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The Lower Rio Grande Valley ( es, Valle del Río Grande), commonly known as the Rio Grande Valley or locally as the Valley or RGV, is a region spanning the border of
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
and Mexico located in a
floodplain A floodplain or flood plain or bottomlands is an area of land adjacent to a river which stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls, and which experiences flooding during periods of high discharge.Goudi ...
of the
Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...
near its mouth. The region includes the southernmost tip of
South Texas South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 4.96 ...
and a portion of northern
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
, Mexico. It consists of the Brownsville, Harlingen, Weslaco,
Pharr Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 70,400, and in 2019, the estimated population was 79,112. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Pharr is ...
, McAllen, Edinburg, Mission,
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to: Places Argentina * San Juan Province, Argentina * San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province * San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province * San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
, 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 Spanglish (a portmanteau of the words "Spanish" and "English") is any language variety (such as a contact dialect, hybrid language, pidgin, or creole language) that results from conversationally combining Spanish and English. The term is m ...
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.


History


Pre-Spanish colonization

Native peoples lived in small tribes in the area before the Spanish conquest. The native tribes in South Texas were known to be hunter-gatherer peoples. The area was known for its smaller nomadic tribes collectively called Coahuiltecan. Native archaeological excavations near Brownsville have shown evidence of prehistoric shell trading.


Spanish colonization

Initially, the Spanish had a hard time conquering the area due to the differences in native languages, so they mainly focused on the coast of the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
also known as the Seno Mexicano. Also, a major conflict existed on who would conquer the region. Antonio Ladrón de Guevara wanted to colonize the region, but the Viceroy of New Spain José Tienda de Cuervo doubted Ladrón de Guevara's character, eventually leading to a royal Spanish declaration preventing Ladrón de Guevara from participating in colonization efforts. The first ''
villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became ...
s'' in the region were settled in Laredo and Reynosa in 1767. In 1805, the Spanish government solidified the autonomy of the region by defining the territory of Nuevo Santander as south of the colony of Tejas from the
Nueces River The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, about long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande. ''Nueces' ...
south to Tampico, Charcas, and Valles. The local government of the region had a rough start with various indigenous wars up until 1812. In 1821 after the
Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...
, the state was renamed
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
.


Republic of Texas and annexation by the United States

The Texas Revolution of 1835-1836 put the majority of what is now called the Rio Grande Valley under contested Texan sovereignty. The area also became a thoroughfare for runaway slaves fleeing to Mexico. In 1844, the United States under President James K. Polk annexed the Republic of Texas, against British and Mexican sentiments, contributing to the onset of the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the ...
. The area along the Rio Grande was the source of several major battles, including the
Battle of Resaca de la Palma The Battle of Resaca de la Palma was one of the early engagements of the Mexican–American War, where the United States Army under General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican ''Ejército del Norte'' ("Army of the No ...
near Brownsville. The war ended in 1848 with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which defined the United States' southern border as the Rio Grande. The change in government led to a mass migration from Tamaulipas to the United States side of the river. From the end of the Mexican-American War, the population of the Valley began to grow, and farmers began to raise cattle in the area. Despite the end of the formal war in 1848, interracial strife continued between native peoples and the white settlers over land through the 1920s.


Early 1900s and the Mexican Revolution

At the turn of the 20th century trade and immigration between Mexico and the United States was a normal part of society. The development of the St. Louis, Brownsville, and Mexico Railway in 1903 and the irrigation of the Rio Grande allowed the Rio Grande Valley to develop into profitable farmland. Droughts in the 1890s and early 1900s caused smaller farmers and cattle ranchers to lose their lands. Rich white settlers brought by the railroad bought the land and displaced the Tejano ranchers. Meanwhile, across the river, Mexico was dealing with the
Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...
. The revolution spilled over the border through cross-border supply raids, and in response
President Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected p ...
sent the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
into the region beginning in 1911 and continuing until 1916 when the majority of the United States armed forces were stationed in the region. Texas governor
Oscar Colquitt Oscar Branch Colquitt (December 16, 1861 – March 8, 1940) was the 25th Governor of Texas from January 17, 1911 to January 19, 1915. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Gov. Colquitt defended the actions of the Texas Rangers who alle ...
also sent the Texas Rangers into the area to keep the peace between Mexicans and Americans. The region played host to several well known conflicts including the backlash from the Plan of San Diego, and the racially fueled violence of Texas Ranger Harry Ransom. In 1921 the United States Border Patrol came to the region with less than 10 officers. Initially the agency was focused on import and export business, especially alcohol during
Prohibition in the United States In the United States from 1920 to 1933, a nationwide constitutional law prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol industry was curtailed by a succession of state legislatures, an ...
, but later moved to detaining illegal aliens. The region had a significant increase of Border Patrol agents during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
in conjunction with the Zimmermann Telegram. The Texas Rangers also increased their presence as law enforcement in the region with a new class of Ranger that focused on determining Tejano loyalty. They were often violent, carrying out retaliatory murders. They were never held accountable to the law even though charges were brought in the Texas senate. There were two major military training facilities in the Valley in Brownsville and Harlingen during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.


