February 24, 2019
Dear editor,
The location of the Juan Francisco Farias Veterans Museum was settled more than 10 years ago when Webb County purchased the historic Farias Home from the Laredo Veterans Coalition on May 11, 2006.
On June 18, 2010, the City of Laredo and Webb County entered into an inter-local agreement to restore the Farias Home as a museum for the display of the artifacts, pictures, letters, and other memorabilia of Laredo veterans, as a way to honor them for service to our country.
Webb County breached the agreement when it placed the Farias Home for sale two years ago — thereby trying to enrich itself at the expense of the Laredo Veterans Coalition. As a result of this infringement, the Laredo Veterans Coalition filed suit. I was one of the plaintiffs along with more than 50 local veterans and Gold Star Mothers and spouses.
The lawsuit was heard in the 111th District Court by Judge Monica Notzon on February 7, 2019. She dismissed the case on technicalities, and the merits of the case were not heard since the Veterans were not a party to the inter-local agreement.
Judge Notzon, however, noted that there was a population of Laredo veterans that obviously had been wronged, and she instructed the attorneys on both sides that the intentions of the museum should be followed through.
The City of Laredo and Webb County had approved the restoration of the Farias Home for a Veterans Museum years ago, and redundantly both entities approved it again several weeks before the lawsuit was heard on February 7, 2019.
County Judge Tano Tijerina told The Laredo Morning Times that he doesn’t know what’s next for the project. He seems unaware that the location of the museum has been resolved and that Webb County, as the management half of the inter-local agreement with the City, needs to take action to move forward.
The Juan Francisco Farias Home was designated a historic building with a marker by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) nine years ago. The THC’s marker has been in safe keeping with the Webb County Heritage Foundation since the future site of the Farias Veterans Museum was officially dedicated by the City and the County on May 25, 2010. The City wants to move forward, but is hampered by Webb County’s inaction as the project’s manager. We are asking, as is the City, that Webb County — per the inter-local agreement — initiate work on the building and make the Veterans Museum a priority.
The Farias Home was constructed in 1840 and is older than Webb County, which was created by the Texas Legislature in 1847. It has existed under seven flags as the oldest building in downtown Laredo.
The many combat Veterans, Gold Star Mothers and spouses who are plaintiffs in the lawsuit will not allow Webb County to let the museum in the Farias Home fall to the County’s unspoken and willful practice of demolition by neglect — the fate that befell the Webb County Annex, which at one time housed the City archives dating back to 1767. That debacle resonates with the immense disregard for history by which the Commissioners Court traded a valuable piece of Laredo’s history for a parking lot.
Sincerely yours,
Frank M. Staggs
2620 Musser
(956) 723-9804
