Rio Grande City, Texas

Name: Rio Grande City, Texas
Address: Rio Grande City, TX

Everything Rio Grande City is known for

2 songs mention this city 5 artists from here

RoadyGoat plays music like this when you drive through Rio Grande City. It's free on iPhone, and full songs play through Apple Music.

Rio Grande City, Texas, located in the Rio Grande Valley, is a community with a notable connection to music. While not widely known as a music hub, it is home to several artists and is mentioned in various songs. Latin music artists like Los Buenos and Agustin Ramirez hail from Rio Grande City. The city is also referenced in songs such as "leavin' texas" by Jerry Jeff Walker.

The musical ties of Rio Grande City reflect its position within the broader Rio Grande Valley, a region recognized for its rich Tejano and Conjunto music roots. These genres, influenced by Mexican and European traditions, are a significant part of the area's cultural identity.

Music in Rio Grande City

Songs About Rio Grande City

heard it all before

bob wayne

19%

leavin' texas

jerry jeff walker

10%

Artists From Rio Grande City

Carlos Leal y Su Fara Fara Time

Rivers & Roads in Song near Rio Grande City

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Rio Grande City.

Rio Grande / Río Bravo 162 songs Rio Grande / Río Bravo 249 songs

Musical Heritage

Jose 'Pepe' Maldonado RoadyGoat

Pepe Maldonado picked cotton in the fields around Rio Grande City before he was old enough to know it wasn't his future. At thirteen he decided he'd be an artist instead — and then he taught himself accordion, bass, and bajo sexto, all three. Through the fifties and sixties he worked the Valley playing "El Troquero" and "Amorcito Consentido," and in 1967 a song called "Al Pie de un Crucifijo" carried his name all the way to New York. By the seventies he'd built his own label, Del Sur Records, and a studio called El Rancho Sound, where conjunto groups drove up from Monterrey and Reynosa to cut records. Lydia Mendoza herself made an album there. Eighty-three years old, and the Valley still runs right through his hands.

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History of Rio Grande City

Rio Grande City, TX RoadyGoat

Rio Grande City sits a little higher than you might expect for a border town, just above the river's usual level. That elevation, combined with its location right on the Rio Grande, helped make it a vital trading post early on. Riverboats were common, bringing goods and people, shaping the town's destiny. That history is still palpable. Names like La Borde House hint at the area's heritage. Some even say a treasure is buried somewhere nearby, a relic of those river trading days. The culture here is deeply rooted in the traditions of the people who settled this land. Spanish was, and in many ways still is, the language of daily life. While English has become more prevalent, especially with younger generations, you'll still hear the lilting cadences of Spanish conversations everywhere. The music, too, tells a story. Even in the food, you can taste the past – generations of families passing down recipes that blend Mexican and American influences. Agriculture and ranching remain central, tying people to the land and its history in a very real way. The strong sense of community here is a testament to those enduring bonds.

Rio Grande City, TX RoadyGoat

Rio Grande City sits a little higher than you might expect, a hundred and seventy-seven feet above sea level. That elevation, combined with its position right on the river, made it a natural hub. You can almost picture the steamboats unloading goods, the air thick with the sounds of commerce and the promise of opportunity. The land around here is rich, too, and even now you see family farms stretching out, a testament to generations of hard work and deep roots in the soil. Of course, a place like this breeds characters.

Rio Grande City, TX RoadyGoat

Rio Grande City was founded in 1848 by Henry Clay Davis, who divided the land into plots to be sold. The city's strategic location on the Rio Grande made it a significant hub of trade between Texas and Mexico until the Texas Mexican Railroad opened up in 1883. Its founding is deeply intertwined with the history of the Mexican-American War and the subsequent development of the area post-war.

De Escandon, Jose

1748

In memory of the greatest colonizer of northern Mexico Jose de Escandon; who executed exploration from Tampico to the San Antonio River; laid out 23 towns, most of which still exist. Founded missions, opened roads, and established settlers. Conferred in recognition of his services to the crown of Spain, the title of El Conde de la Sierra Gorda.