Post World War II to present

The
North American Free Trade Agreement The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ; es, Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; french: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that crea ...
, also known as NAFTA, was established in 1994 as a trade agreement between the three North American countries, The United States, Mexico, and Canada. NAFTA was supposed to increase trade with Mexico as they lowered or eliminated tariffs on Mexican goods. Exports and imports tripled in the region and accounted for a trade surplus of $75 billion. The Rio Grande Valley benefited from NAFTA in retail, manufacturing, and transportation. Due to the influx of jobs and exportation, many people migrated to the RGV, both documented and undocumented. According to Akinloye Akindayomi in ''Drug violence in Mexico and its impact on the fiscal realities of border cities in Texas: evidence from Rio Grande Valley counties'', NAFTA also indirectly aids the rise in immigration and drug smuggling practices between cartels in the region, with cartels profiting with over $80 billion. The
Trump Administration Donald Trump's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 45th president of the United States began with Inauguration of Donald Trump, his inauguration on January 20, 2017, and ended on January 20, 2021. Trump, a Republican Party ...
decided to make new accords with Mexico and Canada and replaced NAFTA with the new trade agreement,
United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement The Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA) Commonly known as the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the United States and the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CU ...
(USMCA) in 2018.After the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
, the Customs Border Security Act of 2001 established United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints with some situated at the north end of the Rio Grande Valley. This allows for a second line of defense in the ever increasing subtlety of smuggling. More recently the organization
We Build The Wall We Build the Wall is an organization that solicited donations to build private sections of the wall along the Mexico–U.S. border. It started as a GoFundMe campaign by United States Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage in December 2018. Kolfage a ...
has begun construction on a section of the border wall in the Valley. Local residents have express concerns about the project including the site's proximity to the
National Butterfly Center The National Butterfly Center is a private nature preserve operated by the North American Butterfly Association that serves as an outdoor butterfly conservatory. It is located adjacent to Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, near the city of M ...
and the Rio Grande with its potential for seasonal flooding. The U.S. Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission has ordered We Build The Wall to stop until they can review whether or not the construction violates a Treaty to resolve pending boundary differences and maintain the Rio Grande and Colorado River as the international boundary between the United States and Mexico signed in 1970.


Geography

The Rio Grande Valley is not a true
valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
, but a
river delta A river delta is a landform shaped like a triangle, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. This occurs where a river enters an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, or (more rare ...
. "Valley" is often used in the western United States to refer to a large expanse with rivers. Most such valleys, including the Rio Grande, have good agricultural production. Early 20th-century land developers, attempting to capitalize on unclaimed land, utilized the name "Magic Valley" to attract settlers and appeal to investors. The Rio Grande Valley is also called ''El Valle'', the Spanish translation of "the valley", by those who live there. The main region is within four Texan counties: Starr County, Hidalgo County,
Willacy County Willacy County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 20,164. Its county seat is Raymondville. The county was created in 1911 and organized the next year. Willacy County comprises the Raymondville ...
, and Cameron County.


Major settlements

The largest city on the American side of the region is Brownsville (Cameron County), followed by McAllen (Hidalgo County). Other major cities include Harlingen, Edinburg, Mission, Rio Grande City, Raymondville, Weslaco, Hidalgo and
Pharr Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 70,400, and in 2019, the estimated population was 79,112. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Pharr is ...
. On the Mexican side of the border Matamoros, Río Bravo, and Reynosa are major cities in this region.


