San Francisco Ranch
Also known as: 41 Zp 76
Why it's listed
Two small sandstone houses stand near the Rio Grande, a short distance north of San Ygnacio in Zapata County, Texas. Built around 1874 as living quarters for a ranching homestead, they were originally flat-roofed casas de terrado, later fitted with hipped roofs of tin and wood shingle. The walls are locally quarried sandstone, dressed and scored for plastering, with whitewashed plaster still visible inside and out. The larger house has two rooms, a flagged porch, carved medallions and a date stone reading 1874. It also has ten troneras, or rifle loopholes, a colonial-era defensive feature closely matching those at Mission San Francisco de la Espada in San Antonio. Neither building has windows. The ranch is considered significant as a rare surviving example of late nineteenth-century Hispano-Mexican construction on the Texas side of the border, and as a Mexican-American ranch in an area dominated by Anglo-Texans. Its materials may also support archeological study of border life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the houses represent late 19th century Hispano-Mexican construction, once common on the Texas side of the border but now rare. The site is also an example of a Mexican-American ranch in an area dominated by Anglo-Texans, reflecting Hispano-Mexican contributions to the Texas cattle industry. The larger house keeps well-preserved troneras (rifle loopholes) of a colonial-era technique, and the site may offer archeological information.
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 77001484, listed March 25, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. N of San Ygnacio, San Ygnacio |
|---|---|
| County | Zapata County |
| Listed | March 25, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001484 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1874 |
| Architectural style | Mexican (Mexican colonial; Hispano-Mexican casas de terrado) |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied; the form states the buildings retain much of their original plaster and that the roofs were altered to hipped forms over original flat roofs. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 27.05822, -99.43536 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 77001484.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q109999993
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.