Manuel Guerra Store & Residence

Heinrich Portschller was an architect for many historical buildings in the cities of Roma, Rio Grande City, and Laredo. Source: Heinrich Portscheller [Photograph]. (n.d.). UTSA Libraries Special Collections. 

Heinrich Portscheller and building construction workers [Photograph]. (1900-1910). UTSA Libraries Special Collections.

Heinrich Portscheller

Heinrich Portscheller (1840–1915) was a German architect and builder. He moved to Mexico and later Texas between 1865 and 1866 and soon joined the Mexican Army, participating in the battle of Santa Gertrudis on June 15, 1866. Following his military service, Portscheller worked as a brick mason at Fort Ringgold and Starr County and Mier, Mexico.

In 1879, he married Leonarda Campos, and the family lived in Mier before relocating to Roma. There Portscheller established a brickyard to manufacture the unique salmon buff, sand struck, large bricks, which were presed and molded. In addition to the Manuel Guerra residence and store, Portscheller built the Pablo Ramírez house, Antonia Sáenz house and Nestor Sáenz store, and the Silverio de la Peña office and drugstore (Rio Grande City). Portscheller and his craftsmen also constructed many of the tombs and vaults in Roma's cemetery. Some of the masons who worked for Portscheller were Placido Palacios , Ensebio Cabazos, Pancho Lopez, Margarto Garza , Adolfo Hinojosa, and Ponecio Caneles.

In 1894, Portscheller and his family followed the subsequent building boom in Laredo. In Laredo, where he lived and worked until his death.

Invoice from the Schumacher Co., McAllen, Texas. Container:56, Box 9. Manuel Guerra Store, ELIBR-0056. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Special Collections and Archives, Edinburg Campus. 

Invoice from the Rath Packing Co., SA [San Antonio]. Container:56, Box 9. Manuel Guerra Store, ELIBR-0056. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Special Collections and Archives, Edinburg Campus. 

The Manuel Guerra Store

Manuel Guerra (1856–1915), was a banker, rancher, and Democratic political boss in Starr County. He married Virginia Cox (~1860–1937) of Lima, Ohio in 1876, and moved the couple moved to Roma and started a mercantile business in the late 1870s. Virginia bore many children and seven sons survived into adulthood.

As a mercantile, or general store, M. Guerra & Son would have sold all types of products and merchandise, including processed meats, produce, candy, candy, can milk, and other household necessities. Guerra purchased sold items from near and far, including companies like the Schumacher Company (TX) and Rath Packing Company (IA).

The location also served as the home of Manuel and Virginia Guerra and their family. The business was operated on the first floor, while the family resided on the second. Manuel died in 1915, and she and their sons continued to operate the store and oversee the Guerra family holdings. Virginia continued to live on the complex until her death in 1937.

Virginia Cox Guerra's obituary exalted her both her matriarchal and community leadership as a pioneer of the area, "Widespread regret was expressed throughout the county at Mrs. Guerra's passing today" (The Monitor, 25 Jan 1937).

Actor Marlon Brando standing outside a building in Roma (possibly the Manuel Guerra Store) while children look on. Source: Marlo Brando during filming of “Viva Zapata” [Photograph]. (1951). UTSA Libraries Special Collections.

Viva Zapata!

The film Viva Zapata!, starring Marlon Brando, was filmed on Roma's main plaza in 1951. It was an American Western film directed by Elia Kazan, and John Steinbeck wrote the screenplay based on the book Zapata the Unconquerable, by Edgcomb Pinchon (1941). It was fictionalized account of the life of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata.