Heritage Register

HERITAGE REGISTER A Publication of the Webb County Heritage Foundation

2015

YEAR IN REVIEW

WINTER 2015

Dear Friend of Preservation, Our border preservation community went through a roller coaster of emotions this year. We were delighted to witness new public, administrative, and political attention being given to the long-standing issues of downtown – decrepit infrastructure, inefficient traffic flow, insufficient funding allocation, and deferred maintenance.

And we were devastated to witness the demolition of the 99 year-old historic Webb County Courthouse Annex after a public struggle that reached as far as National Public Radio media outlets in Austin. Once again, we were forced to witness the erasure of a community landmark - a stately example of our ancestors’ commitment to building architecture of significance for succeeding generations. That beautiful link to our past has been broken. And what takes its place can never live up to that stature. Note: In the midst of the public campaign to save the Courthouse Annex, we were repeatedly told that the structure was a threat to public safety, in danger of imminent collapse and thus, its demolition was fast-tracked as an emergency. And yet, it took three front-end loaders multiple assaults to bring the parapet walls – its weakest elements - down.

In recent years, while other cities have recognized the importance of protecting their historic neighborhoods and architecture, our community, in many ways, continues to discount our greatest cultural attraction – our history. The sheer number and concentration of historic buildings in downtown Laredo form a cohesive area rich in prospects for creating a genuine, historic experience that most cities would envy.

Instead of looking at our downtown architecture as something disposable to be replaced by cheap, box construction that looks homogenous and commonplace, we need to take coordinated and significant steps to protect, restore, and re-use our legacy buildings – especially because they are unique, well-constructed, and irreplaceable.

Not many communities in the U.S. can boast the age of Laredo. Our downtown neighborhood was here when the 13 colonies were but a dream in the minds of struggling New Englanders.

This is our wish for the coming year: that Laredoans of all walks of life realize the value and hidden beauty of the historical legacy in our midst. And we ask that you join us in realizing this effort by renewing or initiating your membership in the Webb County Heritage Foundation now. We can’t do it without you.

Season’s Greetings from the WCHF Board of Directors and Staff

500 Flores Ave. Laredo, Texas Hours of Operation Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm Tel. 956-727-0977 Fax 956-727-0577 heritage@webbheritage.org www.webbheritage.org

1005 Zaragoza St. Laredo, Texas Hours of Operation Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 4pm Tel. 956-727-3480

810 Zaragoza St. Laredo, Texas Hours of Operation Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 4pm Tel. 956-718-2727

STAFF Margarita Araiza EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Christina Davila-Saucedo ARCHIVES MANAGER Edwardo Garcia

SPECIAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

Andrea Ordoñez MUSEUM ASSISTANT Webb County Court House Annex, Laredo, Texas

© WCHF 2015 All Rights Reserved

MEMBERSHIP PARTY The Board of Directors of the Webb County Heritage Foundation hosted a Valentines’

Membership Cocktail Party on February 12 at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum. The public was invited to renew or initiate memberships at that time. The Membership Party was part of a year-long celebration honoring the 35th anniversary of the Webb County Heritage Foundation. Thank you to all who make our work possible through your personal commitment of support!

WEBB COUNTY HERITAGE FOUNDATION LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE member, Edwardo Garcia, who has developed a dynamic electronic resource for anyone wishing to investigate the history of our region, find out about the Foundation’s past and upcoming events, and learn about the WCHF programs and services being offered to visitors, students, and the general public.”

The Webb County Heritage Foundation was

proud to announce the launch of a newly redesigned website this year.

“The new website is beautiful,” said Margarita Araiza, WCHF Executive Director, “and we’re so proud that it was designed in-house by our own talented staff

In addition to a brief history of Laredo and Webb County provided in English and Spanish, the website offers information on Walking Tour schedules, descriptions and hours of operation for the Republic of the Rio Grande® Museum and the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum, the background of the Webb County Heritage Foundation, the Laredo History school curriculum, upcoming events sponsored by the Foundation such as the Founders’ Day Celebration, and an index of the Foundation’s historical archives research collections.

PUBLIC PRESENTATION AND BOOK-SIGNING ON BORDER CONTRABAND: A HISTORY OF SMUGGLING ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE The Webb County Heritage Foundation

hosted a public presentation and book-signing on Border Contraband: A History of Smuggling Across the Rio Grande by George T. Diaz on August 12 at the Villa Antigua© Border Heritage Museum. Books were available for purchase at the event.

