Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District
Also known as: Lamesa Farm Labor Supply Center
Why it's listed
Los Ybañez, southeast of Lamesa in Dawson County, Texas, began as a federally planned farm labor camp built by the Farm Security Administration in the 1940s. About 50 acres hold frame buildings arranged around an oval road: a community center, gate house, manager's house, 25 single-family farm labor houses, and 25 quadruplex shelters for migrant families. Of the original buildings, 43 survive, and 32 are counted as contributing. The camp was far better than typical migrant housing of its time, with its own water and fire protection, gas and electric service, and indoor plumbing in every shelter. Its story also covers wartime labor shortages, the bracero program, and local resistance to federal involvement in farm labor. After World War II the government turned the camp over to a local nonprofit group. Many buildings have since been altered, with enclosed porches and reconfigured windows, but the plan and character of the camp remain recognizable.
Significance in brief: The camp is tied to federal efforts to improve housing and living standards for migrant and resident agricultural workers in the region. It offered amenities such as indoor plumbing, running water, and fire protection that were rare in migrant labor housing of the period. It also reflects wartime farm labor policy, including the bracero program, and local opposition to government involvement in grower-labor relations.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 93000771, listed August 9, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of US 87 and US 180, Los Ybanez |
|---|---|
| County | Dawson County |
| Listed | August 9, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000771 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Agriculture, Hispanic, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now a private residential community; 32 of the 47 resources contribute. Many original buildings have been altered, and some are vacant and deteriorating. The former gate house serves as the Los Ybañez City Hall. |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 32.71873, -101.91806 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 93000771.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55616531
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.