Demographics

As of 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of the Rio Grande Valley at 1,368,723. Hidalgo County has the largest population with an estimate of 861,137. Cameron County has the second-highest population estimated at 422,135. Starr County has the third-largest population estimated at 64,032. Willacy County has the fourth-largest population estimated at 21,419. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
in 2008, 86 percent of Cameron County, 90 percent of Hidalgo County, 97 percent of Starr County, and 86 percent of Willacy County are
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
.


Colonias

The major metropolitan areas in the Rio Grande Valley are surrounded by smaller rural communities called colonias. These communities are primarily poor and Hispanic. The areas often lack basic services like sanitation and sewage, and suffer from flooding. Many of these colonias are mixes of mobile homes and self-constructed houses owned by the residents. The Bracero program enacted in the 1940s allowed Mexicans to cross the border and work in the agricultural fields. Most worked in the Rio Grande Valley, and due to a shortage of affordable houses, developers started selling them land in unincorporated areas; these clusters of homes over time became what are now known as colonias. According to the Housing Assistance Council, a nonprofit organization that tracks rural housing, approximately 1.6 million people live in 1,500 recognized colonias alongside the
Mexico–United States border The Mexico–United States border ( es, frontera Estados Unidos–México) is an international border separating Mexico and the United States, extending from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border trave ...
.


Language use

The residents of the Lower Rio Grande Valley are generally bilingual in English and Spanish often mixing into
Spanglish Spanglish (a portmanteau of the words "Spanish" and "English") is any language variety (such as a contact dialect, hybrid language, pidgin, or creole language) that results from conversationally combining Spanish and English. The term is m ...
depending on demographics and context. Government statistics for the region are often underreported due to underlying immigration issues. The Spanish language plays an important role in all aspects of life. In 1982 a statistically significant majority of people in the Rio Grande Valley spoke Spanish. People speak Spanish to communicate in all aspects of life including business, government, and at home. People often prefer Spanish to English when interacting with government officials as seen in the response to the region's 2018 flooding.


Religion

The Catholic Church has been present in the Rio Grande Valley since the Spanish colonization of the region. In San Juan, Texas the
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle is a minor basilica of the Catholic Church located in San Juan, Texas, United States. It is also a national shrine under the direction of the Diocese of Brownsville. Histo ...
is a major Catholic shrine. One of the offshoots of the Catholic Church, worship of Santa Muerte, has a small but significant following in the valley. There has been public outcry against followers erecting shrines at their homes and in public places. In 2015 a Santa Muerte statue was involved with a bomb scare in San Benito, Texas. This followed the desecration of a Santa Muerte statue in the San Benito Municipal Cemetery in January of the same year. In addition to the Catholic Church, several other Christian denominations are present in the Rio Grande Valley, including several organized Protestant churches in the Lower Rio Grande ValleyGrammich, C., Hadaway, K., Houseal, R., Jones, D. E., Krindatch, A., Stanley, R., & Taylor, R. H. (2018, December 11)
''U.S. Religion Census Religious Congregations and Membership Study, 2010 (County File)''
and 26 congregations of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
with about 17,000 members. The church began with a small
branch A branch, sometimes called a ramus in botany, is a woody structural member connected to the central trunk of a tree (or sometimes a shrub). Large branches are known as boughs and small branches are known as twigs. The term '' twig'' usuall ...
serving the area in the early 1900s, and by 1952 there were two stakes. The El Paso 3rd Ward became the Church's first Spanish-speaking ward when it was created in 1952. In 2019, the Church announced the construction of a new McAllen Texas Temple. Sikh,
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
,
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
,
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
,
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
and
Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people. Established by Baháʼu'lláh in the 19th century, it initially developed in Iran and parts of the ...
communities thrive in the Rio Grande Valley.


Climate

The Lower Rio Grande Valley experiences a warm and fair climate that brings visitors from many surrounding areas. Temperature extremes range from triple digits during the summer months to freezing during the winter. While the Valley has seen severe cold events before, such as the 2004 Christmas snow storm and 2021 cold snap, the region rarely experiences temperatures at or below freezing, especially by the coast, which transitions into a
Tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
climate. The regions's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico makes it a target for hurricanes. Though not impacted as frequently as other areas of the Gulf Coast of the United States, the Valley has experienced major hurricanes in the past. Hurricanes that have made landfall in or near the area include: Hurricane Beulah (1967), Hurricane Allen (1980), Hurricane Gilbert, Hurricane Bret, Hurricane Dolly (2008), Hurricane Alex (2010), and Hurricane Hanna (2020). Having an especially flat terrain, the Valley usually experiences the catastrophic effects of tropical cyclones in the form of flooding.


