San Benito’s historic Stonewall Jackson Hotel is pictured Thursday moments after the manager asked that reporters leave the premises. (Staff photo by Heather C. Cox)
By HEATHER C. COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Those who have lived in San Benito for any length of time may have noticed a rather impressive brick building on 220 E. Stenger St. The sign on the corner of the block still says: Stonewall Jackson Hotel, though the hotel, which was built in 1927, has long been a home to the transient.
An August 27 fire at Stonewall prompted fire and code enforcement officers to investigate the building. What’s been reported thus far consists of building and fire code violations reported at Stonewall as well as efforts being made by the hotel tenants to rectify said violations, which were reportedly severe enough for city officials to slap vacate notices on multiple walls of the facility.
While Stonewall’s owners, Omar Cuevas and Esmeralda Nelson, owe back taxes to the City of San Benito in addition to other taxing entities, some choose to focus on the concept that the hotel is a monument to the city’s history. To tenants, the building is simply home.
But what is Stonewall Jackson to everyday members of the community?
In 2005, the building was declared a local historical landmark by the San Benito Historical Society. With regard to the hotel facing ramifications of noncompliance of fire and code violations, the News took to the streets to gain public opinion.
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