Contractor’s Road Tar Blamed for Damage to South Texas Fort

Road tar has defaced a historic fort near the Texas border with Mexico and a contractor is being asked to explain what happened.

Artist Michael Tracy has led efforts to restore the Trevino Fort in San Ygnacio. Tracy says a contractor this week apologized about the gunky mess.

Streaks of tar run several feet high, across the structures along a roadway, and even coat the fort’s national and state historic markers.

Tracy says perhaps it was just a simple construction mistake, but “we felt vandalized.”

Reim Construction of Mission did not immediately comment.

Zapata County Judge Rosalva Guerra says she was told it was an accident and that Reim’s insurance company is assessing the damage.

Sections of the fort, built as a frontier outpost for land holdings north of the Rio Grande, date to 1830.

Information from: San Antonio Express-News,
http://www.mysanantonio.com