In 1941-42, the Farm Security Administration (FSA) built the Lamesa Farm Workers Community in an effort to improve housing and living standards for migrant workers, the majority of which were Mexican immigrants, in the cotton producing farmlands of the West Texas region. The Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District, currently known as Los Ybanez, is located in Dawson County, one and one-half miles southeast of the county seat, Lamesa. The Community occupies 50 acres that are organized around an oval green space. Although the historic main entrance is no longer used, the interior of the community retains the much of its original organization. The historic community includes 25 shelters, 25 farm labor houses, a community center, gate house, manager's house, several stores, and recreational facilities. Twenty-five quadruplex shelters survive at their original locations forming the heart of the community. They were only open during the cotton harvest season and housed four families, two on each side. Nineteen of the 25 shelters retain enough historic character to contribute to the historic significance of the community. Fifteen of the 25 farm labor houses remain on the property with varied states of integrity. The community center and the manager's house also contribute to the property's historic significance.
By the 1920s, the need for seasonal labor outstripped the available pool of local workers in this agricultural region. At the same time, escape from the turmoil of the revolution in Mexico and the ongoing demand for cheap labor in the U.S. led to a steadily increasing migration during the early part of the 20th century. As a result, Mexican migrant workers became an important factor in the economic development of Dawson County. This demand for migrant labor continued unabated until farming became primarily mechanized in the 1960s.
In response to the exploitation of this laboring population in an unregulated industry, laws were passed in Texas to help protect them and the farming community. Part of this reform produced the establishment of the Texas State Employment Services (TSES) to organize migrant labor. The TSES encouraged communities to provide better living conditions for migrant laborers. Many labor camps were locally sponsored, but with the establishment of the FSA in 1937, some camps were sponsored and administered by the federal government. Shortly after this, the Lamesa Chamber of Commerce board voted to request construction of a FSA camp to centralize migratory farm labor and correct the growing slum conditions in Lamesa. After much controversy, the camp was built and the first family housed in 1942.
The camp, planned in tradition of the New Deal era reform, was unique because it provided a level of facilities and services that were more accommodating to migrant workers than other camps. These services included a recreational center that held classes on home management skills, nursery facilities and kindergarten instruction, and outdoor playground equipment. A gate house accommodated administrative functions as well as a medical clinic that welcomed all farm workers. The camp also created an atmosphere that supported the workers' "biculturation." Social life included traditional Mexican entertainment; observance of special days, both religious and patriotic; and celebrations honoring both Mexican and American holidays.
The city of Lamesa realized the economic importance of the migrant labor force. Recreational and social activities in Lamesa were aimed at the migrant workers. Two Spanish-language theaters were operated and the Fiesta Drive-In showed films in Spanish. The Lamesa Chamber of Commerce sponsored a "Fiesta Day" in honor of Mexican Independence as a way to strengthen Anglo-Mexican relations. The Catholic Church established Our Lady of Guadalupe Church for the "Latin-American" population.
The Lamesa Farm Workers Community is especially significant as it retains the highest level of historic integrity among the nine FSA facilities constructed in Texas. Establishment of the FSA camp coincided with differing patterns in the state's agrarian economy during the 20th century, including the unstable labor supply situation and increased mechanization over time. This community was built in spite of local opposition and survived through several changes in ownership, a rise in competitive housing, and workers migrating out of state. During its lifespan as a camp it had become a self-contained community whose residents contributed to both the local and national economies until mechanized farming virtually destroyed the need for migrant labor. In 1980, the land was purchased by Israel and Maria Ybanez from the Dawson County Farm Labor Association to serve as low income housing for impoverished Hispanic families. It was renamed Los Ybanez in honor of the family. In 1983 the city of Los Ybanez contained an official population of 300 predominantly Hispanic residents. The town continues to flourish and the Hispanic legacy continues.