Texas Historical Commission staff (BB), 8/24/2007, ck/dku 8/27/7, rev 9/11/7, 9/20/7, 10/2/7 27" x 42" Recorded Texas Historic Landmark marker without post, attachment to masonry Hidalgo County (Job #07HG04) Subject BC, RM (Atlas 14036) UTM: 14 576196E 2897665N Location: McAllen, 300 Main St

M. & J. NELSON BUILDING THIS NOTEWORTHY MODERNE STYLE COMMERCIAL BUILDING REMAINS A

DISTINCTIVE McALLEN ATTRACTION. MORRIS RANDALL NELSON BUILT AND

OWNED THE BUILDING, DESIGNED IN 1949 FOR THE USE OF THE J.C. PENNEY

COMPANY. NELSON, BORN IN McPHERSON, KANSAS, FOLLOWED HIS FATHER’S

PROFESSION AS A CARPENTER BEFORE BECOMING A BUILDER, PROPERTY

DEVELOPER AND ENTREPRENEUR. MORRIS MOVED TO PALACIOS, WHERE HE

MET AND MARRIED RUTH STAINBROOK; THE TWO ARRIVED IN McALLEN IN 1914,

THREE YEARS AFTER THE CITY INCORPORATED. THE COUPLE HAD TWO

CHILDREN: JACK R. AND ANOTHER SON WHO DIED IN CHILDBIRTH. M. R. NELSON

BUILT COMMERCIAL, PUBLIC AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT

McALLEN AND THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, OFTEN WORKING WITH LOCAL

ARCHITECT ZEB RIKE. THE NELSONS, ACTIVE IN FIRST UNITED METHODIST

CHURCH, WERE ALSO CIVIC LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS OF LOCAL

ORGANIZATIONS AND CHARITIES.

THE 30,000 SQUARE FOOT, THREE-STORY REINFORCED CONCRETE M. & J.

NELSON BUILDING FEATURES A STREAMLINED ART MODERNE EXTERIOR

FINISHED IN HORIZONTAL BANDS OF TWO-TONE BUFF BRICK WITH A DARKER

CAST STONE TRIM. RECESSED ENTRY DOORS AND INTERIOR STAIR RAILS ARE

ALUMINUM. THE BUILDING INCLUDES A BASEMENT, BUT PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL

FLOORS DID NOT MATERIALIZE. THE BUILDING INCLUDED THE FIRST 13-

PASSENGER ELEVATOR IN McALLEN, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE EARLIEST AIR

CONDITIONING SYSTEMS IN THE CITY. THE TOP STORY INCLUDED

PROFESSIONAL AND GOVERNMENT OFFICES, INCLUDING JACK R. NELSON

INSURANCE. THE PROGRESSIVE BUILDING WAS AN ARCHITECTURAL AND

COMMERCIAL ANCHOR IN McALLEN’S POSTWAR BUSINESS DISTRICT AND

CONTINUED TO SERVE AS A DOWNTOWN LANDMARK AS THE CITY

EXPERIENCED DYNAMIC GROWTH.

RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK – 2007

MARKER IS PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS

THC use only Job _________; NR/C+ _________; IR _________; Prev _________

RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK MARKERS: 2007 Official Texas Historical Marker