In an ongoing partnership with the Laredo Independent School District, the Diocese of Laredo School District, LCC, and TAMIU, the

Laredo history. The WCHF’s Laredo History curriculum was developed through the commitment of a multi-year grant from the D.D. Hachar

LAREDO HISTORY CURRICULUM STUDENTS ENJOY TOURING HISTORIC SITES

its significant events, characters, and struggles through a comprehensive program that includes

Webb County Heritage Foundation continued to provide tours of the San Agustín Plaza area for hundreds of students learning about

Charitable Trust. Students from LISD, United Day School, San Agustín School, and others are now learning the history of our own community,

multi-media learning resources and on-site visits.

HERITAGE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR ADDRESSES STATE HISTORY CONFERENCE

Margarita Araiza, Executive Director of the Webb County Heritage Foundation, was invited

to address a session of the Texas State Historical Association at its Annual Meeting held in March in Corpus Christi. Araiza participated in a session entitled “Grassroots Tejano History: Austin, San Antonio, Laredo, and the State of Texas” along with fellow panel members Gloria Espitia of the Austin History Center and Graciela Sanchez of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio. Araiza’s presentation centered on the Webb County Heritage Foundation’s programs promoting Hispanic heritage, especially featuring the Foundation’s development of a school curriculum on Laredo History.

“It was a great honor to be invited to make this presentation,” said Araiza. “The Texas State Historical Association conference is the most exciting forum for exchange of scholarly research and latest developments in all professional fields related to Texas

Left to right: Margarita Araiza, Gloria Espitia, and Graciela Sanchez – speakers at the Texas State Historical Association Annual Meeting.

history. I was especially gratified to meet up with many colleagues from Laredo and South Texas at this wonderful event.”

This year, the Webb County Heritage Foundation celebrated its 35th anniversary of dedication to historic preservation, heritage education and heritage tourism in Laredo, Texas.

WEBB COUNTY HERITAGE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AN UNPRECEDENTED EXHIBITION: “AMERICA’S FOUR REPUBLICS: THE MORE OR LESS UNITED STATES ©”.

Stanley Klos, Curator

The Webb County Heritage Foundation and Ms. Toni L. Ruiz presented a month-long

exhibit of rare historic documents at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum. “America’s

Four Republics: The More or Less United States” depicted America’s political evolution from 1774 to 1791 which reveals four distinctly different United American Republics. To commemorate the exhibit opening, the public was invited to a Gallery Talk and Reception at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum on January 21st followed by a book signing. The key storytellers of the exhibit were more than one hundred rare and original 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century documents, manuscripts, and letters from the United Colonies of

America (1774-1776), the Thirteen Independent States United in Congress (1776-1781), the United States of America under the Articles of Confederation (1781 -1787), and We the People of the United States (1789-Present) under the 1787 U.S. Constitution and its 1789 Bill of Rights. The priceless documents were on loan to the museum from the collection of nationally renowned author and historian, Stanley Klos who, along with Dr. Naomi Yavneh Klos of Loyola University New Orleans, led the team that assembled the exhibit.

2015 FOUNDERS’ DAY FEATURES CELEBRATION OF RANCHING HERITAGE Celebrating the 260th anniversary of Laredo’s founding, the

Webb County Heritage Foundation hosted a Founders’ Day luncheon honoring the descendants of founder, Don Tomás Sánchez and all the founding families of this historic community on May 23 at the Laredo Center for the Arts in Laredo. The event was open to the public and all descendants of founding families as well as all friends of preservation were cordially invited to attend.

with a delicious chuckwagon banquet by Chef Pete Mims.

The Foundation also honored this year’s Co-Presidents of the Republic of the Rio Grande, Betty and Oscar Moreno, for their personal commitment to ranching heritage. They were inaugurated at the Founders’ Day luncheon and presented their cabinet that day.

Co-Presidents Betty and Oscar Moreno

In addition, the annual presentation of Heritage Awards honored those individuals and organizations that have

Lugo Family

RRG Cabinet Members

This year, the Foundation paid special tribute to the early ranching families of the region. In keeping with this theme, the luncheon featured a “cowboy casual” atmosphere, complete

shown outstanding commitment to preserving our community’s history and heritage. The program also included the annual membership meeting of the WCHF.

FOUNDATION NAMES HERITAGE AWARDS RECIPIENTS

The Webb County Heritage Foundation selected seven

honorees to receive the prestigious Heritage Award which were presented at the Founders’ Day Luncheon on May 23. Each year, the Webb County Heritage Foundation recognizes individuals, businesses, organizations, and families that have contributed to the unique architectural and cultural heritage of Webb County.

This year’s award winners were as follows: Ms. Toni Ruiz received the

Good Neighbor Award for its ten years of promoting the beauty and significance of our region’s cultural

THANK YOU! Preservation Partner

Ms. Tracy DiLeo Good Fellow

Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Guerra Minimall of Laredo Mrs. Olga H. LaVaude heritage tourism sites. Dr. George T. Díaz received the Jim Parish Award for publication of his latest book, Border Contraband, A History of Smuggling Across the Rio Grande.