Tourism

The Lower Rio Grande Valley encompasses landmarks that attract tourists. Popular destinations include Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge,
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is located at 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive (FM 2062) south of the city of Mission, Texas, Mission in Hidalgo County, Texas, Hidalgo County in the U.S. state of Texas. It serves as the headquarters for the Worl ...
, South Padre Island, Brazos Island, and the Port Isabel Lighthouse. The Valley is a popular waypoint for tourists visiting northeast Mexico. Popular destinations across the border and Rio Grande include: Matamoros, Nuevo Progreso, Río Bravo, and Reynosa, all located in the Mexican state of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
. The region also attracts tourists from the Mexican states of
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...
, Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Mexico, D.F. (México City).


Places of historical interest

*
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle is a minor basilica of the Catholic Church located in San Juan, Texas, United States. It is also a national shrine under the direction of the Diocese of Brownsville. Histo ...
*
First Lift Station The First Lift Station is a pump station in Mission, Texas, that once provided water for irrigating the crops of the early Rio Grande Valley. In 1907 John J. Conway and James W. Hoit began the Mission Canal Co. Irrigation system, which was instru ...
* Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge * Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge *Hugh Ramsey Nature Park * Los Ebanos Ferry, last hand-operated ferry on the Rio Grande * La Lomita Historic District * Fort Brown * Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site * Resaca de la Palma *Rancho de Carricitos * USMC War Memorial original plaster working model, located on the campus of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen * Museum of South Texas History, originally the County Court House and Jail, built in the late 19th century * Battle of Palmito Ranch, location of the last battle of the Civil War * Brownsville Raid *
Battle of Resaca de la Palma The Battle of Resaca de la Palma was one of the early engagements of the Mexican–American War, where the United States Army under General Zachary Taylor engaged the retreating forces of the Mexican ''Ejército del Norte'' ("Army of the No ...


Economy

The Valley is historically reliant on agribusiness and
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
.
Cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...
,
grapefruit The grapefruit (''Citrus'' × ''paradisi'') is a subtropical citrus tree known for its relatively large, sour to semi-sweet, somewhat bitter fruit. The interior flesh is segmented and varies in color from pale yellow to dark pink. Grapefruit ...
, sorghum,
maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American English, North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous ...
, and
sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...
are its leading crops, and the region is the center of citrus production and the most important area of vegetable production in the State of Texas. Over the last several decades, the emergence of
maquiladoras A (), or (), is a word that refers to factories that are largely duty free and tariff-free. These factories take raw materials and assemble, manufacture, or process them and export the finished product. These factories and systems are present t ...
(factories or fabrication plants) has caused a surge of industrial development along the border, while international bridges have allowed Mexican nationals to shop, sell, and do business in the border cities along the Rio Grande. The geographic inclusion of South Padre Island also drives tourism, particularly during the Spring Break season, as its subtropical climate keeps temperatures warm year-round. During the winter months, many retirees (commonly referred to as "Winter Texans") arrive to enjoy the warm weather, access to pharmaceuticals and healthcare in Mexican border crossings such as Nuevo Progreso. There is a substantial health-care industry with major hospitals and many clinics and private practices in Brownsville, Harlingen, and McAllen. Texas is the third largest producer of citrus fruit in the United States, the majority of which is grown in the Rio Grande Valley.
Grapefruit The grapefruit (''Citrus'' × ''paradisi'') is a subtropical citrus tree known for its relatively large, sour to semi-sweet, somewhat bitter fruit. The interior flesh is segmented and varies in color from pale yellow to dark pink. Grapefruit ...
make up over 70% of the Valley citrus crop, which also includes orange,
tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in color. Its scientific name varies. It has been treated as a separate species under the name ''Citrus tangerina'' or ''Citrus'' × ''tangerina'', or treated as a variety of '' Citrus reti ...
,
tangelo The tangelo ( , ; ''C. reticulata × C. maxima'' or ''× C. paradisi''), ''Citrus × tangelo, is'' a citrus fruit hybrid of a ''Citrus reticulata'' variety, such as mandarin orange or tangerine, and a ''Citrus maxima'' variety, such as a pome ...
and Meyer lemon production each Winter. There are two minor professional sports teams that play in the Rio Grande Valley: The Rio Grande Valley Vipers (basketball), and Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (soccer). Defunct teams that previously played in the region include: the Edinburg Roadrunners (baseball),
La Fiera FC Hidalgo La Fiera (also known as "La Fiera FC") was an American professional indoor soccer team based in Hidalgo, Texas. They played in the Southern Division of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). The team was founded in 2012 as the Rio Grande Va ...
(indoor soccer), Rio Grande Valley Ocelots FC (soccer), Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings (baseball), Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees (ice hockey), and the
Rio Grande Valley Sol The Rio Valley Grande Sol were a professional indoor football team based in Hidalgo, Texas. They were members of the X-League Indoor Football (XLIF) in their final season. The Sol played their home games at the State Farm Arena. They were founde ...
(indoor football). One of the Valley's major tourist attractions is the semi-tropical wildlife. Birds and butterflies attract a large number of visitors every year all throughout the entire region. Ecotourism is a major economic force in the Rio Grande Valley.


