San Augustin de Laredo Historic District was set aside in 1973, soon after plans for the extension of I-35 to a new International Bridge were released. Those plans required the acquisition and destruction of dozens of homes very close to this historic Cathedral.
The district is roughly bounded by Grant and Water Streets (along the Rio Grande), Convent and San Bernardino Avenues. It contains the one-time capitol of the Republic of the Rio Grande, stately homes, a historic church, and a picturesque plaza.
From the Texas Historical Commission Atlas: (
visit link)
"The San Agustin de Laredo Historic District is located in the central business district of the south Texas border town of Laredo. This district embraces the nucleus of the original city which was established in 1755. On the north the district is bounded by Iturbide Street, on the east by Santa Ursula, on the west by Convent and on the south by Water Street. Although none of the structures in the district can be said to date from the period of Escandon's Colonization they reflect an historical continuum of local development.
Many of the houses and structures are individually significant, but all of them lend to the distinctly Spanish/Mexican atmosphere of the district.
Some of the individually significant structures are:
Capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande (no. 1). This small stone and adobe L-shaped building faces north on San Agustin Plaza and is currently used as an historical museum. Once it was the capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande (1839-40). The Republic of the Rio Grande was an unsuccessful attempt on the part of the Rio Grande colonies to break with the government of Santa Anna, to either reinstate the 1824 constitution of Mexico or to become an independent republic. The defeat and surrender of Antonio Canales, chief of military forces for the republic, and his forces in Saltillo at the hands of the Federalists brought about the end of the Republic.
San Agustin Roman Catholic Church (established in 1778). A focal point of the district, the masonry Gothic revival structure with a five-story tower and spire dominates San Agustin Plaza, (no. 2). In addition, extant church records constitute a major historical archive for the area.
Cayetano de la Garza Residence (no. 33), the Leyendecker-Benavides Home (no. 4), and the Casa Vidaurri (no. 5) make up the west side of the San Agustin Plaza. All of these buildings reflect the Spanish colonial vernacular building style prevalent throughout the south Texas area. Even though these buildings were built after the Civil War they nonetheless retain much of the early architectural feeling of the colonial period. Casa Vidaurri was built c. 1865 by Santos Benavides, colonel in the Confederate Army. Casa Ortiz (no. 7) was built by Don Jose Reyes Ortiz, a merchant and go-between for Mexico and Texas. Part of the house dates to the original structure--1830. In 1872 the front part of the house (that which is on Zaragoza street, and the second floor were added.) Furniture purchased at that time is still in all the rooms.1 This spacious U- shaped house has a large central courtyard. Three terraces off the back of the courtyard provides space for a flower garden, vegetable garden and orchard. Ortiz, the builder of the home, was granted the land in 1826 (At that time he was a resident of the Villa de Palafox--see National Register submission for San Jose de Palafox Historic/Archeological District). This is indeed an outstanding residence both architecturally and historically and a major component in the district's history.
The Edgardo Gonzales Residence (no. 38) is an outstanding example of the local architectural style which because of its obvious ties to some of the Spanish and Mexican architectural heritage is labeled colonial vernacular. In plan, the original building consists of the traditional rectangular central block. Subsequent additions have been made on the north end and the house is sited almost flush with the street. The resultant L-shaped building is in a residence which opens out onto a courtyard. In the case of this particular house, the body of the house is constructed of hewn sandstone blocks which have been plastered. Later, probably when the brick addition was placed on the north end, a brick cornice was added. The cornice is made up of moulded brick. The structure is a particularly fine example of a very common building type to be found here. In addition to the above described buildings, the historic district includes many residences and commercial structures which are typical of the area. They demonstrate stylistic changes through time and constantly reflect the continued preservation of the earlier styles. It is important to recognize and preserve examples of the typical before they become unique. Many of the examples in the San Agustin de Laredo Historic District are outstanding in themselves, but coupled with the typical structures and left in that context each contributes to the visual history so obvious when you ride through the area.
As each building in the area contributes to this district entity, they reflect the developmental continuum. As you move out of the district the fact that the city did radiate from this nucleus becomes even more evident. The San Agustin Historic District is the last example of an extant settlement founded during the Escandon colonization of the lower Rio Grande and does indeed reflect this heritage in its architecture and history.
Laredo, a south Texas border town, is one of the oldest independent cities in Texas. When Don Tomas Sanchez de la Barrera y Gallardo founded the city in May, 1755, this added another settlement to the growing number of Spanish towns along the banks of the Rio Grande. This colonization, accomplished between the years 1728 and 1755, was done under the guidance of Jose de Escandon who had been commissioned by the viceroy of Mexico to pacify and settle the gulf coast in 1746 (Bolton, 1962). This active colonization finally resulted in 23 settlements.
Twelve years after its founding (1767) the land was apportioned and the village of San Agustin de Laredo formally surveyed and laid out. The nucleus of the city as described in the Acta de la General Visita del Pueblo de San Agustin Laredo (Translation on file, General Land Office, Austin) is the same as today's San Agustin Plaza area. The town, as it developed, radiated from this main square. From this point on, Laredo figured in the unique and colorful history of the state.
Locally unique is the fact that Laredo was the short lived capital of the abortive Republic of the Rio Grande (Webb, 1952). This downtown area which comprises the district has figured in the entire span of economic, political and domestic development in the city.
Laredo is the last remaining settlement on the north bank of the Rio Grande which is directly part of the colonization of the area; furthermore, the district reflects the broad spectrum of the local history."