Quinta Mazatlan_Home of Jason Matthews
McAllen, Hidalgo County, Texas
Marker Inscription
One of the larger adobe homes in the state, Quinta Mazatlan was designed and built by Jason Chilton Matthews (1887-1964) during the late 1930s. Adobe blocks used in construction were made at this site. A composer, writer, and adventurer, Matthews was known for his eccentric ways. During the last few years of their lives, Jason and his wife Marcia (1891-1963) edited and published the "American Mercury" magazine from here. Begun in 1924, the magazine was a leading conservative publication which expressed strong pro-American views. (1985)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
One of the largest adobe homes in Texas, Quinta Mazatlan was designed and built in the late 1930s by Jason Chilton Matthews—a composer, writer, and adventurer known for his eccentric ways—using adobe blocks made on the site. In the final years of their lives, Jason and his wife Marcia edited and published 'The American Mercury,' by then a leading conservative magazine, from this house. The estate blends distinctive Rio Grande Valley architecture with a surprising chapter of American publishing.
Why it matters
The home pairs a striking example of Southwestern adobe craftsmanship with the story of a nationally known magazine, showing how far-flung places shaped twentieth-century American letters and opinion.
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Related people
- · Jason Chilton Matthews
- · Marcia Matthews
Themes & tags
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