The Spanish established a small settlement south of the Rio Grande in present-day Mexico, and some Spanish colonists settled on the north side of the Rio Grande as early as the 18th century.
The United States acquired the territory following the Mexican War and, after the American Civil War, Paula Losoya Taylor in1862 was the first Anglo-American to build a hacienda in the area.[4]
San Felipe Springs, about 8mi (13km) east of the Rio Grande on the U.S. side of the border, has historically produced 90×10^6USgal (340,000m3) of water a day. This was critical to the arid region. Developers acquired several thousand acres of land adjacent to the springs, and to San Felipe Creek formed by the springs, from the state of Texas in exchange for building a canal system to irrigate the area.
The developers sold tracts of land surrounding the canals to recover their investment and show a profit. The initial investors (William C. Adams, Joseph M. Hudson, John P. Grove, Donald Jackson, John Perry, Joseph Ney, Randolph Pafford, A. O. Strickland, and James H Taylor) formed the San Felipe Agricultural, Manufacturing, and Irrigation Company in 1868. The organization completed construction of a network of irrigation canals in 1871 to support agriculture. Residents referred to the slowly developing town as San Felipe Del Rio. Local lore among the Tejanos said the name came from early Spanish explorers, who offered a mass at the site on St. Philip's Day, 1635.
In 1883, local residents requested a post office be established. The United States Postal Department shortened "San Felipe del Rio" to "Del Rio" to avoid confusion with San Felipe de Austin. In 1885, Val Verde County was organized and Del Rio was designated as the county seat. The City of Del Rio was incorporated on November 15, 1911.
The San Felipe community was started by the Arteaga family. Arteaga Street and Arteaga Park are named after them. Together the communities are still part of a rural region.
Ranchers and farmers recruited Mexican workers during the early decades of the 20th century, especially during World War II, when so many American men were at war. After the war, the government withdrew visas and deported workers, including some who were citizens, as well as children born here.
Like many border communities, Del Rio has been affected in the early 21st century by migrants arriving from Mexico, Central and South America. Migrants from the Caribbean have also crossed the border here.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52.3km2 (20.2sqmi), of which 52.2km2 (20.2sqmi) are land and 0.1km2 (0.039sqmi), or 0.24%, is covered by water.[6]
Del Rio lies on the northwestern edges of the Tamaulipan mezquital, also called the South Texas brush country. It is also near the southwestern corner of the Edwards Plateau, which is the western fringe of the famous, oak savanna-covered Texas Hill Country; that area is dotted with numerous small springs; one of these is the San Felipe Springs, which provides a constant flow of water to San Felipe Creek. The creek supplied fresh water for drinking and irrigation to early settlers of Del Rio, and the springs are still the town's water supply.
The Del Rio region, to just west of the Pecos River, has a mix of desert shrub and steppe vegetation depending on soil type, with the gray-leafed cenizo (Leucophyllum spp.), several different acacias, cacti, and grama grasses dominant members of local flora. The terrain is mostly level, but some areas are dissected with substantial canyons and drainages, though none of the upland areas are elevated enough to be considered mountains.
Climate
Del Rio experiences a hot semi-arid climate (KöppenBSh) with mild winters and hot, humid summers. High dewpoint temperatures occur during much of the warmer months, due to the terrain and prevailing surface winds from the southeast. In the spring and fall seasons, severe thunderstorms often build on the Serranías del Burro to the distant west of Del Rio, occasionally affecting Del Rio and uplands to the north. This occurs due to the uplift of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico which is channeled along the Rio Grande, combined with intense heating of lowland areas or frontal and dryline activity.[7] Temperatures peak in late summer and then quickly drop during autumn.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 34,673 people, 12,300 households, and 8,898 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census[12] of 2000, 33,867 people, 10,778 households, and 8,514 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,194.0 inhabitants per square mile (847.1/km2). The 11,895 housing units averaged a density of 770.6 per square mile (297.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 73.05% White American, 7.21% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 17.79% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 81.04% of the population.
Of the 10,778 households, 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were not families. About 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.56.
