Brownsville in Cameron County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
San Román Building
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 18, 2018
1. San Román Building Marker
Erected 1850 for Don Jose San Román, native of Biscay, Spain - importer, steamboat owner, merchant, investor in city lots. He and successor, Feliciano San Román, backed the Rio Grande Railroad.
Fulgencio Lopez was last of San Romans in charge here.
Erected 1966 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 4553.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Hispanic Americans • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.
Location. 25° 54.045′ N, 97° 29.862′ W. Marker is in Brownsville, Texas, in Cameron County. Marker is on East Elizabeth Street (Business U.S. 77) south of East 12th Street, on the left when traveling south. Marker and Texas Historical Medallion are mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, at the left edge of the building, facing East Elizabeth Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1245 East Elizabeth Street, Brownsville TX 78520, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. San Roman Building (here, next to this marker); Bollack Department Store (a few steps from this marker); Federal Court Site (within shouting distance of this marker); Celaya Building
this page online
Regarding San Román Building. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (1966)
Also see . . . José San Román. José San Román, merchant, banker, and broker in the contraband cotton trade of the Civil War, son of Joaquín María de San Román, was born at Valle de Arcentales, Bilbao, Spain, in 1822. He came to America in the late 1830s and settled in New Orleans, where he was apprenticed to the English merchandise firm Thorn M. Grath Company. In 1846 San Román moved to Matamoros, Tamaulipas, and established a dry-goods firm sponsored by the company. By 1850 the business extended across the Rio Grande to the newly incorporated town of Brownsville, Texas. San Román prospered and expanded his business into commercial credit, trustee holdings, real estate, and cotton brokerage.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 18, 2018
2. San Román Building (front view from Elizabeth Street; marker visible left edge of building)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 4, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 206 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 28, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