Sponsorship Application Form Valid November 15, 2006 to January 2, 2007 only

This form constitutes a public request for the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to consider approval of an Official Texas Historical Marker for the topic noted in this application. The THC will review the request and make its determination based on rules and procedures of the program. Filing of the application for sponsorship is for the purpose of providing basic information to be used in the evaluation process. The final determination of eligibility and therefore approval for a state marker will be made by the THC. This form is to be used for subject marker requests only. Please see separate forms for either Historic Texas Cemeteries or Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks. Proposed marker topic (Official title will be determined by the THC):M&J Nelson Building County: Hidalgo Town (nearest county town on state highway map): McAllen Street address of marker site or directions from town noted above: 300 S. Main Street NOTE: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark markers must be placed at the structure being marked. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark markers definition: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) markers are awarded to structures deemed worthy of preservation for their historical associations and architectural significance. RTHL is a legal designation and comes with a measure of protection; it is the highest honor the state can bestow on a historic structure, and the designation is required for this type of marker. The RTHL designation becomes effective upon approval by the THC. Official Texas Historical Markers signify the RTHL designation; designation comes only through application to and approval by the THC and must include public display of an Official Texas Historical Marker. Owners of RTHL-designated structures must give the THC 60 days written notice before any alterations are made to the exterior of the structure. RTHL status is a permanent designation and is not to be removed from the property in the event of a transfer of ownership. Only the THC can remove the designation or recall the marker. The marker must remain with the structure and may not be removed or displayed elsewhere until or unless the THC gives express approval in writing for such action. Once designated as RTHL, properties are subject to provisions of Texas Government Code, Section 442.006(f). Criteria: 1. Age: Structures eligible for the RTHL designation and marker must be at least 50 years old. 2. Historical significance: Architectural significance alone is not enough to qualify a structure for the

RTHL designation. It must have an equally significant historical association, and that association can come from an event that occurred at the site; through individuals who owned or lived on the property; or, in the case of bridges, industrial plants, schoolhouses and other non-residential properties, through documented significance to the larger community.

3. Architectural significance: Structures deemed architecturally significant are outstanding examples of architectural history, either through design, materials, structural type or construction methods. In

all cases, eligible architectural properties must display integrity, that is, the structure should be in a good state of repair, maintain its appearance from its period of significance and be considered an exemplary model of preservation. Architectural significance is often best determined by the relevance of the property to broader contexts, including geography. Any changes over the years should be compatible with original design and reflect compliance with accepted preservation practices, e.g., the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

4. Good state of repair: Structures not considered by the THC to be in a good state of repair—i.e., restored—are ineligible for RTHL designation. The THC reserves the sole right to make that determination relative to eligibility for RTHL markers.

Special considerations for RTHL marker applications: If a structure has been individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under either Criterion A or B and Criterion C (Architecture), the historical text compiled as part of the National Register nomination process may be submitted as part of the marker process, provided it includes the required reference notes and other documentation. Acceptance of the National Register information for the purposes of the marker process will be up to the sole determination of the THC. Listing in the NRHP does not guarantee approval for an RTHL marker. See the THC web site at http://www.thc.state.tx.us/markerdesigs/madnrcrit.html for National Register criteria. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS Any individual, group or CHC may apply to the THC to request an Official Texas Historical Marker for what it deems a worthy topic. Only complete marker application packets that contain all the required elements can be accepted or processed by the THC. For RTHL markers, the required elements are: sponsorship application form; narrative history; documentation; online map (see details below); site plan; floorplan; historic photograph and current photographs clearly showing each side of the structure.

• Completed application packets must be duly reviewed, verified and approved by the county historical commission in the county in which the marker will be placed.

• The sponsorship application form, narrative history and documentation must be in the form of Microsoft Word or Word-compatible documents and submitted via email attachments to the THC by no later than January 2, 2007.

• Required font style and type size are a Times variant and 12-point. • Narrative histories must be typed in a double-spaced format and include separate sections on

context, overview and significance. • The narrative history must include documentation in the form of reference notes, which can be

either footnotes or endnotes. Documentation associated with applications should be broad-based and demonstrate a survey of all available resources, both primary and secondary.

• Applications for RTHL markers must include a current city or county map through TopoZone.com that clearly denotes the proposed marker location. Instructions for using TopoZone.com are available on the THC web site.

• Immediately upon notification of the successful preliminary review of required elements by the THC, a non-refundable application fee of $100 is required. The fee shall be submitted to the THC within ten working days of application receipt notification.

