The warehouse stored goods transported by the Stillman, Kenedy, and King river trade monopoly, enabling their later investments in ranching and railroads. The long, two-story, hipped-roof, brick commercial structure with nearly a full-width wooden balcony also served as the county courthouse prior to 1886. Although linked to Anglo-American building traditions, the warehouse, reflecting the hybrid culture of the border, includes a side gate leading to a high-walled courtyard extending the full length of the lot in the Mexican custom.