Central Marfa Historic District

Areal view of the Central Marfa Historic District

The Central Marfa Historic District in Marfa was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, the official listing of the nation’s places most worthy of preservation.

The newly listed district encompasses the city’s historic core, including 183 historically significant locations in Marfa. Current historic properties within the Historic District footprint include the 1886 Presidio County Courthouse, the Marfa and Presidio Museum, and another property listed on the National Register of Historic Places – the El Paisano Hotel.

The south section of the district retains building patterns and techniques associated with Mexican settlement in the border region, including numerous examples of adobe construction.

The district is also nationally known for its association with internationally renowned artist Donald Judd, whose work in Marfa led to the city’s identification as a cultural center and destination for art tourism, especially for modern art.

Judd preserved and adapted eleven district buildings for residential and working spaces, studios, galleries, and permanent installations of his and other prominent artists’ work. The exceptionally significant period of 1973-1994 begins with Donald Judd’s arrival in Marfa and spans the last two decades of his career.

Thanks are due to Judd Foundation and Chinati Foundation for spearheading the campaign to make this designation and the Texas Historical Commission for the distinction.