APPROVAL BY COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION The duly appointed marker representative (chair or marker chair) noted below for the CHC will be the sole contact to the THC for this marker application. To ensure accuracy, consistency and efficiency, all information to and from the THC relative to the application will be via direct communication with the CHC representative. All other inquiries (calls, emails, letters) to the THC will be referred to the CHC representative for response. By filling out the information below and filing the application with the THC, the CHC representative is providing the THC with notice that the application and documentation have

been reviewed and verified by the CHC and that the material meets all current requirements of the Official Texas Historical Marker Program. As chair or duly appointed marker chair, I certify the following:

Representatives of the CHC have met with the potential marker sponsor and discussed the program policies as outlined on the THC web site.

Representatives have conveyed information on the RTHL designation, including legal restrictions, to the property owner.

Representatives of the CHC have reviewed the history and documentation for accuracy and made additional notes as necessary.

It is the determination of the CHC that the structure, history and documentation meet the THC criteria for eligibility.

CHC comments or concerns about this application, if any:

Name of CHC contact (chair or marker chair): Glenn C. Housley

Mailing address: 1015 Valley View Drive City, zip: Weslaco 78596

Email address (required): gchousley@yahoo.com

Daytime phone (with area code): 956-968 -7468

PERMISSION OF PROPERTY OWNER FOR MARKER PLACEMENT Property owner: Morris Randall Nelson II, trustee Address: P O Box 40 City, state, zip: McAllen, TX 78505 Phone: 956-682-2228 Legal Description of the property (metes and bounds, lot and block, etc.): Blocks 8-12, Block 28, McAllen Addition subdivision Upon receipt of the application, the THC will provide the owner with a letter that outlines the legal responsibility of ownership under the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark statute. The letter must be signed by the owner and returned to the THC before the evaluation can be completed. NOTE: The property owner will not receive other copies of general correspondence from the THC. All procedural correspondence (notice of receipt, requests for additional information, inscriptions, shipping notices, etc.)—with the exception of payment notices—will be sent via email to the CHC representative, who is encouraged to share the information with all interested parties as necessary. Given the large volume of applications processed annually and the need for centralized communication, all inquiries about applications in process will be referred to the CHC for response. The CHC is the sole liaison to the THC on all marker application matters. The THC will, however, provide regular updates to the CHC via the Internet, email or listserv on the progress of all applications. PAYMENT INFORMATION Prospective sponsors please note the following:

• Payment must be received in full within 45 days of the official approval notice and must be accompanied by the THC payment form. The THC is unable to process partial payments or to delay payment due to processing procedures of the sponsor. Applications not paid in the time frame required may, at the sole discretion of the THC, be cancelled or postponed.

• Payment relates to sponsorship of the marker in partnership with the THC, which provides the match for program costs.

• Payment does not constitute ownership of a marker; Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and other Official Texas Historical Markers are the property of the State of Texas.

• If, at any time during the marker process, sponsorship is withdrawn, a refund can be processed, but the THC will retain the application fee of $100.

• The Official Texas Historical Marker Program provides no means of recognizing sponsors through marker text, incising or supplemental plaques.

Marker sponsor (may be individual or organization): Hidalgo County Historical Commission Contact person (if applicable): Frances W. Isbell Mailing address: 706 South Ohio St. City, zip: Weslaco 78596 Email address (required): fifie35@msn.com Phone: 973-8111 SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS In order to facilitate delivery of the marker, neither post office box numbers nor rural route numbers can be accepted. To avoid additional shipping charges or time delays, use a business street address (open 8 a.m.—5 p.m., Monday—Friday). Name: Morris Randall Nelson II Street address: 1505 Shasta City, zip: McAllen 78504-4601 Daytime phone (required): 068=682-2228 Email (required): xcervantes@mcallen.net or FAX 956-618-1220 TYPE AND SIZE OF RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK MARKERS As part of its review process, the THC will determine the appropriate size marker and provide options, if any, for the approved topic based on its own review criteria, including, but not exclusive of, historical significance, replication of information in other THC markers, relevance to the statewide preservation plan and the amount of available documented information provided in the application narrative. In making its determination, however, the THC will also take into account the preference of the CHC, as noted below. The sponsor/CHC prefer the following size marker:

