El Tule Ranch House

Tucked among majestic oaks, this courtyard ranch house provides an oasis from the often-harsh South Texas landscape. A series of pavilions connected by screened sleeping porches form the perimeter of a lush and exuberant courtyard filled with flowering plants. At the center of the courtyard are long acequias (irrigation canals) to water the garden with the rain collected off the roofs. Wood screens between the buildings open to unobstructed southeasterly breezes, while a long masonry north wall completes the compound and encloses the courtyard and its gardens. The structures are built of caliche blocks, made from soils collected at the site.