Transportation

Valley International Airport serves the Rio Grande Valley community, with service on seven passenger and two cargo airlines, including one international passenger airline, Mexico's VivaAerobus. There are several bus lines that run through the United States side of the Lower Rio Grande Valley including Metro Connect ( McAllen), McAllen Paratransit, McAllen Metro Services, Brownsville Metro/ADA Paratransit Service Island Metro ( South Padre Island), and
Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...
.2019 Greyhound Bus Lines United States Map
/ref> On the Mexican side of the border there are several bus companies that run including Greyhound, Tornado, Ave Senda Ejecutiva, Enlaces Terrestres Nacionales, Futua, Noreste, Omnibus de Oriente, Transpais, Transportes del Norte, Transportes Frontera, and Turistar Lujo. The
Interstate Highway System The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
in the United States is well developed in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and connects Brownsville, Hidalgo, McAllen, Raymondville, Edinburg,
Pharr Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 70,400, and in 2019, the estimated population was 79,112. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Pharr is ...
, and Laredo. On the Mexican side, there are several major highways between Matamoros, Reynosa, and Nuevo Laredo. car travel on the Mexican side was considered dangerous and the Mexican Federal Police offered a police escort between Ciudad Victoria, Matamoros, and Reynosa. Freight trains run between Harlingen, Mission, Edinburg, and
Santa Rosa Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose. Santa Rosa may also refer to: Places Argentina * Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city * Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca * Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca *Santa Rosa, La Pampa * S ...
connecting to the
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
. In Mexico,
Kansas City Southern de México Kansas City Southern de México (KCSM), formerly Transportación Ferroviaria Mexicana (TFM), is a company dedicated to freight transportation using rail in the northeastern part of Mexico. KCSM is fully owned and operated by Kansas City Souther ...
runs freight service and crosses from Matamoros into Brownsville over the Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge. Sea trade runs through the deepwater seaport, the
Port of Brownsville The Port of Brownsville is a deep water seaport in Brownsville, at the southern tip of Texas. Geography The port is the southern terminus of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The port is located near the river mouth of the Rio Grande and Lower R ...
and the
Foreign Trade Zone A free-trade zone (FTZ) is a class of special economic zone. It is a geographic area where goods may be imported, stored, handled, manufactured, or reconfigured and re-exported under specific customs regulation and generally not subject to cust ...
62. SpaceX South Texas launch site is located near Brownsville.
Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a business magnate and investor. He is the founder, CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX; angel investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner and CEO of Twitter, Inc.; founder of The B ...
is also building an ocean spaceport named Deimos intended for transport to and from
Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...
.


