Overview / Summary

BLAS HERRERA RANCH -  OVERVIEW & SUMMARY   

The Blas Herrera Ranch, located in southern Bexar County, Texas, represents an important survival of an early 19th century homestead complex in south Texas.  The structures comprising the compound reflect the simple character of central Texas vernacular architecture during the early 19th century and the simple Tejano structures which were common to the area.  Historic built features throughout the ranch reflect the evolution and changing uses of the land, from active ranching, to one of scaled back ranching activities, to social and community events, to the simple pasturing of horses.  At the heart of the ranch stand two jacales dating from the 1830s-1840s, the larger jacal having been one of two Herrera-Ruiz homesteads.  Other structures include two wooden buildings, a pavilion and a few additional structures related to ranching and social activities.  The jacals are indicative of the early Tejano construction techniques.

Although the Herrera land was originally a part of the 1838 Francisco Antonio Ruiz land grant of 1 league and 1 labor (equivalent to 4,605 acres), the Ranch was developed and occupied by Blas Maria Herrera, his wife, Maria Antonia Ruiz Herrera and various family members through the years.  It was subsequently deeded to Jose Maria Herrera, their youngest son.  Eventually, the property passed into the ownership of Adolph C. Herrera and Hortensia G. Herrera who had three daughters: Stella (Evie) Herrera Patton, Jo Ann Herrera Mendoza and Donna Herrera.  Upon the death of Hortensia Herrera in 2010, their daughters, Stella (Evie) Herrera Patton, Jo Ann Herrera Mendoza, and the Herrera’s  granddaughter, Denise Knight (daughter of Donna Herrera who is deceased), became the current owners. Today the property encompasses 30 acres which in 1845 was a larger tract of land comprising 800 acres, which were subsequently partitioned off over the year to Herrera descendants.  The Blas Herrera Ranch has been continuously owned by Herrera family members for over 170 years.

Listed below are a number of significant dates and events during the 20th and 21st centuries that brought attention to this historic ranch and to the importance of Blas Herrera to Texas history:

  • 1984 - Discovery of a Spanish Colonial gate (portὀn) in two leaves at the Herrera Ranch by Kay Hindes and Al McGraw. This discovery was made during the course of a CAR-UTSA field work for the proposed Applewhite Reservoir which would have been located in southern Bexar County. The gate was determined to be from one of the San Antonio Missions, possibly the Mission San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo).  After extensive study, conservation and stabilization, one leaf of the gate was placed on display at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. (See The Herrera Gate: An Architectural, Archival, and Conservation Study by V. Kay Hindes).

  • 2006 – Members of the Historic Farms and Ranches Committee of the San Antonio Conservation Society visited the Blas Herrera property in the company of Evie Patton, daughter of the property owner.  The buildings had not been in use for a number of years and were badly deteriorated.  Research and study of the property was begun in preparation for submission of a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

  • At the request of Charles Porter, History Professor at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, Fran Gale, Director of the Architectural Conservation Laboratory, School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, visited the property. She gathered daub samples from the larger jacal and undertook a study of the daub’s composition.

  • 2009 – The Board of Directors of the San Antonio Conservation Society allocated funds for the stabilization of the largest jacal.  The fireplace was rebuilt to the original dimensions using original materials still on the property, a portion of a stone wall was rebuilt, restoration was done around the windows, all wall openings were secured and vegetation was trimmed back away from the structure.  The work was undertaken and completed by Baltazar Espinosa, Stonemason Historic Restoration of San Antonio. (See Scott Huddleston’s article in the San Antonio Express News, updated August 22, 2011 –“Historic Jacales Get Needed Attention.”) http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Historic-jacales-get-needed-attention-2132904.php)

  • 2010 – The Blas Herrera Ranch, AKA Herrera Ranch, was approved by the National Park Service for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • 2011, Feb.11 – The Texas House of Representatives held a “Blas Herrera Day” at the State Capitol honoring Blas Herrera’s memory on the 175th Anniversary of his “Ride to the Alamo.”  (See Scott Huddleston’s article in the San Antonio Express News dated Feb. 22, 2011 –“Alamo scout’s ride to S.A. to get state salute.” http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Alamo-scout-s-ride-to-S-A-to-get-state-salute-1024034.php )

  • 2011 – Sue Ann Pemberton, Professor at the School of Architecture, the University of Texas at San Antonio, took graduate students to the site for an architectural study of the jacales.   A history of the property and detailed drawings were prepared for submittal to the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS).  These drawings are now on file with the Library of Congress.

           http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/q=Blas%20Herrera%20Ranch&co=hh

(Also see Scott Huddleston and Lynn Brezosky’s article: “Alamo scout’s ranch is one of 10 most endangered sites”.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Alamo-scout-s-ranch-is-oneof-10-most-endangered-1006033.php_

  • 2011 – Stella (Evie) Herrera Patton, Independent Executor of the Estate of Hortensia G. Herrera, entered into an agreement with the San Antonio Conservation Society for a Preservation and Conservation Easement on the a portion of the Herrera Ranch.  The 4 ½ acres in the easement provides a lifetime protection for the historic structures and the immediate surrounding area. 

 

Pat Ezell,

Historic Farms and Ranches Committee

San Antonio Conservation Society

September 2016

 

Overview / Summary