Texans are at risk of losing historic places that are as important to our history and way of life as longhorn cattle and the ten-gallon hat. These are the 13 sites that Preservation Texas, Inc. has named to its first list of Texas' Most Endangered Places. The announcement was made at the Texas Capitol on February 19, Preservation Day 2004.

Gonzalez and Cyneo Houses - San Antonio, Bexar County
The Perez Street houses represent early Texas architectural forms and materials. Built in the barrio referred to as Laredito or Little Laredo, the houses are among the last of this type and period. The University Health System currently owns the houses and agreed to their restoration if allowed to demolish another nearby historic house. The properties remain in a stabilized though threatened condition. Story board

Amon and Rachel Underwood House - East Columbia, Brazoria County
The Underwood House dates to the early days of the Republic of Texas. After participating in the Runaway Scrape, Ammon Underwood located in East Columbia serving as postmaster and merchant. The two-story Greek Revival house rests on the banks of the Brazos River. A Recorded Texas Historic Landmark listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is threatened by erosion and the redirected course of the Brazos River. Story board

George Kraigher House - Brownsville, Cameron County
The George Kraigher House is the work of internationally known architect Richard J. Neutra. An Austrian-born emigrant, Neutra brought modern architectural practices to the United States before World War II. His work encompasses some of the most important examples of Modern design in the country. This is one of the few Neutra designed houses outside of California and the only single-family house he designed in Texas. It is threatened by neglect, vandalism, and water penetration. Story board

Old Dallas High School - Dallas, Dallas County
Dallas High School is the oldest and most intact high school building in Dallas. It served as a prominent point of education for hundreds of Dallas students and today boasts one of the most active alumni groups in the state. Sold to a private developer, the entire campus, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, was demolished except for this building protected by the City of Dallas historic preservation ordinance. Owner demolition remains a threat. Story board

Albert Fall Mansion - El Paso, El Paso County
The two-story Classical Revival mansion was home to Albert Bacon Fall, Secretary of the Interior under President Warren G. Harding. Fall was convicted of accepting a bribe during the Teapot Dome Scandal, and the term "fall guy"originates from his role. The house incorporated colossal white columns from Fall's boyhood home in Kentucky. Located in a City of El Paso historic district, it is threatened by neglect. Story board

Prudential Building - Houston, Harris County
This 18-story office building became the first high-rise constructed outside of downtown Houston. The work of local and prominent Modernist architect Kenneth Franzheim, it is at risk for demolition by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, owner of the property. Story board

Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral - Houston, Harris County
Constructed in 1911, the Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral first served as a parish for Irish immigrants. Architect Olle J. Lorehn of Houston designed the cruciform Gothic Revival building. Though well maintained and in use for daily masses, the Diocese has pronounced the cruciform Gothic Revival building "unsound" and has announced plans to demolish it within three years. Story board

Sabine Farms Community Center - rural Harrison County
Sabine Farms was one of 200 New Deal Resettlement Administration communities and one of only thirteen set aside for African Americans. It was the only African American Resettlement community west of the Mississippi. Around 1960 the complex began to deteriorate, and many of the buildings are now removed except for the Community Center, which is threatened by neglect.Story board

Bob's Oil Well - Matador, Motley County
As one of the state's once-flourishing roadside businesses, Bob's Oil Well is a landmark at the junction of two heavily traveled highways in West Texas. Constructed in the early 1930s by Bob Robertson, the tourist destination and service center featured an exaggerated and oversized oil derrick. Several buildings remain, including the derrick, station, and a diner constructed of stone and petrified wood. The site is threatened by neglect. Story board See below for a News Update.

