Odell-Rodríguez Store and Post Office

Jun 5

This building was constructed in 1889 to house a general merchandise store operated by business partners William Odell and Desiderio Rodriguez, who was joined by his son Gumaro after Odell's death in 1898. The eastern portion of the building served as a post office until 1913. Constructed of locally-made bricks with a caliche roof, it is an outstanding example of border vernacular architecture and contributes to the Old Hidalgo Courthouse and Buildings National Register Historic District. It is also a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.

In recent years, the building has been used for storage, and an adjacent c. 1900 house on the lot is vacant. Both buildings are showing signs of deterioration and the house has already lost its roof. Structural assessments, stabilization plans, and long-term adaptive use strategies are needed to ensure that these landmark structures will survive. Owned by the City of Hidalgo, their future depends on securing funding for this essential preservation planning and restoration work.