McAllen, Hidalgo County
This house was built in 1933 for Percy Herman (1884-1967), a major influence in the development of McAllen. Herman was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and in 1910, he married Stella H. Lazarus. Herman soon moved his family to Texas where he opened stores across various South Texas towns. He and his family finally settled in McAllen, opening the valley mercantile store in 1916. The Hermans became widely successful and were considered one of the first Jewish families in McAllen. Percy Herman hired Edwin W. Byers (1896-1957), who had designed buildings across the country, to design this home. Its Spanish eclectic style with an asymmetrical floor plan features two facades on a corner lot, a stucco exterior and clay roof tiles. Wrought-iron fixtures and cast concrete decorative elements add to the home’s design and style.