27” x 42” RTHL marker with post ($1500) 27” X 42” RTHL marker without post* ($1500) 18” x 28” RTHL marker with post ($1000) 18” x 28” RTHL marker without post* ($1000) RTHL medallion and 16” x 12” plaque with post ($750) RTHL medallion and 16” x 12” plaque without post* ($750)

*For an RTHL marker without post, indicate to what surface material it will be mounted:

wood masonry

metal other (specify)

SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION (via email required) When the CHC has determined that the application packet is complete, that the history has been verified and that the application meets the requirements of the Official Texas Historical Marker Program, the required elements only should be forwarded to the THC via email at the following address: markerapplication@thc.state.tx.us. • The CHC or marker chair should send an e-mail containing the following attachments:

o This application form o The subject history (narrative and footnotes) o A TopoZone.com map of the proposed marker location o Photographs (may be sent as attachments or by separate mail; digital photos are acceptable) o Site plan (may be sent as attachment or by separate mail; if sent separately, it must be on

letter size paper) o Floor plans (may be sent as attachment or by separate mail; if sent separately, plans must be

on letter size paper) • Follow these steps to attach the files:

o Most email services have the “Attach” or “Attachment” command under the “File” menu or in an email toolbar.

o Select the file for attachment • Send the email including the attachments, with all requirements met. RECORDS RETENTION BY CHC: The CHC must retain both the hard copies of the application as well as an online version, at least for the duration of the marker process. The THC is not responsible for lost applications, for incomplete applications or for applications not properly filed according to the program requirements. For additional information about any aspect of the Official Texas Historical Marker Program, visit the Markers page on the THC web site (http://www.thc.state.tx.us/markerdesigs/madmark.html).

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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M&J Nelson Building – McAllen, Texas

Prepared by Xavier Cervantes OVERVIEW. In 1950, the energetic and forward-thinking contractor and developer Morris R. Nelson built a modern commercial structure in the heart of downtown McAllen, to house the J. C. Penney department store. The handsome M&J Building was a forerunner in the revitalized new construction of McAllen’s postwar business district. Its Art Deco style of architecture demonstrated McAllen’s receptiveness to modernization. Fifty-six years later, it remains a milestone in McAllen’s development as the Lower Rio Grande Valley’s central metropolis. CONTEXT. The City of McAllen has long been regarded as the most economically dynamic and aggressive city of deep South Texas. Near the Texas/Mexico border but not on the river, the city has not enjoyed the benefits of rivers, lakes, mountains or hills. Yet it has prospered and grown on the hard work and entrepreneurship of its early settlers up to, and including, today’s leaders.

From its very beginning, McAllen has been blessed with civic leaders and investors who have been willing to roll the dice and bet on the city to prosper. In so doing, the city has provided prosperity for its investors as well as opportunity for its ordinary citizens, who have generally been willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in for progress. Such a man was M. J. Nelson, builder of many of Mc- Allen’s finest edifices, and one of the city’s largest landowners, having acquired properties with potential for development.

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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Although there were already some houses and stores scattered about, McAllen was chartered as a city in 1911, just three years before M.R. Nelson arrived. Since his arrival in 1914, Morris R. Nelson (known as M.R.) was indicative of the sort of pioneer who took chances and not only amassed prosperity for himself and his family, but also helped to build a city which has provided opportunities for all who are willing to work, save and invest.