In the city, the population was distributed as 31.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,387, and for a family was $30,788. Males had a median income of $27,255 versus $17,460 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,199. About 22.9% of families and 27.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.8% of those under age 18 and 26.4% of those age 65 or over.
Micropolitan area
Del Rio is the principal city of the Del Rio micropolitan statistical area, which includes all of Val Verde County;[13] the micropolitan area had an estimated population over 50,000 in 2007.[14] Located across from Del Rio, in the Mexican state of Coahuila, is the city of Ciudad Acuña, with a city population of 201,161.
Economy
Laughlin Air Force Base
In 1942, the Army Air Corps opened Laughlin Field 9mi (14km) east of Del Rio, as a training base for the Martin B-26, but the base was deactivated in 1945. As the Cold War pressures built, along with new border-control issues, Laughlin Field was rebuilt and renamed Laughlin Air Force Base and was again used as a home for flight training. Laughlin plays a large part in the Del Rio community as the area's largest employer. Today Laughlin Air Force Base is the largest pilot training base in the Air Force.
Val Verde Correctional Facility
The GEO Group, a private correctional facility corporation based in Boca Raton, Florida, manages the Val Verde Correctional Facility in Del Rio. It has a contract to house offenders for the county, for the U.S. Marshals Service (male/female) prisoners, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection detainees. The facility opened in 2001 with 688 beds. In 2007, the facility was expanded to its current capacity of 1,400 beds. It is one of the major employers in the Del Rio area and meets standards required by state and federal guidelines.
Arts and culture
Some of the earliest surviving cultural artefacts in the region are various pictographs found in local caverns in and near the town. Some of these pictographs date back 4,200 years, when the people of precontact cultures in the region created pictographs in the caverns of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands Archeological District, a proposed National Historic Landmark.[15]:1 The pictographs are preserved in part by the Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center, a local group that documents the pictographs, and creates educational material about them.[16]
The Whitehead Memorial Museum carries on the history of the culture created in Del Rio. It also includes mementos of Judge Roy Bean.
The Laughlin Heritage Museum Foundation educates the public about the importance of air power in sustaining the national security of the United States, and to preserve the heritage of Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
Del Rio is home to the oldest continuously running winery in Texas, the Val Verde Winery. The winery was established in 1883 by Italian immigrant Frank Qualia. He brought with him his family tradition of winemaking. Today, the winery is operated by third-generation vintner Thomas Qualia.
Brown Plaza in Del Rio
A cultural melting pot, Del Rio is home to people of a mix of ethnic and racial backgrounds, including Hispanic, Black Seminole, Mestizo, and Tejano.
The Upstagers have been performing award-winning live theater in Del Rio since 1977.
The Casa de la Cultural is a non-profit organization that has provided community-focused outlets for the youth and adults in Del Rio for over 40 years. It offers a revolving variety of classes based on the educational and cultural needs of the community, such as: Ballet Folklorico, Guitar, Singing, Knitting, Pottery, Art Camps, Latino Aerobics and Literacy classes. In the early 2000s, the Casa de la Cultura began Noches Musicales, a live summer music festival with food vendors and live music. The Casa de la Cultura celebrated their 14th annual Live Music Festival in June 2021.
The Del Rio Council for the Arts provides affordable arts and education and entertainment to the community and its surrounding areas.
Paul Poag Theatre
Del Rio is home to the annual event of the George Paul Memorial Bullriding, which is the oldest such stand-alone event in the world.[17]
Some of the most notable celebrations in the community include: Cinco de Mayo, the July 4th Independence Day City-Wide Celebration, 16 de Septiembre, Fiesta de Amistad, and the Fiesta of Flight Air Show. Del Rio held its first ever Pride event in June 2019.
In 2020, The 830 Times, a local news website covering Del Río and the wider region of Southwest Texas, launched its print and online newspaper. It is published weekly.
Radio
There are multiple radio stations licensed to the area in and around Del Rio including, KDLK-FM, KTDR, KVFE, KWMC, KDRN, KTPD, KDLI.