Likewise, Dr. Alicia M. Dewey

Corporate

Mr. & Mrs. Randolph Slaughter, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Ernest M. Bruni, Jr. Marissa R. Gonzalez, M.D. Patron

Luciano Guajardo Award for her personal generosity in providing and sponsoring historical exhibits for our community’s public enjoyment. Ms. María Eugenia Guerra received the Meritorious

Service Award for her journalistic commitment to promoting the history and cultural heritage of our community through the publication of LareDOS newspaper. Ms. Janet Eager Krueger received the Good

Neighbor Award for her body of artwork reflecting the beauty and power of our region’s cultural and natural habitat. The Texas Tropical Trail Region also received the

received the Jim Parish Award for her publication of Pesos and Dollars, Entrepreneurs in the Texas-Mexico Borderlands 1880-1940. And finally, the late Ms. Martha F. Fenstermaker, long-time board member of the Webb County Heritage

Foundation, was posthumously presented with the Special Lifetime Achievement Award for her exemplary commitment to the arts, environmental issues, historic preservation, and downtown revitalization.

The Webb County Heritage Foundation was proud to present these worthy recipients with a Heritage Award in recognition of their services in preserving this region’s history and cultural heritage.

Mr. & Mrs. James E. Moore Mrs. Ana Flores Ms. Rosanne Palacios Mr. & Mrs. Roberto Sepulveda Dr. & Mrs. Hector Farias, Jr. Ms. Judith Gutierrez Dr. & Mrs. David Garza Ms. Emily Puig Kenna Ms. Estella Quintanilla Mr. & Mrs. William Walsh Mr. John A. Adams, Jr. Ms. Marina L. Cantu Ramirez Mr. & Mrs. William R. Carr Mr. Gabriel Castillo Ms. Amparo Gonzalez Compton Dr. & Mrs. Stanley Green Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Kriewald Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Mann San Juanita Martinez-Hunter, Ph.D. Dr. & Mrs. Fred Potts Mr. & Mrs. B.A. Puig, III Mrs. Minerva C. Saenz Dr. & Mrs. Jerry Thompson Ms. Leticia Uribe Martinez Mr. & Mrs. Dale Zuck Ms. Viola C. Godines

The Webb County Heritage Foundation hosted an opening reception for “New Spain: The Frontiers of Faith,” an exhibition developed in collaboration with the Gilcrease Museum of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Humanities Texas, on August 27 at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum.

NEW SPAIN: THE FRONTIERS OF FAITH

“New Spain” documents Columbus’ voyage west to the Indies, which brought together new peoples, customs and places. The expedition transformed traditions, created a new range of human expectations and profoundly altered accepted worldviews in both Europe and America.

The traveling exhibition featured photographic reproductions of rare documents, engravings, paintings and artifacts concerning the conquest and

colonization of Mexico and its northern territories.

Humanities Texas, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, develops and supports diverse programs across the state, including lectures, oral history projects, teacher institutes, traveling exhibitions and documentary films.

COMMUNITY ARCHIVISTS PROGRAM FLOURISHES

inventorying items from these historical collections.

James Garza, graduate student at the University of Nebraska, and Marissa Iglesias were two of the Community Archivists who participated in this program in 2015.

Through the generosity of a multi-year grant from the Guadalupe & Lilia Martinez Foundation, the Webb County Heritage Foundation

continued developing its new “Community Archivists” program to make our Archives of Historical Collections more available to the public. This year, special focus was placed on digitization of research files used primarily by professional writers, historians, academics, and students. Under direction of WCHF Archives Manager Christina Saucedo, Community Archivists assisted with digitizing, cataloging and

Two staff members of the Webb County Heritage Foundation travelled to Washington,

D.C. in November to attend the annual conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The NTHP is the national voice for historic preservation. WCHF Executive Director Margarita Araiza serves as an Advisor to the NTHP. This year, she was also asked to serve as a host at the Diversity Summit’s World Café - a new part of the conference.

HERITAGE FOUNDATION STAFF MEMBERS TO ATTEND NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE

The National Trust for Historic Preservation invited leaders of top national organizations representing diverse constituencies for the 2015 PastForward Diversity Summit, “Telling America’s Full History: A Conversation on Diversity in Preservation.”

According to the NTHP: “For decades, many voices have not been represented within traditional boundaries of historic preservation, and important stories from our past have been overlooked. To ensure we capture the full American experience, the National Trust and key influencers discuss ways to engage more diverse communities to protect historic places that tell the lesser known stories of our past.”

