L. E. Snavely House
Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This land was a dense chaparral of mesquite and ebony trees when it was bought by Levi Elmer (1869-1939) and Lenna Edmondson (1872-1938) Snavely in 1919. They had moved to Harlingen from Oklahoma in 1909 to grow citrus and market the fruit under the label "La Bonita." In 1928, architect Birger A. Elwing designed for them this picturesque, Norman Style house, which they called La Bonita. The hollow-tile structure is faced with brick and accented with occasional rough boulders. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When Levi and Lenna Snavely bought this Rio Grande Valley land in 1919 it was dense chaparral of mesquite and ebony. Having come to Harlingen from Oklahoma a decade earlier to grow citrus and market their fruit under the "La Bonita" label, the couple commissioned architect Birger A. Elwing to design this picturesque Norman-style, hollow-tile home, completed in 1928 and named for their brand.
Why it matters
The house reflects the citrus boom that transformed the brushlands of the lower Rio Grande Valley into productive orchards in the early twentieth century.
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Related people
- · Levi Elmer Snavely
- · Lenna Edmondson Snavely
- · Birger A. Elwing
Themes & tags
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