Morris Randall Nelson (1889-1965).. Born on March 24, 1889 in McPherson, Kansas and raised in Palacios, Texas, M.R. Nelson was the son of a carpenter, Axel Nelson, who emigrated from Sweden in 1882. Axel and his wife, Ellyse or “Ella,” had three additional children: Carl, Clarence and Mable. M.R. Nelson and his brother, Carl, followed in their father’s footsteps, Carl as a master carpenter and Morris as a carpenter who later became a developer and entrepreneur. (1) In 1912, M.R. Nelson had married Ruth Stainbrook (also of Palacios), the daughter of Joseph M. Stainbrook and Ella Rosetta Hannum Stainbrook. Ruth’s uncle, Ted Hannum, was Vice-President of the Donna Plantation Company in Donna. After they married, Hannum sent them a letter, encouraging them to come to the Valley, telling them what wonderful opportunities it offered and praising McAllen as an exceptional area for growth.. M.R. and Ruth Nelson moved to McAllen where he began his career as a carpenter. In 1916 he built their bungalow home at 316 S. 11th Street. It was still there in 2006. Early on, the Nelson family suffered two major blows. M.R. became ill with tuberculosis, so the family moved to the hills of Kerrville for about a year until he regained his health. (In her diary, Ruth indicated they lived in a tent there.) After returning, they endured the tragic loss of a son who died in

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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childbirth. In 1917 their second son, Jack Reynolds Nelson, was born. He was to be their only child. The Nelsons were faithful members of the First United Methodist Church. Ruth Nelson was an active member of the community. She received an award for her ongoing support of the Rio Grande Children’s Home. She was a charter member in 1929 of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was a member of the Mayflower Society. A concert pianist, she also played the accordion for McAllen’s Town Band, and was a member of the Priscilla Club in McAllen. While Ruth was taking care of her home and child as well as helping to build McAllen’s cultural atmosphere, M.R. Nelson was using his carpentry skills to progress by sheer ability, inexhaustible energy and tenacious perseverance. He quickly advanced from carpenter to building contractor, to lumberman, to financier and to investor, steadily forging a chain of personal success which was inseparably linked with the growth and progress of McAllen. As a builder, he erected substantial, handsome and functional buildings in downtown McAllen, such as the First National Bank, Valley Federal Savings & Loan, Palace Theatre, Nassar Buildings, and the Federal Building ( now La Plaçita Leisure Center). Records show that he constructed over 30 commercial and public buildings in McAllen (that we know of) plus apartments and homes. Sadly, many of those buildings have been torn down to make room for multi-story buildings or parking lots. In addition, many of their beautiful façades have been covered by signs so that one cannot see the lovely designs and classic brick work. (McAllen’s talented architect, Zeb Rike, designed many of the buildings that

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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M.R. Nelson built in the late 40’s and the 50’s. (2)

The M&J Nelson Building. One of his most progressive buildings for its time was the M&J Nelson building at 300 S. Main Street, primarily designed and built in 1949 for the J. C. Penney Company in the modern Art Deco style of architecture. Locally known as the Downtown J.C. Penney Building, it has been rented to Penney’s since it was completed. Penney’s was located during the preceding eight years in another M.R. Nelson building at 100 S. Broadway. Opened in McAllen in 1924, the downtown department store was the first J. C. Penney store in the Rio Grande Valley and the 568th in the national chain. Store planning was suggested by J. C. Penney architects and engineers to justify their long-term lease. (3) The building, which stands at the corner of Main Street and Chicago Avenue, occupies a space 100 by 140 feet. The store has 30,000 square feet of floor space in the basement, ground floor and mezzanine. The streamlined exterior is finished in horizontal bands of two-tone buff brick with a darker, cast stone trim. The street level storefront is of safety glass. Recessed entry doors and stair rails are aluminum. Construction is reinforced concrete and the building is completely fireproof and earthquake proof. The building had a 13-passenger elevator, one of only two or three elevators in McAllen buildings at the time. (4)

In addition to the smashing Art Deco architecture, it featured the first escalator in McAllen running from the ground floor to a mezzanine, and was one of the first buildings in McAllen to have air conditioning. (The store put that attribute in their advertising.) A sound system provided background music for shoppers. It was intended to have more floors, but M.R. became ill before that

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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could happen. The basement was built for a bomb shelter to be used by the City staff. Fortunately, it never happened. The M&J Building was remodeled in 1984, as part of a nation-wide updating of J. C. Penney stores. Major interior face-lifting was accomplished, and (removable) metal cladding on the lower half of the stepped-back façade covered the band of mezzanine windows to accommodate a larger sign.

