SOCORRO, TEXAS (November 10, 2025) – The Texas Historical Commission has approved a $50,000 grant award to the City of Socorro Community Initiative (CSCI) nonprofit via the Texas Preservation Trust Fund program for the Socorro Historic Resources Survey project. In partnership with the City of Socorro, the CSCI will update the inventory of historic resources in Socorro, which has not been updated since 1995.
Established in 2019, the CSCI nonprofit was created with a mission to preserve and promote Socorro’s local history and places, support and advance Socorro’s cultural heritage, and foster health and wellness in Socorro. Since then, the CSCI has partnered with the City of Socorro to bring forth major projects, such as the Rio Vista Rehabilitation and Bracero Museum Project, currently under construction at 901 N. Rio Vista Rd.
This current project marks the first major update to Socorro’s historic inventory since 1995. As one of the oldest communities in Texas, Socorro is home to hundreds of historic structures, including the Socorro Mission, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, and the National Historic Landmark Rio Vista Bracero Reception Center, all of which face growing threats from rapid development, demolition, and deterioration.
The CSCI nonprofit received this award in partnership with the City of Socorro, who is a key project partner. The two-year project will include an updated survey of the Mission Trail Historic District and approximately 250 historic properties across the city. Results will support National Register eligibility assessments, preservation planning, zoning protections, and the creation of a GIS-based historic resource database.
“Preserving our history is essential to honoring the generations who built our community and ensuring their stories endure.” said Claudia Garcia, Chairwoman for the City of Socorro Community Initiative Board.
The grant agreement will be finalized in the coming weeks. Once complete, CSCI will begin project work in partnership with the City’s Historic Preservation Office and Architectural Heritage Consultants.
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