The River Pierce Foundation, based in San Ygnacio, Texas, has been awarded a Humanities in Place grant from the Mellon Foundation.
The Manuel Sanchez House, built c. 1874. Photo: River Pierce Foundation
In 1990, artist Michael Tracy founded the River Pierce Foundation with the goal of creating a space for artists to work in the rural area of San Ygnacio. However, early in the organization’s history, preserving the cultural significance of the area became a priority. In 1997, the Treviño-Uribe Rancho, a historic fortified home that is owned by the River Pierce Foundation, was designated a National Historic Landmark. In 2017, with support from the Brown Foundation and the National Park Service’s Save America’s Treasures program, the area was restored. Today, the River Pierce Foundation is focused on preserving and sharing the heritage of San Ygnacio.
Interior of Treviño-Uribe Rancho. Photo: Leonid Furmansky
Funds from the Humanities in Place grant will support the foundation’s expansion of humanities programs, which it presents through collaborations with anthropologists, archeologists, artists, scholars, and other cultural organizations. Over a two-year period, the foundation will present a series of public events, including symposia, workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, and culinary programs.
A jazz concert organized by jazz bassist Marcos Varela in San Ygnacio, 2021. Photo: River Pierce Foundation
These events aim to raise awareness of the Esto’k Gna culture of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, while supporting the tribe’s efforts to rematriate stolen artifacts and stave off development and desecration of sacred sites. The grant will also support the restoration of local 19th-century buildings, such as the Manuel Sanchez Residence and Delfino Lozano mercantile, to feature an event center and exhibition space.
The River Pierce Foundation launches its new programming series on Saturday, March 29, 2025, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Henry M. Martinez Community Center in San Ygnacio. The inaugural event will include a screening of Ancient Landscapes of South Texas, a documentary film covering millions of years of geological history as well as evidence of ongoing habitation by native peoples in the area for over 12,000 years.
The afternoon event will also feature a panel discussion with the film’s co-directors, Roseann Bacha-Garza, Christopher Miller, and Juan Gonzalez, an artifact exhibit by the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley CHAPS program, a virtual reality project by Juan Carlos Licerio, and a culinary concept by Malaquite.
Learn more about the River Pierce Foundation and its upcoming events via the organization’s website.
