A Brief History of Stonemasons in the Americas

During the past 200 years

the citizens of Mexico relied upon the skills of family masons who attained the art of masonry at their forefather's knees. These generational stonemasons were trained to use the materials "at hand," in order to provide adequate structures and dwellings for the poorest of its communities. Many of the buildings they erected were so ornamental that they became the envy of the local rich. Eventually, their skills would once again be revered by governing rulers and dignitaries.

Omega Masonry Companies is proud of the masons who work for us. No other society that we know of has produced as many qualified stone masons as those who originate from Mexico other and Latin American countries.

A Tribute to Our Masonry Artisans

There is a reason we created our sister company, Texas Masonry Artisans. Our masons can be counted on not only to understand the varied tasks they will be called upon to do, but also to bring their artistic eye and an innate set of masonry skills to each and every masonry project they complete - large or small.

Their inherant understanding of the masonry tools required to lay flagstone, build retaining walls, and create masonry works of art is evident in every outdoor fireplace, enclosed kitchen, patio covering, retaining wall, and stone facade they touch. The results our stonemasons achieve are so impressive that we cannot find room for all the images we continually take!

When the Spaniards arrived in Mexico City they found a metropolis filled with massive stone courtyards, byways, edifices, and artwork. Many of the masonry techniques used to build this great city emulated the free-standing stonemasonry methodologies common to ancient Mesopotamian cultures dating back to 1800 BCE and beyond. (Click on slideshow to view full size images).

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Once they had conquered this region, the Spaniards enlisted the aid of its cultured masons to erect cathedrals and government buildings in their newly-annexed country. These masons were already adept at adobe, stucco and free standing masonry, and now they would add to their skillset the stone and mortar masonry prevalent in European countries. It is important to note that many of Mexico's newly-erected buildings were built on the sites of Ancient Mexican architecture using Mayan stones. (Click on slideshow to view full size images).

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