Politics

The region is represented by
Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas fro ...
and John Cornyn in the
United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...
and by
Filemon Vela Jr. Filemón Bartolomé Vela Jr. ( ; born February 13, 1963) is an American lobbyist, lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2013 until his resignation in 2022. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Vela was also vi ...
and Vicente Gonzalez in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
. In the twenty-first century, the dominance of agribusiness has caused political issues, as jurisdictional disputes regarding water rights have caused tension between farmers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Scholars, including Mexican political scientist Armand Peschard-Sverdrup, have argued that this tension has created the need for a re-developed strategic transnational water management. Some have declared the disputes tantamount to a "war" over diminishing natural resources. Climatologists believe water scarcity in the Valley will only increase as climate change alters the precipitation, precipitation patterns of the region. Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke received 164,232 votes from the region, compared to incumbent
Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas fro ...
's 79,049, in his failed bid to replace Cruz in the Senate in 2018. Unlike most of Texas the Rio Grande Valley is strongly Democratic having last voting for a Republican presidential candidate in 1972 and only 3 times since 1912 along with 1952 and 1956. In 2016, Donald Trump's won only 29 percent of the region's vote, an 80-year low for Republicans. However, in 2020, he significantly strengthened the Republican vote in the Rio Grande Valley, reducing, among other things, Hillary Clinton's 2016 60-point margin of victory in 96% Hispanic Starr County to only 5 points.


Education

Historically education has posed significant challenges to schools in the region. Schools in the early 1920s through the 1940s were racially segregated in the Rio Grande Valley. In 1940 a study showed the need for improvement in cultural differentiation of instruction. The Texas Supreme Court in Del Rio ISD v. Salvatierra reinforced the racial segregation. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Bilingual Education Act, helping students whose second language was English. The Act gave financial assistance to local schools to create bilingual programs, enabling Mexican students to integrate white schools. The area like many others had a hard time integrating. Texas still has the bilingual program, while states like California, Arizona, and Massachusetts, have removed the bill and passed similar propositions stating that students would only be taught in English. The bilingual program in the Rio Grande Valley is still in effect especially with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students in the area. Colleges and universities located in the Rio Grande Valley include: * Texas A&M Health Science Center, School of Public Health - McAllen * Texas A&M University - McAllen Campus *University of Texas Rio Grande Valley — Entered into full operation in 2015 with the merger of the University of Texas at Brownsville and the University of Texas–Pan American. * University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine *Texas Southmost College *Texas State Technical College *South Texas College *University of Texas Health Science Center - Regional Academic Health CenterRAHC Vision Statement
/ref>


Sports


Defunct


Hospitals

* Cornerstone Regional Hospital, Edinburg, Texas * Edinburg Children's Hospital, Edinburg, Texas * Edinburg Regional Medical Center, Edinburg, Texas * Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Edinburg, Texas * Harlingen Medical Center, Harlingen, Texas * McAllen Heart Hospital, McAllen, Texas * McAllen Medical Center, McAllen, Texas * Rio Grande Regional Hospital, McAllen, Texas * Rio Grande State Hospital, Harlingen, Texas * Solara Hospital, Harlingen, Texas * VA Health Care Center at Harlingen. Harlingen, Texas * Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen, Texas * Valley Baptist Medical Center, Brownsville, Texas * Valley Regional Medical Center, Brownsville, Texas * Knapp Medical Center, Weslaco, Texas * Mission Regional Medical Center, Mission, Texas


Media


Magazines

* ''The Go Guide'' (published by Above Group Advertising Agency) *''Rio Grande Magazine'' * ''Viva el Valle'' * ''RGV Drives Magazine'' (published by MAT Media Solutions) *''RGVision Magazine'' (published by RGVision Media)


Newspapers

* '' Valley Town Crier'' - owned by Gatehouse Media * '' The Edinburg Review'' - owned by Gatehouse Media * '' Valley Bargain Book'' - owned by Gatehouse Media * ''El Periódico USA'' * ''El Nuevo Heraldo'' - owned by AIM Media Texas * ''Mega Doctor News'' * ''Texas Border Business'' * ''The Brownsville Herald'' - owned by AIM Media Texas * ''The Island Breeze'' - owned by AIM Media Texas * ''The Monitor (Texas), The Monitor'' - owned by AIM Media Texas * ''Valley Morning Star'' - owned by AIM Media Texas * ''Valleywood Magazine'' - owned by Valleywood Publications * ''The Donna News'' - owned by Valleywood Publications * ''Weslaco World'' - owned by Valleywood Publications * ''La Feria Journal'' - owned by Valleywood Publications * ''South Padre Island Post'' - owned by Valleywood Publications


