Los Ojuelos
Why it's listed
Los Ojuelos is a ranch settlement of sandstone houses and ruins on a slope above a tributary of Retamia Creek, south of Mirando City. Thirteen structures remain, built of hewn, chinked and plastered sandstone blocks. Ten are ruins, and a few retain flat roofs or hip roofs. One cottage has a roof beam dated 1879. The site was apparently settled briefly in 1810 under a Spanish grant, then resettled in 1855-1857 by the Guerra brothers, who recruited emigrants from Mexico. Population reached about 400 and the ranch grew to roughly 20,000 acres, raising cattle, horses, wool and corn. Population declined after 1910, and the school and church closed in 1942 after oil was found nearby. The district was listed for its distinctive Mexican-American vernacular architecture, which resembles Vallecillo in Nuevo Leon, and for archeological deposits that may reveal how the community lived and traded.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site is a unique collection of architecturally distinctive Mexican-American vernacular structures, similar to the mid-19th century community of Vallecillo, Nuevo Leon. It also holds archeological deposits that could yield data on the economic relations and material culture of the community, which has not been studied archeologically.
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 76002084, listed December 22, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2.5 mi. S of Mirando City on SR 649, Mirando City |
|---|---|
| County | Webb County |
| Listed | December 22, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002084 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular (Mexican-American); flat-roofed Colonial-style casas de terrado and hip-roofed two-room structures |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Of 13 structures, 10 are ruins and three are in fair to good condition; two of those are inhabited. Described as having no major intrusions. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 27.40377, -98.99530 (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 76002084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6683022
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.