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Fort Ringgold

1848

Fort Ringgold, the southernmost installation of the western tier of forts constructed at the end of the Mexican War , stood guard for nearly a century over the Rio Grande and Rio Grande City. On October 26, 1848, Bvt. Maj. Joseph H. LaMotte led two companies of the First United States Infantry to Davis Landing, near the newly established Rio Grande City in Starr County. The army leased thirty-three acres from Henry Clay Davis , the town founder, whose heirs sold 350 acres to the government for $20,000 in 1878. Known initially as the Post at Davis Landing, the fort bore the names Camp Ringgold and Ringgold Barracks before being named Fort Ringgold in the year of the purchase. The name was in honor of Bvt. Maj. Samuel Ringgold, the first United States Army officer to die from wounds received in the battle of Palo Alto (May 8, 1846); he died on May 11. The military chose the site to protect the area from Indian and Mexican attacks. The ninety-six-year occupancy of the post was marked by several interruptions, at times when the government considered it redundant, followed by regarrisoning when the region was threatened. Major periods of occupation were from 1848 until the Civil War intervened in 1861; from 1865 until military exigencies in the Philippines closed it in 1906; and from 1917 to 1944. The army declared the fort surplus and disposed of the property in 1944. The installation was of flimsy construction until after the Civil War. Construction began on a new post in 1869 at the same location, and by the mid-1870s it took on a permanent look with the erection of frame and brick structures along a palm-lined parade ground. Ringgold was one of the most attractive posts along the border. Congress appropriated additional funds for improvements in 1917. In the nineteenth century Ringgold hosted a number of prominent military figures, including Robert E. Lee , John J. Pershing , and possibly Jefferson Davis . In 1875 Capt. Leander H. McNelly and a contingent of Texas Rangers garrisoned the post. Fort Ringgold assured permanence for the isolated Rio Grande City and socially and economically affected the life of the community while it safeguarded the citizenry from border violence. The post housed the area's first telegraph office, fueled the local economy through federal appropriations, and waged protracted warfare on smugglers, rustlers, and insurrectionists who ravaged the region. The Cortina War and the unrest along the border during the Mexican Revolution particularly emphasized the importance of the garrison. Ringgold troops under the command of Maj. Samuel P. Heintzelman ended the threat of the former by joining forces with John Salmon Ford and the Texas Rangers to rid the area of Juan N. Cortina in 1860. The most serious rift between Fort Ringgold and Rio Grande City occurred in 1899 when Troop D of the Ninth United States Cavalry briefly garrisoned the installation. The Black troops, returning triumphantly from the Cuban campaign, quickly grew impatient at racial restrictions and harassment. Tensions heightened amid conflicting reports of impending attacks on the fort and town. On the night of November 20 post commander 2d Lt. E. H. Rubottom responded to a presumed assault on the garrison by ordering Gatling gunfire on the area between the post and town. Only one minor injury resulted, but Rubottom's action succeeded in quelling the disturbance. Ensuing federal, state, and grand jury investigations failed to specify culpability or motivation, although many townspeople and other Texans insisted that soldiers feigned an attack on the fort in order to wreak havoc on the community. Lt. Col. Cyrus S. Roberts of the United States Army and Thomas Scurry , adjutant general of Texas, concluded that Rubottom had acted unwisely but recommended no charges against him or others. Governor Joseph Sayers favored the locals' demand that the Ninth Cavalry be moved, and the residents requested that a White garrison be retained. In 1909 the re

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Garcia, Manuel Marius

1894

Manuel M. García, educator, rancher, and philanthropist, the son of Sixto and Dolores (Ramírez) García, was born on June 17, 1872, at Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The family owned land near Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas, where García spent much of his early life. He was attended the Anglo-Mexican School, a private school in San Diego, Texas, and returned to Rio Grande City upon completion of his studies. In 1888 he enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin, where he studied classics and was a member of the Rusk Society, of which he was president in 1893. He was also editor of the annual, the Cactus (1894), and a writer for Business Manager Magazine . In 1894 García became the first Mexican American to graduate from the University of Texas, when he received his bachelor of arts degree. After graduation he taught modern languages and English at San Antonio Academy for Boys from 1894 to 1898, when he completed his master's degree at UT. He then returned to Starr County, where he served as notary public and principal of School No. 22 from 1898 to 1902. He returned to the academy in 1902 and taught there until 1904. García then served as supervisor of the Spanish department of the San Antonio public schools from 1904 to 1912. He and his wife, Carmen Lassaulx de García, moved to Laredo in 1917 with his father and brother, Sixto García, Jr. There they founded the Merchants' Bank and Trust Company, where García was assistant cashier. His wealth came from his cattle business and real estate holdings in and around Laredo and Rio Grande City. He was active in civic organizations and served as the president of the University of Texas Ex-Students Club in Laredo in 1948. That year he donated a $60,000 building to the Laredo Post of the VFW and was elected the Laredo Times Man of the Year. In 1949 García, his wife, and a granddaughter vacationed in Europe and were featured in a Life story upon their return. García died in Temple on January 9, 1950.

