Spanish-born Manuel Alonso (1846-1922) constructed the one-story residence on this site in 1877 and added the two story mercantile building by 1890. His "Los Dos Canones" mercantile was a popular gathering place for local residents. French and Spanish influences are evident in the cast iron porch elements (probably from New Orleans), French windows and corbeled brickwork. The complex was again used as a fine goods mercantile from 1925 to 1944. The Alonso family retained ownership of the complex until 1944. The Gorgas Science Foundation renovated the dilapidated building and it served as the organization's headquarters until 2010 when the building donated to the Brownsville Historical Association.