In 2014, KVFE, a Christian station owned by Inspiracom, was launched to fill one of the ministry's remaining gaps on the US–Mexico border.[28]
In 2020, The 830 Times launched. It is a local news website covering Del Rio and the wider region of Southwest Texas. [30]
Infrastructure
Transportation
Del Rio International Airport (FlyDRT) serves the city and surrounding area. American Airlines has operated flights twice daily between Del Rio and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in the past. The route is currently served by two cargo airlines. On January 5, 2023, the City of Del Rio announced that American Airlines will terminate service to DRT effective April 3, 2023, leaving Del Rio without scheduled air passenger service.
Transportation services to the citizens of Del Rio is provided by the City of Del Río Transportation Department.
Amtrak provides passenger rail service to Del Rio station through its combined Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle service. Trains serve the station thrice-weekly in each direction, with direct service to Los Angeles, San Antonio, New Orleans, Chicago, and points in between.
Texas State Highway Loop 79 in Val Verde County and Del Rio, known as a Super Two Loop, opened for traffic in mid-May 2012. It connects with U.S. Route 90, U.S. Route 277, and U.S. Route 377; Loop 79 is part of the Ports to Plain Corridor Infrastructure and the future Interstate 27 that extends from Laredo to Denver, Colorado.
Jay Kerr (born 1948), actor who has appeared in various movies and television series, including his role as Con Madigan in the Australian series Five Mile Creek
Rincon del Diablo: The section where Barron St. meets Magnolia Street.
Barrio Chihuahua: In the southern part of the city, this neighborhood, named after the Chihuahua Soccer Field, is located between West Gibbs to the north, Texas State Spur 29 to the west, Garfield Ave., West Garfield to the southeast, and S. Ave F to the far east.
Buena Vista: Located near Buena Vista Park. Lake Amistad and North Del Rio are located past the Buena Vista area.
Cienegas Terraces: Outside the city limits, it is home to the "Duck Pond" and various ranches, on the west side of the city.
Eastside: Named by locals after the school on the corner of Bedell & 7th Street, the neighborhood is also home to Star Park. Surrounded by Veterans Boulevard to the west and E. Gibbs to the south, the neighborhood is home to the Val Verde Regional Medical Center.
San Felipe: The original neighborhood in Del Rio, the city originally got its name from it as in "San Felipe del rio", south of Barrio Chihuahua and the Northside. Home of the San Felipe Creek.
Qualia: Home to Val Verde Winery, the oldest operating winery in Texas.[33] Next door to the San Felipe neighborhood. Residents living within the Qualia area reference the neighborhood as "the one by the Winery," Many historical markers are located within the vicinity.
Westside: Home to Del Rio International Airport, the neighborhood is surrounded to the north by W. 15th, 18th, and 17th Streets, to the east by Veterans Blvd., and to the south by W. Gibbs bordering Chihuahua.
Comalia: A neighborhood isolated by the Woodlawn cemetery and a bridge that leads to the U.S.-Mexico border crossing, it can be found by traveling down W. 2nd Street.
Notes
↑ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
↑ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[11]
Related Research Articles
Val Verde County is a county located on the southern Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population is 47,586. Its county seat is Del Rio. The Del Rio micropolitan statistical area includes all of Val Verde County.
Kinney County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,129. Its county seat is Brackettville. The county was created in 1850 and later organized in 1874. It is named for Henry Lawrence Kinney, an early settler.
Hidalgo County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat is Edinburg and the largest city is McAllen. The county is named for Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who raised the call for Mexico's independence from Spain. It is located in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 870,781, making it the ninth-most populous county in Texas, and the most populous county outside of the counties in the Texas Triangle. Hidalgo County is designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission metropolitan statistical area, which itself is part of the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission-Rio Grande City, Texas combined statistical area with neighboring Starr County.
Sandoval County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 148,834, making it the fourth-most populous county in New Mexico. The county seat is Bernalillo.
Alamo, located in the Rio Grande Valley in what is nicknamed the "Land of Two Summers", is a city in the irrigated area of southern Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Known as the "Refuge to the Valley", it is located in an area of abundant vegetable farming and citrus groves, and is a noted winter resort/retirement town near the Mexico–U.S. border. Alamo is one of the Rio Grande Valley's gateways to Mexico, via U.S. Route 281 and Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas, as well as a gateway to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Alamo's population was 19,493 at the 2020 census.