Corpus Christi Memorial Coliseum - Corpus Christi, Nueces County
Designed by noted architect Richard S. Colley in 1952, the Memorial Coliseum was completed in 1954 as part of a civic center complex including the City Hall (demolished) and Exposition Hall (demolished). In 1952, the Design Award Jury of Progressive Architecture magazine noted the extraordinary pre-construction design. The coliseum is threatened by demolition by the City of Corpus Christi. Story board

UPDATE: Corpus_Christi_Memorial_Coliseum_update_March_2010.pdf
Preservation Texas' letter to the Mayor and City Council
Preservation Texas' letter to the Editor of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times

Vanishing Adobes - Presidio County
The "vanishing adobes" encompass some of the last remaining adobe buildings along the ancient Chihuahua Trail from Ciudad Chihuahua through West Texas. Early Anglo settlers constructed these buildings for settlement and trade using traditional building forms and materials. These sites include important archeological opportunities such as Alamo Ranch, one of the most complete ranching complexes in the Trans-Pecos region. The structures are threatened by neglect, erosion, and development. Story board

Historic Buildings of Rio Grande City - Rio Grande City, Starr County
Founded by Henry Clay Davis in the mid-19th century, Rio Grande City is one of the state's most architecturally significant cities along the Rio Grande River. Tourists and businesses associated with NAFTA have in recent years begun to draw attention to this once almost unknown community. Despite the growth in awareness, the city remains challenged economically and many of the historic properties are neglected and underutilized. Some of the city's most noted buildings include the Samuel Julian Stewart House (c.1850), known for its combination of Spanish and Mexican architectural influences; the LaBorde Hotel (1877), featuring a combination of Spanish and French influenced architectural traditions; and the Silverio de la Pena Building (1886), the work of master mason,Heinrich Portschellar. Many of these buildings are part of a historic district being proposed for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Story board

Working Class Neighborhoods of Texas - early- to mid-20th-century neighborhoods throughout Texas
In the early 20th century, hundreds of neighborhoods developed in small and large Texas communities. Many of these neighborhoods were home to the working families of local industries and reflected the means and tastes of a generation of Texans. Neighborhoods typically consisted of a many residences, corner grocery stores and businesses, churches, and schools. Today, some of these neighborhoods suffer from neglect, inappropriate alterations, abandoned buildings, and disenfranchised residents, while others have become targets for demolition and insensitive redevelopment. Despite that, working-class neighborhoods sustain many inner-city areas providing important homes to long-time residents and first homes for new immigrants. Some of these neighborhoods are listed as local historic districts and in the National Register of Historic Places. These neighborhoods are threatened by neglect, demolition, abandonment and inappropriate rehabilitation. Story board

Bob's Oil Well - Matador, Motley County

The Bob’s Oil Well protection crew hired help to finish carpentry, roof, and stuccoing and have pretty well used up the donations they received for the project. They will have the outside repaired and renovated, but the inside (and their Visitors Center) will have to wait until they get more funding. Please help them finish the project by donating to Marisue Potts, Bob’s Oil Well, PO Box 523, Matador, TX 79244.

Saturday, October 22 - A crowd of enthusiastic and in some cases teary-eyed supporters turned out today for the unveiling of the historic marker for Bob’s Oil Well. Named to Preservation Texas’ Most Endangered Places List in 2004, this 1930s tourist stop and restaurant connects the town of Matador and near communities to fond memories of good hamburgers, social gatherings, and funny stories. Located at the intersection of US 70 and Texas 70, Bob’s drew travelers from near and far to see the caged rattlesnakes and exotic animals including monkeys, lions, coyotes and a white buffalo.

Luther Bedford “Bob” Robertson, a veteran of World War I, came to Matador in the 1920s. He was a filling station attendant in 1932 when he decided to open a service station. To promote his business, he built a wooden oil derrick over the station. In 1939, he replaced the wooden derrick with one of steel that reached 84 feet in height and included lights. Robertson paid long distance truckers to place advertising signs at strategic points across the nation noting mileage to Bob’s Oil Well in Matador, and his place became well know to the motoring public. Because of his success, Robertson enlarged his operation to include a grocery, café and garage. Bob Robertson died in 1947 and within two weeks a high wind toppled the steel derrick that had been the trademark of his business. His widow restored it two years later with even larger lights, but the business did not continue and it closed in the 1950s. Today, the site serves as a reminder of a time when such bold roadside architecture was in its infancy and of a man, who through his business, widely promoted his adopted hometown.