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Harrell, William George

1945

World War II Medal of Honor recipient William George Harrell was born on June 26, 1922, in Rio Grande City, Texas, to Roy E. and Hazel Marion (Culver) Harrell. His father served in the cavalry in World War I , worked as a ranch hand, and patrolled the Mexican border as an employee of the Bureau of Immigration. After the death of Roy Harrell in 1931, Hazel Harrell was left to support William, his older brother Dick, and his sister Virginia. As a youngster, Harrell attended school in Rio Grande City and in Mercedes. In junior high school, he was a member of the Boy Scouts. Like his father, Harrell developed a love for horses. He also enjoyed camping and hunting and spent much of his time boating at a local lake. He worked in the summer at various jobs including a stint on a ranch. In 1939 Harrell graduated from Mercedes High School and enrolled at Texas A&M University. In September 1939 Harrell arrived at Texas A&M and remained there for four semesters. With an interest in the scientific breeding of horses and cattle, he selected animal husbandry as his field of study and selected the cavalry as his military science requirement. An aunt provided some financial support, but Harrell understood that he had to finance his own way. After two years in College Station, he decided to seek employment in order to pay for his the rest of his education. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he sought to join the military. After being rejected twice by the United States Army Air Corps due to color blindness and once by the United States Navy, Harrell enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in July 1942. He took basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and received training as an armorer at Camp Elliott. After completing the basic rocket course, Harrell was assigned to Company A, Twenty-eighth Marine Regiment, Fifth Marine Division in early 1943. After additional training in Hawaii and then Saipan, Sergeant Harrell hit the beach on Iwo Jima with the Twenty-eighth in the early hours of February 19, 1945. The Fifth Division was ordered to the southern part of the island facing Mount Suribachi. The marines had taken Mount Suribachi and one of the two airfields by February 24. In the early morning of March 3, Harrell and fellow Texan PFC Andrew J. Carter of Paducah manned a foxhole in a perimeter defense about twenty yards in front of the company command post. At about 5:00 A.M., the enemy attacked. Carter shot first and killed four Japanese moving toward him. Sergeant Harrell rapidly fired his carbine and killed two Japanese that had emerged from a ravine. After Carter’s rifle jammed, Harrell ordered him to the rear to secure another one. Fighting alone and ignoring the dangers of enemy grenades landing near him, Harrell fought the Japanese and took enemy fire that shot off his left hand and fractured his thigh. After securing a rifle, Carter returned to aid Harrell. Unable to reload his rifle, Harrell drew a pistol with his right hand to kill a Japanese officer who slashed Carter’s hand with a samurai sword. Convinced his comrade might bleed to death, Harrell ordered him to the command post. Although exhausted and injured, Harrell found the strength to kill two more Japanese charging him; one with pistol fire and the other with a grenade that exploded and tore off his (Harrell’s) right hand. After the fighting, medics found Harrell and twelve dead Japanese by him. Harrell’s commander called the position the “two-man Alamo.” For their heroics, Harrell received the Medal of Honor, and Carter received the Navy Cross. First treated for his wounds at the Army Hospital Station on Iwo Jima, Harrell was later moved to a U.S. Naval hospital at Pearl Harbor and then to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Mare Island, California. While undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at the Mare Island Hospital, Harrell met Larena Anderson, a clerical worker at the local naval base. They married on February 16, 1946. Their son William Carter wa

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Rio Grande City - Fort Ringgold

1848

Border military post where Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant both served before the Civil War. Former steamboat port on the Rio Grande.

Historical Marker →

Rio Grande City, C.S.A.

1863

An official Confederate port of entry, customhouse and major terminus of the cotton road to Mexico. Cotton was the one great money crop of the South that could be sold to hungry European mills for cash for necessary arms, munitions, drugs that had to come from Europe. International ports on the Rio Grande were the South's frail lifelines, its last resource in a war with an industrialized North that manufactured for its self what the South had to import. Cotton arrived at this booming border town on wagons and oxcarts after a hot and dusty trip. It was then ferried across the river and delivered to the neutral ships anchored in the Gulf. Teamsters loaded vital leather goods, clothing, blankets, guns, ammunition and medical supplies for the return trip. Troops from nearby Fort Ringgold guarded the wagon trains and town from bandit raids. In November 1863 Federal forces captured Brownsville and the 1st Texas Union Cavalry advanced up river, captured and occupied this town, seizing the cotton awaiting entry. Rio Grande City was reoccupied in May 1864 and used as a supply and reserve base for the recapture of Brownsville. There was constant danger here from raids by Mexican guerrillas paid by enemy agents to make trouble in Texas. Draft evaders, Union sympathizers and those wanting to avoid conflicts of war tried to cross the river here. In an arrangement with Mexican officials, Confederates both required and checked passports to curb desertions and smuggling.

