with the establishment of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
in 1835. Although there was a battle at Mier during the Mexican-American War in 1848, the region remained part of Texas. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
the region became wealthy on the cotton trade, which was transshipped via Mexico to Europe. While steamboats were able to access Roma through the mid-nineteenth century, lowering water levels as a result of development upstream ended river shipment by the 1880s. Bypassed by railroads, Roma stagnated and inadvertently preserved itself from development.
Description
The Roma Historic District comprises 38 contributing buildings, of which 16 are stone buildings from the 1829-1870s period and 19 are brick buildings from the 1880s-1900 period. The district may be divided into the following areas:- Plaza Area The plaza area features an open-ended plaza that faces the Rio Grande and Mexico on the far bank. It the northern end is the tower of the Catholic Church, on axis with the plaza. The lower plaza is defined by walled compounds built for the Vale-Garcia, Cox, Guerra, Saenz and Ramirez families. These compounds included commercial uses, particularly the Guerra store that dominated the town's commerce.
- Wharf Area The wharf area along Hidalgo Street and upwards to Juarez and Estrella Streets dealt with river commerce and consist of warehouses and stores, as well as the Roma-Cuidad Miguel Aleman Bridge. It is associated with the Arroyo de San Pedro.
- Customs House Area The custons house area includes Lincoln and Water Streets, comprising a mixture of commercial and residential structures, chiefly of stone construction and dominated by a brick family compound at Zaragoza and Estrella. The customs house was placed onn the higheest point on the bluff.
- Northwestern Zone The northwestern zone is associated with the Arroyo de los Negros, the location of a secondary ferry crossing on the Rio Grande.
The Roma Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972 and was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1993.
External links
- Roma-Los Saenz, Texas Handbook of Texas OnlineHandbook of TexasThe Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
- Photographs of Roma at the National Park Service's NRHP database