In addition to Araiza, the Heritage Foundation’s Archives Manager Christina Saucedo was awarded a full scholarship, for the second year in a row, by the NTHP to attend the conference as a Diversity Scholar.

“We are very proud that Christy’s work and experience is being recognized by a national organization,” said Araiza. “Out of 98 applicants for this scholarship, only 26 were selected.”

The Diversity Scholarship Program (DSP) supports attendance of community leaders new to preservation and emerging preservation professionals to the annual National Preservation Conference. DSP participants receive financial assistance in the form of complimentary registration and lodging to attend.

To date, over 2,100 individuals from diverse socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds

Saucedo and Araiza at the National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.

have participated in the program and have helped enrich the overall preservation movement by contributing a wide range of perspectives at the conference and in the field.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! D.D. HACHAR CHARITABLE TRUST ANONYMOUS ANGEL TRUST

“MOVIES ON THE PATIO” FEATURES SERIES OF CLASSIC HORROR MOVIES

The Webb County Heritage Foundation

hosted three evenings of “Movies on the Patio” on consecutive Fridays in October at the Villa Antigua®

Border Heritage Museum. All three films were classic horror movies from the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘60s.

The first presentation was “The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935). The following Fridays featured “The Wolfman”(1941) and “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die”(1962). The films were presented to enthusiastic crowds outdoors on the patio of the Border Heritage Museum. As every year, admission was free and open to the public.

October means

Haunted Heritage

on Exhibit

In October, the Webb County Heritage Foundation invited the public to visit “Haunted Heritage – Myths and

Legends of Laredo” on exhibit in spooky, downtown Laredo. The experience featured a spine-tingling photo exhibit , most of Laredo’s infamous haunted sites and explained some of the stories and legends of , Laredo’’s mysterious past such as our most notorious spooky characters: “La Llorona”, the chupacabra, and the spirits that visit many local schools.

The exhibit takes place annually throughout the month of October at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum.

2015 HISTORIC LAREDO PHOTO COMPETITION EXHIBIT

Arturo Dominguez, First Place Winner

The Webb County Heritage Foundation

hosted an opening reception for the exhibit of entries in the “Historic Laredo” Photo Competition on December 3 at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum. The public was invited to view all the competition entries which are on exhibit until mid-January. The 2016 Historic Laredo calendar was unveiled that evening and is available for sale at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum, at

the Republic of the Rio Grande® Museum, and at the WCHF office at 500 Flores Ave. The Webb County Heritage Foundation wishes to acknowledge the work of all the talented photographers who participated in this competition. Mr. Arturo Dominguez’ photo of the “Locomotive Roundhouse – Texas Mexican Railway – Laredo, Texas (demolished)” was selected as the First Place winner. Mr. Jeffrey A. Ramos’ photograph of

the historic Hamilton Hotel won Second Place.

“Again this year, we were amazed with the wealth of talent and subject matter that contributed to this competition,” said Margarita Araiza, Executive Director. “These photographers, and this calendar have created another brilliant chronicle of Laredo in the 21st century. What a great way to mark the holidays with this gift of local history.”

Photos selected for the calendar were chosen among entries submitted

to the Foundation’s Historic Laredo Photo Competition conducted last summer. The Photo Competition was designed to foster a greater appreciation of the region’s historic architecture, significant landmarks, and other notable historical features. In addition, the calendar features some of the important dates in Laredo’s history which serve as a convenient educational tool.

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID LAREDO, TEXAS PERMIT NO. 287

P.O. BOX 446 LAREDO, TEXAS 78042 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

BRUNI HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WINS PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE RIO GRANDE SCHOLARSHIP

Every year, the Webb County Heritage Foundation conducts a county-wide essay competition among graduating high school seniors, selecting a winner to receive the President of the Republic of the Río Grande® Scholarship. The only criterion used for the winner is that she or he write an essay on some aspect of family history, traditions, or culture.

The scholarship was presented as part of the Founders’ Day Celebration on May 23.

This year’s winner was Mr. Andrew George Rodriguez from Bruni High School.

Mr. Rodriguez’ essay entitled

“A Family’s Culinary Legacy,” recounted the history of Lala’s Café in Mirando City. Mr. Rodriguez’ writing describes his great grandmother, Lala Banda Rodriguez’ hard work and delicious recipes which brought her restaurant to the attention of loyal clientele from all over Texas and Mexico. The restaurant was even the place where his parents, both employees during high school, first met and fell in love. The essay is a wonderful combination of endearing family history and descriptive writing.

Mr. Rodriguez is the son of Jorge and Maribel Hill Rodriguez.

Mr. Andrew George Rodriguez