The building was featured on the cover of the city’s first historic resources survey in 2005. The survey consultant, who preferred domestic structures, believed it worthy of national landmark status. In November 2006, the City of McAllen Historic Preservation Council designated the modern art deco M&J Nelson Building at 300 S. Main Street as a city landmark.(5)

The three-story building had offices on the top two floors for rent to such businesses as Zeb Rike, Architectural Firm; Anderson, Davis & Hart, Accounting; Alfonso Guerra, Jr., Attorney at Law; Magic Valley Real Estate; the U.S .Border Patrol, and Jack R. Nelson Insurance Company. (The names of the renters are still on the doors.)

McAllen Economy. In 1941, a steel suspension bridge replaced the old bridge to Reynosa, Mexico, seven miles south. As a result, increased tourist trade made McAllen a winter resort and stimulated its economy. Oil discovered in the Reynosa area in 1947 brought a large migration from the interior of Mexico to the border, creating another new tourist market for McAllen. Traffic increased between the two cities, and Mexican nationals shopped in McAllen stores for American goods. The J. C. Penney Company geared its merchandizing to the demands of customers from across the border. By 1954, the McAllen-Hidalgo-

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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Reynosa International Bridge was the #2 port of entry into Mexico.(6) McAllen is one of a handful of cities in the nation that still has a major department store operating in the downtown. In the 1950s, the Downtown J.C. Penney store catered to people mostly from throughout the Rio Grande Valley. In the 1970s, La Plaza Mall on the main route to (and from) Reynosa provided more upscale merchandise. Today, 75 percent of the downtown Penney’s sales are to Mexican nationals who like to shop in McAllen year round. M.R. Nelson’s Civic Service. During his lifetime, M. R. Nelson was regarded as an honorable man, known for his integrity. As a public-spirited citizen, concerned for his fellow-citizens’ welfare and alert to needed improvements for the city, he acted; and became highly respected in the community. For that reason, in 1950 he was nominated as McAllen’s “Man of the Year.” In 1962, the McAllen Kiwanis Club recognized him for his outstanding work as a commercial builder in the City of McAllen. In 1963 Mr. Nelson was awarded a scroll by the board of directors of the First National Bank for his outstanding craftsmanship in the erection of the bank building and for 18 years of untiring service on the bank’s board of directors. (7)

As an example, after being trapped in a roof fire on one of his own buildings (the original J.C.Penney department store), M.J. Nelson realized the city did not have proper rescue equipment to save people from fires in the multi-level hospital, tall banks or department stores. He wrote an “open” letter to the editor, publicizing the need, and donated funds to help the McAllen Volunteer Fire Department pay for the equipment. (8) Recognizing a need for low-cost housing for McAllen workers,

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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contractors M.R. Nelson and his son Jack Nelson, with two investors, built numerous apartments, and they developed the Orange Terrace Subdivision, where houses are of individualized construction. After the death of one of his employees, he saw the need for a mortuary, which he constructed, one in McAllen and another in Weslaco. Next, he helped provide for more entertainment for the city’s residents, especially the youth. Nelson built and operated Cascade Pool, a water park and playground with an enormous water Ferris wheel, making McAllen a prime recreation center for the Valley`. Later he sold it to the YMCA Boys Club of McAllen, donating $5,000 to help the club get it started. The beautiful spring-fed pool is now used by the McAllen Parks Department. He also built the Palace Theater, which he ran for a few years before he sold it. Conclusion. In 1961, M.R.Nelson retired after suffering a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He recovered somewhat but had several other strokes and remained at home with his wife and nurses. M.R. Nelson passed away on December 15, 1965. The descendents of M.R. Nelson take great pride in the accomplishments of their grandfather (or great-grandfather). Although he is buried at Roselawn Cemetery, M.R. Nelson’s memory is still alive all over the city of McAllen. The M&J Nelson Building still belongs to the Nelson family, M.R. Nelson II and Trust. M.R. Nelson II is the son of Jack Reynolds Nelson and the grandson of M.R. Nelson.