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Everything Near Rio Grande City

99 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

Rio Grande City, TX
Rio Grande City sits a little higher than you might expect for a border town, just above the river's usual level. That elevation, combined with its location right on the Rio Grande, helped make it a vital trading post…
Jose 'Pepe' Maldonado
Pepe Maldonado picked cotton in the fields around Rio Grande City before he was old enough to know it wasn't his future. At thirteen he decided he'd be an artist instead — and then he taught himself accordion, bass, and…
De Escandon, Jose · Historical Marker
In memory of the greatest colonizer of northern Mexico Jose de Escandon; who executed exploration from Tampico to the San Antonio River; laid out 23 towns, most of which still exist. Founded missions, opened roads, and…
Fort Ringgold · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
Fort Ringgold, the southernmost installation of the western tier of forts constructed at the end of the Mexican War , stood guard for nearly a century over the Rio Grande and Rio Grande City. On October 26, 1848, Bvt.…
Garcia, Manuel Marius · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
Manuel M. García, educator, rancher, and philanthropist, the son of Sixto and Dolores (Ramírez) García, was born on June 17, 1872, at Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The family owned land near Rio Grande City, Starr…
Harrell, William George · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
World War II Medal of Honor recipient William George Harrell was born on June 26, 1922, in Rio Grande City, Texas, to Roy E. and Hazel Marion (Culver) Harrell. His father served in the cavalry in World War I , worked as…
Headley, Alexander Manford · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Rio Grande City, Texas, where a Confederate surgeon named Alexander Headley became known as 'el doctor canoso,' the grey-haired doctor. After the Civil War, Headley settled in Camargo, Mexico, just…
Laborde House · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Rio Grande City, and right here is the LaBorde House, a Parisian-style mansion built in 1899 by French immigrant Francois LaBorde. Designed in Paris and finished by San Antonio architects, it was…
LaBorde, Francois · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Rio Grande City, a place that was home to one of its most flamboyant characters, Francois LaBorde. Born in France, LaBorde arrived here sometime around 1878, quickly becoming a prominent merchant…
Starr County Strike · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
Right here in Starr County, Texas, in 1966, you're driving through the heart of a major farmworker uprising. It started with Eugene Nelson, an organizer who arrived to help local melon pickers. He formed the Independent…
Welch, Stanley Osborne · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Rio Grande Valley, not far from Rio Grande City. Right here, in 1906, Judge Stanley Welch, a man known as the 'silver-tongued orator of Southwest Texas,' met a violent end. He was in town to…
Vera, Daria Arredondo · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Rio Grande Valley, and right here in Starr County, you're passing through the heart of a historic labor struggle. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1966</say-as>, Daria Arredondo Vera,…

