Play Tour Audio

Over two centuries of Texas borderland heritage surrounds the plaza in the historic river town of Roma. Assigned National Historic Landmark status in 1993, the plaza’s surviving structures as well as surrounding buildings trace Roma’s heritage back to its Spanish Colonial roots, providing a visual reminder of the beautiful border architecture once thriving throughout the region. In particular, the designs of German architect Heinrich Portscheller who established a brickyard in Roma in the late 1800’s ( source for much of the building material he used) include the handsome Manuel Guerra residence and mercantile, a two-story structure with the original ornament wrought-iron balcony intact. The Guerra building is one of several restoration projects that have occurred in the Roma Historic District. The Old Customs House is another, a small brick structure crowning a bluff above the river where steamship trade paid their customs fees and that later served as city hall and jail. Earlier historic structures, such as the John Vale/Noah Cox House, built in 1853, feature carved sandstone details. Roma, founded in 1765, served as the westernmost port for steamers and flatboats transporting trade goods up and down the Rio Grande River. Until recently and despite its two-hundred and fifty-plus year history, Roma’s population has never expanded far above ten thousand people, helping to maintain its unique borderland charm and historic south Texas character.

Roma Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993.