Marker Inscription
San Benito was begun in 1904 by Sam A. Robertson (1867-1938). A wealthy civil engineer and builder, he saw farming potential in the valley. He became Sheriff and first Postmaster. He built irrigation canals and a railroad network that connected farms with produce markets. He started a Padre Island development and Del Mar, a recreational area at Boca Chica. In 1911 Robertson and his wife Adele built this house. With thick walls and high windows, it served as a fortress against marauding bandits from across the border. In 1945 the house was sold to John T. Lomax.
About this site
Robertson, Col. Sam, Home of is a historical marker in Cameron County, Texas, dedicated in 1979. It is one of 116 historical markers documented in Cameron County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 194 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 26.1352, -97.6290. The nearest cataloged historic site is San Benito Post Office (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include First Methodist Church of San Benito, Purvis, Albanus Clemens, and First Presbyterian Church of San Benito.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5061002533. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