Show all 99 nearby places

Davis, Henry Clay · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, and right here is where Henry Clay Davis, a man known as Clay, made his mark. Arriving in Texas in 1836, Davis was a soldier, a Texas Ranger, and…
Kelsey, John Peter · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, and right here, John Peter Kelsey was building his fortune. Born in New York, he landed in Galveston in 1839, constructing the city's first two-story house. But his ambition stretched…
Seabury, Francis William · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, right where Francis William Seabury made his mark. He arrived in Brownsville in 1890, a young lawyer from Virginia, and soon moved to Rio Grande City. There, he became county…
Padre Gustav Gollbach, O.M.I. · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Immaculate Conception Church in Rio Grande City, where Padre Gustav Gollbach served as pastor from 1924 to 1937. A German immigrant, he was ordained in 1906 and served churches across Texas. But…
The Rev. Gustav Gollbach, O.M.I. · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a remarkable spiritual landmark in the Rio Grande Valley. Father Gustav Gollbach, a German immigrant priest, arrived in Rio Grande City in 1924. Until 1937, he served as pastor here, and…
Rio Grande City, TX · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Rio Grande City, one of the oldest settlements in South Texas, right on the banks of the mighty Rio Grande. This place started life as the Carnestolendas Ranch back in 1762. But it was Henry Clay…
Haynes, John Leal · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, near the Rio Grande, where John Leal Haynes once called home. He wasn't just a local politician, serving as Starr County clerk and in the Texas House of Representatives. During the…
Perez, Lino, Sr. · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Rio Grande City, a place that owes a lot to Lino Perez Sr. He returned here around 1909 and, with family, formed the Rio Grande City Ice, Water, and Light Company in 1910. During World War I, he…
Rio Grande City Railway · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, and right here, the Rio Grande City Railway was once a key link. Planned initially as a federal measure during the 1916 border troubles to reach Fort Ringgold, construction stalled.…
Starr County · 0.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, a land shaped by Spanish dreams and Texas grit. Back in 1749, José de Escandón was tasked with colonizing this very region. Despite initial reports calling the land unsuitable,…
Rancho Davis, Old · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Rancho Davis, Old. Home of Henry Clay Davis, a Kentuckian; came to Texas in 1939. Served with Taylor's army in 1846. Married into the Garza family, pioneer settlers and large landowners in the…
Immaculate Conception School · 0.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Immaculate Conception School in Rio Grande City. In 1884, the Rev. R. M. Olivier asked the Sisters of the Incarnate Word to start a school here, and by 1885, three nuns were teaching…
Rio Grande City - Fort Ringgold · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
Border military post where Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant both served before the Civil War. Former steamboat port on the Rio Grande.
Rio Grande City, C.S.A. · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
An official Confederate port of entry, customhouse and major terminus of the cotton road to Mexico. Cotton was the one great money crop of the South that could be sold to hungry European mills for cash for necessary…
Bass, Howard L., Home · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the 1877 home of John Peter Kelsey, a Starr County judge and large landowner who arrived from New York in 1848. This house is built with lumber salvaged from a sunken steamboat, featuring mesquite…
Named for Dr. James Harper Starr · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Starr County, Texas. It was formed from Nueces County and officially organized back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1848</say-as>. The county is named for Dr. James Harper Starr, a…
Starr County · 0.2 mi · Historical Marker
Formed from Nueces County; created February 10, 1848; organized August 7, 1848. Named for Dr. James Harper Starr 1809-1890; pioneer Texas surgeon and Indian fighter, located at Nacogdoches in 1837; Secretary of the…
Site of Cortina Battle · 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a major showdown with the outlaw Juan Cortina. On December 27th, 1859, Cortina's band of 450 men were surprised at dawn. U.S. Army troops and Texas Rangers, recruited by John S. Ford,…
Old Rio Grande City Cemetery · 0.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Old Rio Grande City Cemetery, established around 1848. It's recognized as a Historic Texas Cemetery.
Fort Ringgold, C.S.A. · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Fort Ringgold, a crucial Confederate outpost during the Civil War. This fort was a vital link in a chain of posts defending the vast Texas frontier, coastline, and border against threats…
Old Ringgold Barracks Hospital · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Old Ringgold Barracks Hospital, a fortress of healing that stood guard for decades. Built in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1870</say-as> with unique Moorish architecture and…
Fort Ringgold · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Fort Ringgold, established back in October of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1848</say-as> as Ringgold Barracks. It was named for Major David Ringgold, who died from wounds…
