Don Jose Ryes Ortiz, arriving in Laredo from Spain via Mexico, received the Casa Ortiz land grant in 1826, followed by the Joaquin Galan Grant courtesy of the King of Spain. Now landed gentry, Ortiz championed the pursuits that attended his status – ranching, business, and civic contributions. Ortiz also engaged in diplomacy, acting as mediator between the Texan and Mexican forces. He built a beautiful home, constructed between 1829 and 1830, located in the heart of Laredo. The two-story home, built in a Spanish Colonial style, features a vernacular urbanism more typical of Europe and Mexico than of the U.S. A zaguán (an enclosed driveway) connects the inside patio to the street outside and its rear façade faces the Rio Grande River, accessed by brick-terraced steps that descend to the riverbank.

As you walk down Zaragoza Street you will pass several masonry buildings. Originally homes, they are built in the Spanish courtyard style with predominantly opaque first floors pushed all the way to the sidewalk. The walled exterior provides protection and privacy for outdoor living spaces located in landscaped interior courtyards. This approach is more common in Mexico as opposed to the United States, where commercial buildings usually have glass storefronts and residential buildings are typically separated from the street by a yard.