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Over 90 years of history lined the walls of Saint Peter’s Novitiate at La Lomita Ranch in Mission. Now most of that history is lying on the ground.

"It just made your heart sink," Bob Dyer, board member for San Juan Diego Academy, said. 

The little grass that can be seen under the ruble is still scorched from a fire that engulfed the building back in 2009.

Some of the structure was saved but the Diocese of Brownsville made a decision to tear it down.

Before anyone could stop the demolition the building came down and all that was left was the façade.

"We probably could've rebuilt the whole thing,” Dyer said. “It wasn't necessary to be tearing this thing down."

But Dyer and many other volunteers are trying to save what little piece of history that can---one brick at a time.

Volunteers will now spend their weekends picking up and cleaning off each and every one of the handmade bricks lying near the property.  

"We're just picking it up and knocking off the old martyr and stacking it on these palettes," Dyer said. 

Dyer said the bricks will be used to rebuild the two towers and keep some history at La Lomita.

"These are handmade bricks that were made in the 1900's,” Dyer explained. “Those bricks are not replaceable. If we want to rebuild these towers we will have to get enough bricks from the ruble."

Dyer said it will be a huge undertaking, but they have already been able to collect over 10,000 whole bricks from the rubble.