Robert E. Lee House · 0.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a house that once overlooked the Rio Grande steamboat dock, a landscape that was once part of northern Mexico. This was no ordinary home; its main rooms were lined with military maps of…
Fort Ringgold: From Frontier Post to Public School · 1.0 mi
As you pass through the east side of town, look for the historic buildings of Fort Ringgold. What you’re seeing isn't just an old army base; it’s a piece of living history now used by the local school district.…
When Rio Grande City was a Port · 1.0 mi
It's hard to imagine now, looking at this quiet stretch of the Rio Grande, but for the better part of fifty years this town was a working steamboat port. A Kentuckian named Henry Clay Davis — a survivor of the Mier…
The Red and Blue Bosses of Starr County · 1.0 mi
The history of Rio Grande City was shaped by a political system straight out of a novel. For decades Starr County was run by jefes — bosses — and the dominant one was Manuel Guerra, who held this county from 1894 until…
The La Borde House: A French Merchant's Dream · 1.0 mi
If you get a chance to see the historic downtown, look for a striking two-story building with intricate brickwork and elegant verandas—the La Borde House. Built in the late 1890s, it looks like something out of the…
Trooper Eduardo Chavez Memorial Highway · 1.3 mi · Historical Marker
Honors TX DPS Trooper Eduardo Chavez, killed May 2, 2006, in a patrol-car crash on US-83 in Starr County while racing to back up his brother, fellow DPS Trooper Enrique Chavez.
Mission San Augustin de Laredo a Visita, Site of the · 2.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Mission San Augustin de Laredo, established way back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1749</say-as>. This wasn't just any mission; it was part of a massive colonization effort…
Las Lomas, TX · 3.1 mi
Las Lomas, a community in Starr County, Texas, has seen significant changes over the years. Once characterized by dilapidated shacks and unpaved streets, the area has been transforming. Emanuella Grinberg of CNN…
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Rio Grande City (Rio Grande City) · 3.9 mi
Rio Grande City (Rio Grande City, TX) placed on the 5A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Deandre Rodriguez (0.551 avg, 9 HR); Robert Rios (5 HR); Hiram Lopez (3 HR).
B and E Colonia, TX · 4.5 mi · Local history
B and E Colonia, Texas, occupies a unique position along the Rio Grande, not due to any natural harbor or mineral deposit, but largely as an economic and cultural byproduct of cross-border dynamics. Its origins trace…
La Puerta, TX · 5.4 mi
La Puerta, a small community in Starr County, Texas, has seen significant changes over the years. It first appeared as a census-designated place in the 2000 U.S. census with a population of 1,636. However, prior to the…
A City Born from the Colonias · 9.0 mi
The most important story about Escobares is how it came to be. Until 2005, this wasn't a city at all. It was a collection of 'colonias'—unincorporated, often impoverished communities common along the border. Residents…
Engineering a City from Scratch · 9.0 mi
When Escobares incorporated in 2005, it took on a job most towns finished a century ago. Strung along the river bluffs between Roma and Rio Grande City, this was a place that had grown up outside any city limits, which…
The Spanish King's Land Grant · 9.0 mi
Look at the landscape around you. The way the property lines run is a direct legacy of the Spanish Empire. In the mid-eighteenth century the land north of the Rio Grande in the Mier jurisdiction was handed out to José…
Escobares, TX · 9.0 mi
Once a census-designated place, Escobares transformed into a city in 2005, incorporating parts of Garceno, North Escobares CDPs, and additional areas. This pivotal moment marked a significant change, as the population…
San Jose de la Mulada Ranch · 9.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Starr County, heading past the historic San Jose de la Mulada Ranch. This spread started way back in 1767 when the king of Spain granted the land, Porcion 74, to Pedro Lugo. Just twenty years…
Loma Vista, TX · 10.2 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Zavala County, and right here is the site of Loma Vista. It started around 1874 when A.D. Everett and his family settled here, drawn by the good cattle ranching country. They named the community…
Nuevo Santander Land Grants · 10.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through the land once known as Nuevo Santander, established by the legendary José de Escandón. Between 1749 and 1755, he organized expeditions to settle this vast territory, founding towns and missions.…
El Sauz, TX (Starr County) · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, not far from Rio Grande City. Right here, in 1901, the legendary outlaw Gregorio Cortez met his end. Cortez had been on the run, a fugitive across South Texas, but his flight ended…
Garza Falcón, María Gertrudis de la · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through South Texas, a land of vast ranches and storied names. Right here, you're near the territory once controlled by María Gertrudis de la Garza Falcón. Born in 1734, she inherited a massive land…
Rio Grande-Falcon Thorn Woodland · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, along the Rio Grande, and you're passing through one of the last wild places in the United States. This is the Rio Grande-Falcon Thorn Woodland, a unique ecosystem that's home to…
Solis, Rosa [Mother Teresa Solis] · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving past Point Isabel, a small Texas town that became the unlikely starting point for a remarkable spiritual journey. Back in 1853, a twelve-year-old girl named Rosa Solis heard French nuns speaking about…
