ISSUE NO. 4 FEATURES
QUARTER 4
2017
LOCAL HISTORY
CABOOSE
Trey provides information on our city’s oldest house.
Trey gives us some timely updates on our caboose restoration.
Ne ale Hou se: Endangered spe cie s
FULL STEA M A HEA D
BALLI’S RESTORATION RESUME CONTINUES TO GROW BY TREY MENDEZ The latest addition to Brownsville’s growing list of restorations can also be considered a rescue operation of sorts. Having sat vacant for some time, the building at 902 E. Adams had the good fortune of falling into Fernando Balli’s able hands this past summer. Coincidentally, Balli, a contractor and real estate investor, did not know the history of the structure until well after he purchased it. A plea for research assistance to Stephen Fox, the well-known architectural historian and lecturer at the Rice School of Architecture, resulted in Balli learning more than he could’ve ever expected. According to Fox, the building was built in 1893 and originally known as “El Alamo”, the Lucio Bouis and Brother Store. Other than housing a store, “El Alamo” served as a residence for Lucio Bouis-Alcala (1863–1908) and his second wife, Mary O’Brien, whom he married in 1898. Fox believes that there is a very real possibility that it was designed and built by S.W. Brooks, the architect and builder who is responsible for many of Brownsville’s other late 19th century treasures. Very few individuals possess the combination of experience and vision held by Balli, who has previously restored his 1920s-era residence on Palm Blvd., and the Tamayo Store on E. Madison St, another late 1800s border brick gem. While he works on “El Alamo,” Balli is also busy working
El Alamo Building at 902 E. Adams.
on the former Laytons Grocery Store at 540 E. Monroe, and a small 1950s bungalow on Ringgold St. Asked what convinced him to buy “El Alamo”, Balli said that he truly believed that he could save it and make it better, improving downtown in the process. As part of the restoration of the building, Balli and his skilled band of “maestros”, led by Pedro Rocha, have removed the interior partitions and additions, replaced the majority of mortar on the interior brick and have peeled back portions of the exterior stucco façade that was added onto the building, likely more than a half century ago. Fortunately, the
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BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
BALLI RESTORATION
“El Alamo” lettering revealed (above) and an interior view (left).
P R O JE C T U P K E E P
stucco was put on in a way that did not seriously affect the original border brick that lay underneath. In fact, Rocha and his crew’s careful removal of the stucco has revealed some neat surprises. The biggest surprise so far, according to Balli, has been the revelation of the “El Alamo” lettering on the Adams street side. Though the work is probably only halfway done, Balli has already begun to think about the future use of the building, which he hopes to convert into commercial office space. Thanks to the amazing work and dedication of preservation advocates such as Balli, our downtown continues to experience a rebirth, drawing more interest by the day. To keep up with the progress of the El Alamo, please visit our Facebook page, or our website, www.brownsvillepreservation.org.
This Spring we will officially kickoff Project UPKEEP, an initiative to raise funds to assist low and fixed income homeowners, whose houses were built before 1978, with minor exterior repairs, including a fresh coat of paint. And, in so doing we hope to promote community pride and combat neighborhood deterioration, as well as encourage civic engagement with Brownsville youth through hands-on home improvement projects. We are now accepting applications for Project UPKEEP. Applications are available in English and Spanish. Our goal is to assist at least five homeowners in 2018. Please contact us by email or visit our website for further details.
LOCAL HISTORY
BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
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THE NEALE HOUSE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES BY TREY MENDEZ Long considered to be Brownsville’s oldest wood frame home, the Neale house is still standing. For how long though, remains to be seen. Tucked just steps away from the border fence, the city-owned house is in danger of being forgotten. The home was built sometime around 1850 for William Neale (18071896), an Englishman who left his homeland at the tender age of fourteen, signing up as a cabin boy on an English ship bound for the Americas. As fate would have it, the ship was secretly sold to Mexico, and Neale wound up joining the Mexican Navy before settling in Brownsville. Neale established businesses in both Matamoros and Brownsville, at one time operating the Matamoros to Boca Del Rio stage line. He also served two terms as Mayor of Brownsville. The first term was from 1858 to 1859, and the second ran from 1866 to 1869. During the Civil War, Neale served as the captain for a company of men at Fort Brown and was Second Lieutenant in the Third Texas Infantry Regiment. Prior to being moved to its current location in 1950 by the Brownsville Art League, the Neale house stood proudly at the corner of 14th St. and E. Washington for nearly a century. Various historical accounts claim that Neale’s son was killed at the home during a raid by Juan Cortina in 1859. Others believe the shooting may have occurred at another home owned by Neale. What is certain is that the home retains its original characteristics and charm. In recent years, as the house has fallen into disrepair, the City of Brownsville has publicly stated that
Neale House photos courtesy of Trey Mendez.
it intends to restore and move the home to a more prominent location. William Neale died in 1896 at the age of 89. At the time of his death, he was Brownsville’s oldest resident and an expert on the town’s history, a bit of an ironic twist given his former residence’s similar senior status. If the walls of this house could talk, they would surely tell some amazing stories. Some of Neale’s ancestors, including members of the Cowen family, continue to live in Brownsville and have advocated for a restoration of the home. As the Neale house celebrates almost 170 years of life, its title of Brownsville’s oldest house is in jeopardy.
