Alonso Building, 510-514 East Saint Charles Street, Brownsville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS TEX,31-BROWN,2-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Alonso Building is an interesting example of a brick, two-story, corner commercial structure In Brownsville. Built around it still retains its two-story gallery which creates a covered walkway along its street facades. The original owner was Manuel Alonso who sold fine food items from this location. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Dates of Erection: Although no documentation of the date of construction exists, the date and the name of the store were painted on the cornice of the building. ( Theresa Champion.) The earliest Sanborn Map showing the site of the building is and the building appears on that map. 2. Architect: Unknown. 3.

Original and subsequent owners: The Alonso Building is located on lots 1, 2, and 3 in Block 32 of the Original Townsite of Brownsville. References to the title of these lots are found in the Cameron County Clerk's office and were traced by Ms. Theresa Champion of the Brownsville Historical Association, as follows: Warranty Deed dated September 1, recorded in Supplement E, pages Manuel Alonzo (also spelled Alonso) acquired lot 1 from Charles Stillman, S. A. Belden, and Wm. G. Hale. Agreement and Contract to Convey dated September 1, recorded in Supplement E, pages The executors for the will of Charles Stillman contracted to convey lot 2 to Manuel Alonzo. This contract was released on October 11, and this release is recorded in Volume E, pages ALONSO BUILDING HABS No.

(Page 2) Warranty Deed dated October 20, recorded in Volume F, pages Manuel Alonzo acquired lot 3 from J. M. and Petra Main who had received it from Thomas Carson, agent for the Stillman interests. Beginning in various people acquired interest in the combined lots and the title is complicated because of the multiple ownership. Between and Maria G. de Barreda consolidated her interest in the property. Warranty Deed dated October 11, and recorded in Volume 734 beginning on page Maria G. de Barreda sold all of lots 1, 2, and 3 to Fausto F. Sabrino. Contract for Sale dated February 27, and recorded in Volume 886 beginning on page Fausto F. and Verna M. Sabrino contracted to sell lots 1, 2, and 3 to Jaime and Elda Martinez and Antonio Weaver.

Warranty Deed with Assumption and Vendor's Lend dated October 29, recorded in Volume beginning on page Antonio Weaver, Jaime Martinez and Elda Martinez sold lots 1, 2, and 3 to Tedd Crow, the pres- ent owner. 4. Builder, contractor, suppliers: Probably Manuel Alonso, whose grandson, Mime Trevino, stated that Alonso ordered the iron work on the second-floor balcony from New Orleans. 5. Original plan and construction of the building: The earliest plan of the site which has been found appears on the San- born Map of Brownsville. This plan shows a brick general store, which is the Alonso Building, along St. Charles Street on the northeast boundary of the property. A one-story brick building with a porch is located to the southwest of the store. This building faces East 6th Street.

Two warehouse buildings are located on the western section of the property. Two outbuildings are also shown on this map. The first is a small, square one-story brick structure, located between the store and the dwelling. This was probably the gazebo covering the cistern recalled by Theresa Champion. A second rectangular outbuilding is located in the western corner of the property. This structure is one-story with a slate or tin roof and is divided into three equal parts. It appears to be attached at. its long side to a one-and-one-half-story structure on the adjoining property. A 12-foot brick wall runs along the alley at the southwest boundary of the property. ALONSO BUILDING (HABS No. (Page 3) The Alonso Building is shown in some detail.

The northwestern 3/5 of the building has a 15* high wall along St. Charles Street (northeast wall) and a 12' wall on the northwest. It appears to be one story. Three windows are shown on the southwest wall. An 8" wall with, one opening separates this section from the rest of the store- The remaining 2/5 of the building is shown as two- story (walls 30' high). It is divided into two equal sections by an interior wall running parallel to the southeastern wall. 6. Additions and alterations: Information on additions and alter- ations was not exhaustively researched. Several oral sources have indicated that the unusual appearance of the gallery (with its first-floor supports constructed of wood, and second-floor supports and railings of cast and wrought iron) dates back to the at least.