Roma-Los Saenz, TX · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
Roma-Los Saenz is a port of entry on U.S. Highway 83 and the Rio Grande, directly across from Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas, Mexico, in southwestern Starr County. Roma and Los Saenz are actually two adjoining…
Gonzáles, Margarita · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County right now, possibly near Rio Grande City. Imagine a woman named Margarita Gonzáles, who in 1767 was granted over 6,000 acres of land by the Spanish government. This massive tract,…
Hord, Edward R. · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Rio Grande Valley, a region that saw plenty of action back in the day. Edward R. Hord, a Virginia native, landed here in 1846 and jumped right into the Mexican War. But his real Texas story…
Garza, Gilberto A. · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, near Roma-Los Saenz, the birthplace of Gilberto A. Garza. Born in 1874, Garza became a significant Democratic party leader in this region. He served as chairman of the Starr County…
Garza, Higinio, Jr. · 11.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, near Roma-Los Saenz, where Higinio Garza, Jr. served as county judge for thirty years. That's right, thirty years, from 1914 to 1944. He was a key political figure in this area, an…
The Steamboat Capital of the Rio Grande · 11.6 mi
Imagine standing on the bluffs overlooking the Rio Grande in 1870. The air would be filled with the sound of steam whistles and the sight of tall-stacked paddlewheelers churning the muddy water. This was Roma's golden…
Roma, TX · 11.6 mi
The Roma National Historic Landmark District contains over 30 structures built before 1900, including the Customs House, the John Vale/Noah Cox House, the Leocadia Garcia House, Ramirez Hall, the Manuel Guerra Building,…
Hollywood on the Rio Grande: 'Viva Zapata!' · 11.6 mi
In 1951, the quiet town of Roma was transformed into a bustling movie set. Director Elia Kazan and a crew from 20th Century Fox arrived to film the epic 'Viva Zapata!', starring Marlon Brando as the Mexican…
The German Master Builder of Roma · 11.6 mi
As you explore Roma's historic downtown, pay close attention to the brickwork. The elegant designs you see are the legacy of one man: Heinrich Portscheller. A German who came from a family of builders, he deserted a…
Taming the Rio Grande: The Falcon Dam · 11.6 mi
Just upstream from Roma sits a massive work of engineering that forever changed the Rio Grande: Falcon Dam. Before the 1950s the river was wild, prone to devastating floods and unpredictable droughts that made…
Guerra, Manuel · 11.6 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, Texas, where for years, one man held absolute political power. Manuel Guerra, a banker and rancher, became the undisputed political boss of this county from 1894 until his death in…
Ramirez, Mario Efrain · 11.6 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, and right here in Roma, you're passing through the heart of a life dedicated to healing and service. Dr. Mario E. Ramirez returned to his hometown of Roma in 1950, becoming its only…
Peyote · 11.6 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Rio Grande Valley, right here near Roma, Texas, a place known for a unique cactus: Peyote. This small, spineless plant indigenous to this region has been used by Native Americans for…
Guerra, Gustavo A. · 11.6 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, Texas, where the Guerra family once held sway for decades. Right here in Roma, Gustavo Guerra was born in 1890. He went on to serve as Starr County sheriff for nearly thirty years,…
Roma-San Pedro International Bridge · 11.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're crossing the Rio Grande on the Roma-San Pedro International Bridge, built in 1928. Designed by George Cole and built by Joseph Erastus Pate, this is the only surviving suspension bridge constructed on the…
Roma - The Stone City on the Rio Grande · 12.1 mi · Historical Marker
Roma is the most architecturally significant town on the Texas border, and hardly anyone knows it exists. The Roma Historic District, on the bluffs above the Rio Grande in Starr County, contains some of the finest…
Roma-Los Saenz, TX · 12.2 mi
The Roma–Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge is a crucial crossing point along the Rio Grande, connecting Roma, Texas, with Ciudad Miguel Alemán in Mexico. This bridge is significant because it serves as a port of…
Alto Bonito, TX · 12.3 mi
Alto Bonito, Texas, a quiet community nestled in the Rio Grande Valley, has a surprising legacy of individuals who left their mark far beyond its dusty roads. It's not a place that shouts its history, but rather…
Heinrich Portscheller · 12.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Roma, where a German immigrant left his mark on the Rio Grande Valley. Heinrich Portscheller arrived after the Civil War, finding work in this bustling port town. He set up a brickyard, using family…
First Chapel in Roma · 12.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Roma, and right here you're passing the site of the First Chapel, built around 1840. This humble structure was a labor of love, constructed by volunteers using donated materials. For over a…
Guerra, Manuel, Store · 12.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Roma, and look to your right for a glimpse of early Texas commerce. This building, erected in 1884, was the store and residence of Manuel Guerra. What makes it special? It was designed by Heinrich…