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BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
LOCAL HISTORY
P R E S E R V A T IO N M A T T E R S Preservation Matters is an initiative designed to promote the preservation of Brownsville's historic structures and encourage heritage tourism through various public awareness campaigns. A limited number of Preservation Matters yard signs are now available and a few have already been deployed around town. Please contact us if you would like to display one outside your home. Preservation Matters is made possible through the help of Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation.
Front porch of the Neale House (top) and its historic Brownsville Heritage Trail marker (bottom).
CABOOSE
BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
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FULL STEAM AHEAD CABOOSE RESTORATION BY TREY MENDEZ Brownsville is close to claiming another major attraction, as an old railroad caboose dating back to 1942 is being beautifully restored at the site of the original tracks at Linear Park.
will be finished by Spring. In the meantime, the new coat of paint has begun to attract children and families seeking to take pictures by its side. BPS would like to thank the City of Brownsville for allocating the funds to work on this project.
The project began this past summer as a collaboration between the Brownsville Preservation Society and the City of Brownsville. Thus far, the exterior of the caboose, which was decommissioned in 1961, has been sandblasted, welded and painted, and the original logo is in the process of being painted back on. Once the logo work is complete, work will begin on designing a deck around the structure so that the public may be able to more easily access it. Thereafter, the original 1929 scale house, as well as some markings left there by former railroad employees, will be rehabilitated and preserved, and the fence surrounding the caboose and scale house will be removed. The scale house sits in its original location, just a few feet from the original scale, which remains below the tracks upon which the caboose currently sits. Brownsville Preservation Society officers Shannon Pensa, Trey Mendez and Dante Pensa have been managing the logistics of the rehabilitation. The BPS has been fortunate to have Fernando San Miguel’s on-site management as well. San Miguel, who retired after more than 30 years in the railroad business, has graciously volunteered his expertise on various aspects of the project. San Miguel hopes that the caboose will serve as a tool to educate residents on the history and importance of the railroad industry in Brownsville. Weather permitting, the work
Photographs by Miguel Roberts for The Brownsville Herald, 12/25/17.
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BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
SPECIAL THANKS
SPECIAL THANKS YOUTH IN PHILANTHROPY BY TREY MENDEZ On December 5, 2017, CTE teacher Leo Rodriguez and his Veterans Memorial High School Youth in Philanthropy class awarded the Brownsville Preservation Society with its nonprofit award and a check for $2,500.00 at an event held at the TSC Arts Center. BPS Officer Dante Pensa was on hand to receive the award. BPS officers Shannon Pensa, Trey Mendez and Dante Pensa were honored to give a presentation to the Veterans Memorial High School class in November about our mission, projects and initiatives. Most important was the message that our historic structures tell the story of
Brownsville, and they must be carefully protected and preserved so that we maintain the links to our past. The officers also showed the students photos of buildings that were in danger of being lost, as well as some "before and after" photos of key rehabilitation projects. Special thanks to Dr. Diane M. Garza of the Brownsville Community Foundation for funding and organizing this initiative with the youth of BISD. We are truly humbled and excited. The funds from this very special grant will go to Project Upkeep, a program created by BPS that will assist low income homeowners with exterior repairs to their historic home.
TACOS & TEQUILA
BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
TACOS & TEQUILA BEACH BUM HOLIDAZE
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BROWNSVILLE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
M EM BERSH IP RENEW ALS Thank you for supporting Brownsville Preservation Society in 2017, and we hope you will renew for 2018! Annual BPS membership is $25 per year for individuals or $50 per year for a family of four. We also offer the following supporting memberships: CRAFTSMAN $100 TUDOR $250 VICTORIAN $500
MEMBERSHIP
We hold regular open board meetings and an annual Members’ Meeting each January. The benefits of membership include: voting privileges at our annual meeting, subscription to our quarterly newsletter, and reduced admission to our events. Membership dues are tax deductible because Brownsville Preservation Society is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. Membership dues can be paid online via PayPal or by mail with a check payable to Brownsville Preservation Society.
The Brownsville Preservation Society of Brownsville, Texas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to protecting and restoring structures within the city’s historic districts. CONTACT US MAILING ADDRESS: 647 E. St. Charles, Brownsville, TX 78520 EMAIL: brownsvillepreservationsociety@gmail.com FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITE: www.brownsvillepreservationsociety.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/brownsvillepreservationsociety INSTAGRAM: brownsvillepreservationsociety TWITTER: @PreserveBrownsv