Photo by Victoria Hernandez.
The Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to approve landmark status for the historic building that houses El Ranchito.
Located at 610 W. Jefferson Blvd., the building received the designation for its architectural significance and the long-standing role it has played in the neighborhood’s commercial history. The designation process began in 2022 and recently received the recommendation for approval from the City Plan Commission in March.
Opening in 1947 as the Red Bryan’s Smokehouse, the building has retained key historic interior elements for decades Those elements include the timber columns, vaulted ceilings and the original barbecue pit.
Additionally, exterior features such as the limestone veneer, red-tile roof and open-air bell tower remain. These are distinctive examples of the Texas Ranch-influenced commercial work of the building’s designer, prominent Dallas architect Charles Dilbeck, according to a press release.
Laura Sanchez, owner of El Ranchito, said she is grateful that the city considers the establishment as a historical landmark.
“Having been part of this community since 1983, it means so much to see its legacy preserved for future generations to experience and appreciate,” she said in a press release.
Letters of support for the designation came in from Preservation Dallas, Heritage Oak Cliff, Charles Stevens Dilbeck Architecture Conservancy and the Dallas Mexican American Historical League.
“Today’s vote to grant landmark status for the 1947 El Ranchito building is a big step in Oak Cliff’s fight to preserve our history and culture,” District 1 Council member Chad West said. “I want to thank the Sanchez family for taking care of this historic building, their many patrons for supporting this great locally owned small business, and our preservationists for helping protect their legacy.”