These sources all believe that the present gallery is original to the house. Both the Sanborn Map and physical evidence indicates that a covered walkway extended the full length of the building along its northeast facade on St. Charles Street. According to Mime Treviho, grandson.of the original owner, a second-floor dining room was added in the early Evidence for this addition on the northwestern portion of the second floor can be seen on the exterior of the building. The addi- tion is not reflected in the proportions shown on the map. In the the two-story portion of the building was painted pink and the ironwork painted pale green- It had formerly been painted green with black ironwork. Around a skylight was installed in the rear of the building to accommodate the needs of an art studio.

B. Historical Events and Persons Associated with the Building: 1. Manuel Alonso, the original owner of the store, was a Spaniard. According to his grandson, Mime Treviho, Alonso came to Browns- ville in and died in Mr. A. A. Champion, a local historian who specializes in the documentary history of Browns- ville during the nineteenth century, has been unable to locate much information on Alonso. W. H. Chatfield noted that Manuel A. Alonso owned property in Brownsville assessed at in (Chatfield, p. 2. The store operated by Manuel Alonso. was known as Los Dos Caiiones (The Two Canons). The date along with canons was painted on the cornice of the building, (Theresa Champion.) After Manuel Alonso's death in the building was occupied by one of his sons. From around to J. A.

Champion (father of Theresa Champion and brother of A,. A. Champion) rented the building. Here Champion sold "fancy groceries" as had Alonso before him. ALONSO BUILDING HAES No. (Page 4) It is interesting to note that there was enough, wealth, in the Brownsville/Matamoros area to support what was essentially a very sizeable gourmet food distribution center for the fine pro- duce of the rich citrus orchards and vegetable farms of the Rio Grande Valley . 3. In the early the building held an art gallery, framing shop, and studio space* Currently it is occupied by the Modern Bride Shop., which sells wedding gowns, gifts, and other accessories. C,

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS TEX,31-BROWN,2-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Interview with Mr. A. A. Champion, 642 West Levee Street, Brownsville, Texas, on August 11, Mr. Champion's brother occupied the building from ca. to Mr. Champion fur- nished general information about the building and its occupants. Interview with Miss Theresa Champion, Brownsville, Texas, on August 9, Miss Champion's father occupied the building from ca. to Miss Champion furnished information on the building as she remembered it. She also did research on the title of the building for the Brownsville Historical Association. Interviews with Mr. Mime Trevifio, Palm Brownsville, Texas, on August 8, Mr. Trevifio is the grandson of Manuel Alonso. Mr, Trevifio provided general information about the build- ings on the site and about the family.

Brownsville Historical Society Files in the City Planning Office, Box Brownsville, Texas. 2. Secondary and published sources: _Chatfield, W. H., The Twin Cities of the Border. Originally pub- lished in Reprinted in by the Herbert Davenport Memorial Fund, the Brownsville Historical Association, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley Historical Society.. . WPA Writers Project, Texas: A Guide to the Lone Star State American Guide Series. New York: Hastings House. Prepared by: Betty Bird University of Virginia Project Historian t ALONSO BUILDING HABS No. (Page 5) PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1.

Architectural interest and merit: This is an example of a disappearing building type, housing a business on the first floor with living quarters above, that was once common to the area. 2. Condition of fabric: Fair. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Overall dimensions: The rectangular two-story portion of the building is approximately eighty-five feet by thirty feet with a one-story addition approximately seventy-five feet by thirty feet. The two-story building has a seven-bay first-floor front, and an eight-bay second-floor front. The one-story addition has a six- bay front, 2. Foundation: Brick. 3. Wall construction, finish and color: Brick, common bond, some painted, with brick cornice and brick pilasters on the ends make up the walls. Each pilaster has a brick capital.

A molded brick water table forms a pedestal. There is a brick pediment in the cen- ter of the northeast wall. The brick parapet is capped by a two- course projecting brick cap. The cornice has corbeled brickwork, with returns on the ends. 4. Structural system, framing: This consists of brick load-bearing walls and wood frame floor and ceiling construction. 5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads, etc.: There is a covered walk extend- ing around the two street facades on the first floor with a covered balcony on the second floor. The floor of the balcony is supported by eight simple wood columns, and its pent roof, with hipped ends, above the second floor, is supported by cast-iron columns.

The cast-iron columns have a solid, decorated pedestal with open grill- work above, which is set diagonally across the pedestal. There is a cast-iron decorative bracket on each side of the iron columns. A cast-iron grillwork railing extends between the columns around the second-floor balcony* The balcony floor is wood and the ceiling is exposed structure. There are two brick steps at the center door on the northeast facade, with a decorative iron railing on each side. An exterior stairway leads to the second floor on the southwest side. The open-string wood stair has a landing one-third the way up, and extends to a landing at the second floor, supported by wood columns. The simple wood handrail has turned balusters and extends to the top landing and around it. ALONSO BUILDING HABS No.

(Page 6) 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The principal entrance to the two-story building at the first floor is in the center. The wood-panel double door has molded panels on the interior and vertical wood paneling on the exterior. There is a wooden surround and wood sill. There is a two-light sash transom with ver- tical iron bars on the exterior beneath the flat brick arch. On the first floor there are four sets of double-hinged, folding-leaf doors on the northeast facade and one set on the southeast facade. On the second floor there are six sets on northeast and two sets on southeast facades.

These doors have a molded wood panel in the lower section, and a removable two-light sash in the top, with wood surrounds, wood thres- holds, and a two-light transom with vertical iron bars across the exterior. The doors on the second floor also have a screen door, and a pair of adjustable-louvre wood shutters. The doorway on the southeast facade, south corner, leads into the stairhall. This door has double-hinged, folding-leaf panels with a molded-wood lower panel and an upper panel with a round-arched top. There is a wood surround, wood sill, wood threshold, and a two-light transom with vertical iron bars. Doorways on the first-floor addition across the northeast fac- ade have double, wood-panel, doors with a three-light top panel. Some of the doors have the glass boar^ .d up.

There is a two- light glass transom, wood sill, and wood surrounds. Several doorways on the southwest have double, wood-panel doors with diagonal wood on the interior and vertical wood on the exterior. These doorways have wood surrounds and sills. Some of these doors have been closed up. There is a sliding wood freight door on the northeast, with metal track, now. closed up, and a window cut into It. b. Windows and shutters: Wooden windows on the second floor have six-over-six, and one-over-one, double-hung sashes, with wood surrounds and sills. There is a flat brick arch, and some win- dows have wood-louvre shutters. There are large fixed glass display windows with wood surrounds on the first floor of the northeast facade. 7. Roof: a.

Shape, covering: The flat roof, with slight slope, has an asphalt built-up covering. ALONSO BUILDING HABS No, (Page 7) m b. Cornice, eaves: There is a brick parapet on three sides and an open cornice on the. rear. There is a metal gutter and downspouts. There are two skylights on the one-story por- tion with gabled roof. Skylights have wire-glass panels. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: a. First floor: The first floor has an entrance on the south comer at the southeast facade that leads into the stair hall. Entrances on the northeast facade lead into the com- mercial spaces. The commercial space on the southeast and is composed of two large spaces with a large brick arched opening connecting them. At the northwest end of the space are two dressing rooms.

