Marker Number: 745
Marker Text:
Legend says this house was built before 1800. In 1840s, its owner was Jose Ortiz, whose cart train freighted salt from foot of Guadalupe Mountains to Durango; knives, sarapes, clothing to Santa Fe and Llano Estacado. There he traded with Comanches and other wild Indians for dried buffalo hides and meat. He was a "comanchero, salinero, cibolero". Francisca Lujan, the widow of Epifanio Ortiz (1842? - 1932) was last of family to live here, in 1940s.
A fine example of New Spain's frontier architecture: thick adobe walls; cottonwood and willow vigas and latias with dirt roof.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1973
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