Memorial Hospital · 12.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Roma, and this building you see has seen some serious history. It was built way back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1853</say-as> by E. R. Hord, a man who served both the Texas State…
Alto Bonito Colonia, TX · 12.4 mi · Local history
Alto Bonito Colonia, nestled along the Rio Grande, is a testament to the enduring power of citrus. This small community has long been defined by its vibrant orange and grapefruit groves, a tradition that took root in…
Ramirez Hall · 12.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Roma, and right here is Ramirez Hall. It was built in the late 1800s on land bought in 1872 by Lino Ramirez. Look for the incredible brickwork around the windows and doors – that was the signature…
Evergreen, TX (Titus County) · 12.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Titus County, not far from Mount Pleasant. Right here, between White Oak Creek and the Sulphur River, used to be a place called Evergreen. It started in the mid-1870s when Green Logan homesteaded…
Villareal, Bruno · 13.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the heart of South Texas, and right here, in La Grulla, a musical pioneer was born. Bruno Villareal, nicknamed 'El Azote del Valle,' was half blind but walked daily to play his accordion. In 1928,…
La Grulla, TX · 13.1 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Starr County, heading south towards the Rio Grande. Right here is La Grulla, a community with roots stretching back to the 1780s. Spanish pioneers, likely followers of José de Escandón, first…
Mier Expedition, The · 13.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Mier Expedition's fateful campsite. On December 21st, 1842, a group of Texans, fresh from being captured in Mexico, gathered here. Their fate was decided by a grim lottery: drawing…
Turning Thornscrub to Farmland · 13.3 mi
Look at the lush green fields surrounding La Grulla. They look natural, but they are actually a massive feat of engineering. This region, the Tamaulipan thornscrub, is naturally semi-arid. Without human intervention, it…
The King's Land Grants · 13.3 mi
The fields and property lines around La Grulla have a strange shape, and it goes back to how the Spanish crown settled this northern frontier of New Spain. Instead of square plots, the crown issued long, narrow…
Mission Mier a Visita · 14.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through South Texas, near Roma, and just off the road, you're passing the vicinity of Mission Mier a Visita. Established way back in 1750, this mission was part of Jose de Escandon's ambitious plan to…
Casa Blanca, TX · 14.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Jim Wells County, and right here, you're passing the site of Casa Blanca, the "White House" that was established way back in 1754. Captain Tomás Sánchez de la Barrera y Gallardo built this unique…
Trooper Eduardo Chavez Memorial Highway · 14.4 mi · Historical Marker
US Highway Eighty Three at the eastern edge of Starr County, running west from the Hidalgo County line, is named for Trooper Eduardo Chavez. On the second of May, two thousand six, Chavez was racing to back up his…
Buena Vista, TX (Shelby County) · 14.4 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Shelby County, and you might be passing near the site of a town that started life as Bucksnort. That's right, Bucksnort! It began forming in the early 1830s. Renamed Buena Vista in 1848 when it…
Sullivan City, TX · 17.5 mi
Sullivan City, a small town in Hidalgo County, Texas, has a rich history that dates back to 1908 when it was formally opened. Named after Captain Ed Sullivan, a World War veteran who owned a ranch in the area, the town…
A cattle stop on Sullivan's ranch · 17.7 mi
If you look for the railroad tracks running near the highway, you're looking at the reason there's a town here at all. This land was Ed W. Sullivan's ranch, out in the far southwestern corner of Hidalgo County right up…
Making the Desert Bloom with Engineering · 17.7 mi
As you look out at the green fields and citrus groves around Sullivan City, you might not realize you’re seeing a massive engineering project that’s over a century old. This area, the Rio Grande Valley, wasn’t always a…
A City Hall Shake-Up · 17.7 mi
Like any small town, Sullivan City has seen its share of local drama, but its hardest headline came from inside the police station. In the summer of 2010 federal agents walked into the Sullivan City police department…
Sullivan City, TX · 17.7 mi
After moving to be on the railroad line in 1912, Sullivan City’s future was secured. It was officially incorporated in 1911, cementing its status as a permanent community. For decades, its story was tied to the land. It…
Los Ebanos Ferry Crossing · 18.7 mi
You're cruising along the Rio Grande, and right here is the Los Ebanos Ferry crossing, a spot with history stretching back to the 1740s. Spanish explorers and colonists under Jose de Escandon first used this ancient…
Los Arrieros, TX · 18.7 mi · Tsha Handbook
Los Arrieros is on the Rio Grande off U.S. Highway 83 ten miles northwest of Roma-Los Saenz in western Starr County. It is an old Spanish-speaking community dating to the eighteenth century. The name is Spanish for mule…
Los Ebanos, TX · 18.7 mi
Los Ebanos sits just a breath above the Rio Grande, a subtle rise in the land that makes all the difference when the river swells. The soil here is rich, alluvial, built up over centuries by the river's patient work,…
Los Ebanos, TX · 19.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Los Ebanos, right on the banks of the Rio Grande. This area has been a crossing point for centuries, first for Spanish explorers in the 1740s. But during the Civil War, it wasn't just settlers…

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