Mission Citrus Growers Union Packing Shed
Also known as: Edinburg Citrus Association; Growers Select Produce packing Shed
Why it's listed
This fruit packing plant on West Business Highway 83 in Mission, Texas, was built in 1944 for the Mission Citrus Growers Union, a cooperative of local citrus growers. The main building measures 200 by 180 feet and has yellow structural clay tile walls, concrete loading platforms and a double-arched Lamella roof made of short wooden boards bolted into interlocking diamonds. Nossier Lumber Company built it, and H. B. Swedlund served as contractor. Construction was allowed during wartime rationing because food production was considered essential. The cooperative closed in 1962 after freezes, merged with the Edinburg Citrus Association in 1966, and the shed was closed after the 1983 freeze. It was rehabilitated in 1995 for packing produce. It was listed for its link to Mission's citrus economy and cooperatives and for its engineering. It is described as the only known double-Lamella packing shed in the Lower Rio Grande Valley still in its original use, with two newer, noncontributing buildings attached.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare, highly intact example of a double Lamella timber roof, a structural system once common for warehouses and agricultural plants in South Texas. It also reflects Mission's dependence on citrus and the growth of agricultural cooperatives in the 1930s and 1940s. It was built during World War II under a permit exempting food production from rationing, and it is the only historic packing shed in Mission still used for its original purpose.
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 02000911, listed August 30, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 824 W. Business TX 83, Mission |
|---|---|
| County | Hidalgo County |
| Listed | August 30, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000911 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1944-1952 |
| Architect / builder | Nossier, Edwin; Nossier Lumber Company; Swedlund, H. B. Jr., Contractor |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Commerce, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used for agricultural processing (fruit and vegetable packing); rehabilitated in 1995 after sitting vacant from the 1983 closure until 1991. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 26.21569, -98.33231 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 02000911.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6878553
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.