Flores Rancho

Flores Rancho emerged out of lands assigned to Mission Espada and Rancho de las Cabras in the early 1700s. Prior to its current name, the land owned by the mission was called Chayopines, named for the Native Americans who once occupied the area. Being prime ranching land to raise cattle, goats and other livestock to support the mission, the early Chayopines Rancho encompassed 13,284 acres of land granted by the King of Spain.

In the mid-eighteenth century, a focus on Spanish civilian settlement became prevalent in areas near San Antonio, La Bahia and east Texas. Sites called Parajes were often positioned at river crossings where travelers could camp overnight. As a result, Juan Jose Flores occupied an adobe house here by 1756 at the river crossing known as “El Paraje Nombrado Chayopines.

” This adobe hacienda is believed to date from Flores’ time and is considered the oldest home in Wilson county. In 1844, a brick house was constructed around the original adobe structure. Several yards to the north of the hacienda are the ruins of a chapel built in the early 1800s, of which only the stone foundation remains.

The ruins of an associated burial ground, or Campo Santo, are situated within the chapel remains. After Juan Jose Flores’ death, the rancho passed to his son, Pedro, and then his son, Francisco. Although portions of the Flores Rancho have been sold several times over the past two centuries, the adobe hacienda and chapel site remain as reminders of centuries of Hispanic heritage in this area.

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2018