In the northwest wall of the dress- ing room a large opening has been blocked up. At the rear of the commercial space is a small work room and storage space. A small brick arched opening connects these two. There is a small toilet. The northwest portion of the build- ing is divided into two spaces, each of which has a centered skylight. The skylight is set on the diagonal axis and is supported on each end, in the center, by a wood column with angular braces to the edges. The walls around the opening have diagonal wood siding. m b. Second floor: The stairway leads into an apartment that is two rooms wide. On the southeast and northeast are openings to the balcony. A similar apartment is on the northwest end with entrance by an exterior stairway. 2.

Stairways: The wood stairway has two winders at the first floor, and extends in a straight-run open string to the second floor. The balustrade extends from a newel on the first floor to the second floor, curves and continues around the open wall, curv- ing again, and ending at the wall. The simple wood handrail Is supported by two turned balusters at each tread. 3. Flooring: In the first story there is wood flooring, some covered with carpet. The second story also has wood flooring, some covered with lineoleum. 4. Walls and ceiling finish: Walls on the first floor are brick and wood boards. Ceilings are exposed wood joists with a bead each side, and wood boards. There is a corbeled brick at the ceiling in each space that was formerly a fireplace.

Some rooms have beaded wood- panel ceilings. Second-floor walls are plaster, painted, and ceilings are wood boards. There is a vertical wood wainscot along the stairway and in the rooms. Ceilings are approximately twelve feet in height. ALONSO BUILDING HABS No. (Page 8) 5- Doorways and doors: Doorways are wooden and double doors on the first floor are of flush- vertical wood boards. Second-floor doors are of wood paneling. 6. Special decorative features, trim, and cabinet work: The brick arch between rooms on the first floor has a brick projection at the springing line. The large opening on the northwest wall has a wide wood trim with a deep head trim that extends beyond each jamb. 7. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating: Space heaters are used for heating. b.

Electrical: There is modern electrical lighting, and some ceiling fans. Sales room of store has chandelier of glass and wrought iron, painted a light color. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The Alonso Building sits in a residential area, its long axis facing northeast from the corner of E. Sixth and E. St. Charles streets. There is a brick wall extending around the northwest and southwest sides of the prop- erty and partly along the southeast side. A brick-paved patio extends on the southwest side of the building, with large trees # and planting. A brick wall divides the patio into two parts. To the southwest of the building, across the alley, there is a brick house facing Sixth Street. The brick walls are plastered and pain- ted pale gold.

This one-floor-and-basement residence has a flat roof and a porch around two sides. The house has been altered some- what, but is in good condition. There are wood shutters at windows. Southwest of this house there is still another small brick resi- dence. It has a wood shingle front, shed roof and porch across the front supported by three and one-half columns with a brace at each side. Prepared by: John P. White Texas Technological University Project Supervisor ALONSO BUILDING HABS No- (Page 9) PART III.

PROJECT INFORMATION At the suggestion of a national preservation consultant, Ellen Beasley, this project was undertaken by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, in cooperation with the Brownsville Historical Association and the Brownsville City Planning Depart- ment. Under the direction of John Poppeliers, Chief of HABS, the project was completed during the summer of at the Historic American Buildings Survey field office, Brownsville, Texas, by John P.

White (Associate Professor, Texas Technological University) Project Supervisor; Betty Bird (University of Vir- ginia) Project Historian; and Student Assistant Architects Scott Deneroff (University of Maryland), Susan Dornbusch (University of Virginia), Matthew Lowry (University of Pennsylvania), Eduardo Luaces (University of Florida), and Alan Willig (the City College of the City University of New York). Special assistance and support were provided to the HABS team by Mary Simmons\ Sally Fleming, Miss Theresa Champion, and Mr. Calvin Walker of the Browns- ville Historical Association; and by Mr. Mario Moreno, Mr. Richard Waldman, Graciela Salinas, and Mr. Larry Brown of the Brownsville City Planning Department.

Archival photographs of the project were made in February by Bill Engdahl, of Hedrich-Blessing, Chicago, Illinois. Editing and final preparation of the documentation was carried out in the HABS Washington office by Lucy Pope Wheeler of the HABS professional staff.