Historic Rio Grande City

Rio Grande City, perhaps one of the oldest settlements in South Texas, stands on lands once settled by Spanish colonizer José de Escandón in 1749 and formed part of the ranching community of Rancho Carnestolendas, established in 1753 by Don Jose Antonio De La Garza Falcon. During the 1830's the ranch was owned by Don Francisco De La Garza Martinez, a direct descendant of Garza Falcon. In 1846 Henry Clay Davis, a Kentuckian who came to the area as a volunteer with the Texas Forces, married Maria Hilaria De La Garza, the daughter of Don Francisco de la Garza Martinez, and as a condition of the marriage was instructed to settle on the north side of the river to oversee ranch operations. Two years later Davis designed the town as a river port with broad streets modeled after Austin, Texas. Fort Ringgold was established in 1848, helping assure the town’s growth and permanence, and the first post office followed in 1849. During the 19th century Rio Grande City maintained an active passenger and cargo ship trade with New Orleans and flourished as a cattle center. Border disputes and racial tensions also shaped its history, contributing to incidents including the Juan Cortina battle of 1859 in Rio Grande City, the Rio Grande City Riot of 1888 between the Mexican population and the Anglo-controlled sheriff’s office, and an 1899 episode in which members of the black Ninth United States Cavalry fired toward the town amid reports of a civilian attack on the garrison.

Rio Grande City, Texas · United States