SIGNIFICANCE. The M&J Nelson Building in McAllen, an exemplar of the Art Deco style, is testimony to the progressive and energetic outlook of the City of McAllen. The streamlined, handsome structure incorporates the advanced

M&J Nelson Building, McAllen, Hidalgo County FILE: Nelson, M&J Bldg—RTHL, December 2006

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technology of its time, and has remained for 56 years a model for progress, economic growth and vitality for the City of McAllen and surrounding area. APPENDIX: BUILDINGS BUILT BY MORRIS R. NELSON (Those which are known about) Compiled by Sonia Falcon

• • M & J Nelson Building – 300 S. Main (J.C. Penney’s) • • Levine’s Department Store (S. Main Street) • • Nassar Buildings (just north of La Placita) • • Woolworth Store Building (S. Main Street) • • The Federal Building (Now La Plaçita Leisure Center on S. Main Street) • • McAllen City Hospital (S. Main at Houston) • • The Palace Theatre (201 S. Main Street) • • First addition to the Casa de Palmas Hotel (N. Main Street) • • Valley Federal Savings & Loan (S. Broadway) • • Nelson Apartments (S. 11th Street) • • Edelstein’s Furniture Store Building (S. 15th Street) • • C.P.& L. Building (S. Broadway) • • 100 S. Broadway (J.C. Penney’s for 8 yrs) • • Rio Grande Valley Gas Company’s General offices (S. Broadway & • • Beaumont) • • Cascade Pool (South 10th Street) • • McAllen Post Office (S. 12th Street) • • First Christian Church (10th just south of Pecan Avenue) • • First National Bank Building (S. 15th Street)

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• • Sears Building (Old 83 and S. 2nd—now Broadway Hardware) • • First State Bank (Main and US Business 83) • • Fellowship hall and school of the Presbyterian Church (South 12th Street) • • St. Mark’s Methodist Church (West Pecan Street 495 at N. 2nd) • • Nelson Building (Western Union Building) • • Nelson Apartments (South 11th Street) • • Martin-Nelson Mortuary (McAllen and Weslaco) • • Nelson Lumber Yard (Beaumont Avenue and Bicentennial Blvd.) • • Sharyland ISD Administration Building (N. Shary Rd.) • • Housing for the Harlingen Air Base (general contractor) • • Moore Air Base (general contractor) • • Mission City Hospital • • Guerra home in Roma, Texas

END NOTES

(One) Nelson, Carolynn (Mrs. Morris R. II). McAllen, Texas, November 2006. From family records. (Two) Falcon, Sonia. City of McAllen, Development/Planning Department Memorandum. “City of McAllen Landmark designation: Lot 8-12, Block

28, McAllen Addition Subdivision: 300 S. Main St. Nov 13, 2006.

(Three) Monitor, McAllen,Texas. May 31, 1984. “Business Outlook” by Shirley LaCare. (Four) Fox, Stephen. On the border; an architectural tour. Houston, TX: Rice Design Alliance, 1993. “McAllen.” pp 8-9. Does not mention M&J

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Building specifically, but describes twentieth century architecture in the city. And Poppelius, John C. What style is it? Washington DC. The Preservation Press, c1983. “Art deco.” pp 88-91.

. The Art Deco style of architecture was known during the 1920s and 1930s in the United States as “style moderne” and “modernistic.” The inclusive term Art Deco dates from its 1960s revival. Art deco derives from the 1925 French Exposition Internationale des Art Decoratifs et Industrials Modernes, while specific American influences on the style date at least from 1922. Although beautiful, the style of architecture did not greatly influence new construction in McAllen. Falcon, op. cit.

(Five) Falcon, op. cit.

(Six) New Handbook of Texas in six volumes. Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 1996. “McAllen,Texas.” Vol. 4, pp 363-363.

(Seven) Valley Evening Monitor, McAllen,Tx. (date unknown). “Fourth Outstanding Citizen Nominated.”