Donna is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. Donna is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas. The population was 16,797 at the 2020 census.
San Juan is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 35,294, an increase over the figure of 33,856 tabulated in 2010. It is part of the McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and Reynosa–McAllen metropolitan areas.
Ciudad Acuña, also known simply as Acuña, is a city located in the Mexican state of Coahuila, at 29°19′27″N100°55′54″W and a mean height above sea level of 271 m (889 ft). It stands on the Rio Grande, which marks the U.S.-Mexico border, and offers two border crossings via Lake Amistad Dam International Crossing and Del Río-Ciudad Acuña International Bridge with the neighboring city of Del Rio in the U.S. state of Texas. It serves as the municipal seat of the surrounding municipality of Acuña. The 2017 estimated city population was 201,778, whereas the municipality's population was 214,616. The city is the fourth-largest in the state of Coahuila and the fastest-growing city in Mexico. The area is served by the Ciudad Acuña International Airport.
Saint Philip, São Filipe, or San Felipe may refer to:
The Lower Rio Grande Valley, commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of Texas and Mexico located in a floodplain of the Rio Grande near its mouth. The region includes the southernmost tip of South Texas and a portion of northern Tamaulipas, Mexico. It consists of the Brownsville, Harlingen, Weslaco, Donna, Pharr, McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, San Juan, and Rio Grande City metropolitan areas in the United States and the Matamoros, Río Bravo, and Reynosa metropolitan areas in Mexico. The area is generally bilingual in English and Spanish, with a fair amount of Spanglish due to the region's diverse history and transborder agglomerations. It is home to some of the poorest cities in the nation, as well as many unincorporated, persistent poverty communities called colonias. A large seasonal influx occurs of "winter Texans" — people who come down from the north for the winter and then return north before summer arrives.
Del Rio International Airport is two miles northwest of Del Rio, in Val Verde County, Texas, United States. It is used for general aviation, and, being near Laughlin Air Force Base, it is often used by USAF students during training flights.
San Felipe-Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District (SFDR-CISD) is a school district based in Del Rio, Texas (USA).
Jiménez is one of the 38 municipalities of Coahuila, in north-eastern Mexico. The municipal seat lies at Jiménez. The municipality covers an area of 3040.9 km2 and is located on the international border between Mexico and the USA, here formed by the Río Bravo del Norte, adjacent to the U.S. state of Texas.
Val Verde County Airport is a former airport, located in Del Rio, Texas. Airport operations ended in 1959. Today the former airport is a residential site.
Reynosa–McAllen, also known as McAllen–Reynosa, or simply as Borderplex, is one of the six international conurbations along the Mexico–U.S border. The city of Reynosa is situated in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, while the city of McAllen is located in the American state of Texas, directly north across the bank of the Rio Grande. This area has a population of roughly 1,500,000, making it the largest and most populous in the state of Tamaulipas, and third most populous on the US–Mexico border.
Devils River State Natural Area is a 37,000-acre (15,000 ha) section of three ecosystems, the Edwards Plateau, the Tamaulipan mezquital and the Chihuahuan Desert. It is located 66 miles (106 km) north of Del Rio, Val Verde County in the U.S. state of Texas. In 1857, future Confederate General John Bell Hood and a small U.S. Cavalry force skirmished with a group of Comanche braves along the banks of the Devil's River. In 1873, Texas Ranger Captain Pat Dolan had a skirmish with Native Americans, at the falls named for him. Dolan Falls in the natural area is the highest volume waterfall in Texas. The area was once home to the Comanche, Kiowa and Kickapoo tribes. Pictographs painted with red panthers are found in the area's fifty-three rock shelters, which archeologists have dated to 3000 b.c.. The "Buffalo dancer" pictograph depicts a Native American.
Paula Losoya Taylor was one of the founders of San Felipe Del Rio in Texas. Her hacienda in Del Rio became a major employer in the region, for workers in farming and ranching.
KVFE is a radio station broadcasting a Christian format. It is licensed to Del Rio, Texas. The station is currently owned by World Radio Network, Inc.
↑ "About Us". shumla.org. Shumla Archaeological Research and Education Center. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