Television

* KGBT-TV/DT channel 4, Antenna TV Affiliate * KRGV-TV/DT Channel 5 News, American Broadcasting Company, ABC Affiliate * KVEO-TV/DT Local 23/CBS 4 (DT-2), NBC/CBS Affiliate * KCWT-CD 21, The CW Affiliate * KTFV-CD 32, UniMás Affiliate * KFXV (TV), KFXV TV/DT 60, Fox Broadcasting Company, FOX Affiliate * KLUJ-TV/DT 44, Trinity Broadcasting Network, TBN Affiliate * KTLM-TV/DT 40, Telemundo Affiliate * KNVO (TV), KNVO TV/DT 48, Univision Affiliate * KMBH-LD 67, Fox 2 News, Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Affiliate * XERV-TDT 9.1 Las Estrellas, Televisa * XHAB-TDT 8.1 Vallevision, Televisa * XHOR-TDT 14.1 Azteca 7, TV Azteca * XHREY-TDT1.1 Azteca Uno, TV Azteca


Radio

* KBFM Wild 104 (Hip Hop/Top 40 - IHeart Media) * XEEW-FM Los 40 Principales 97.7 (Top 40 Spanish/English) * KBTQ 96.1 Exitos (Spanish Oldies) Univision * KCAS 91.5 FM (Christian, Teaching/Preaching/Music) * KESO 92.7 KESO (Classic Hits) * KFRQ Q94.5 The Rock (Classic Rock) (All Rock All The Time) * KGBT (AM), KGBT 1530 La Tremenda (Univision) * KGBT-FM 98.5 FM (Regional Mexican) Univision * KHKZ Kiss FM 105.5 & 106.3 (Hot Adult Contemporary) * KIRT 1580 AM Radio Imagen (Variety, Spanish contemporary) * KIWW (Spanish) * KJAV Ultra 104.9 Sonamos Differente (Spanish AC & English HAC) (AC) * KKPS Fuego 99.5 (Spanish Hot AC (International hits) * KJJF/KHID 88.9/88.1 Religious (Relevant Radio) * KNVO-FM La Suavecita 101.1 (Spanish Hits) * KQXX Kiss FM 105.5 & 106.3 (Hot Adult Contemporary, simulcast of KHKZ - IHeart Media) * KTEX (FM), KTEX 100.3 (Mainstream Country - IHeart Media) * KURV 710 AM Heritage Talk Radio (part of the BMP family of stations) * KVLY (FM), KVLY 107.9 RGV FM (AC) (More Hits, More Variety) * KVMV 96.9 FM (Christian, Contemporary Music) World Radio Network * KVNS 1700AM (Fox Sports Radio - IHeart Media) * XHRYA-FM 90.9 Mas Music (Spanish/English Mix) * KBUC Super Tejano 102.1 (Tejano)


Notable people

A list of notable people who were born, lived, or died in the Rio Grande Valley includes: * Abraham Ancer (professional golfer, Olympian) * Ramón Ayala (singer) * David V. Aguilar (Chief Border Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol) * Cristela Alonzo (comedian, actress, writer, producer) * Micaela Alvarez (federal judge) * Natalia Anciso (contemporary artist) * Gloria E. Anzaldúa (writer, poet, philosopher) * Hee Haw, Cathy Baker (television performer) * Lloyd Bentsen (U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; U.S. Senator; 1988 Vice-Presidential candidate) * James Carlos Blake (novelist) * Harlon Block (Iwo Jima flag raiser) * William S. Burroughs (writer; his time as a farmer in the Valley in Pharr, Texas, is briefly chronicled in his books ''Junky'' and ''Queer'') * Pedro Cano (Medal of Honor recipient) * Rolando Cantú (football player) * Raúl Castillo (actor) * Thomas Haden Church (actor) * Freddy Fender (actor, musician, lyricist) * Mike Fossum (astronaut) * Reynaldo Guerra Garza (United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit judge) * Kika de la Garza (U.S. Representative) * Roberto Garza (football player) * Xavier Garza (author and illustrator) * Tony Garza (U.S. Ambassador to Mexico) * Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, Alfredo C. Gonzalez (Medal of Honor Recipient, U.S. Marine Veteran) * Matt Gonzalez (2008 Vice-Presidential candidate; former president of the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, California) * Esteban Jordan (accordionist) * Bill Haley (musician), Bill Haley (musician) * Catherine Hardwicke (writer; film director-producer) * Rolando Hinojosa (author) * Rubén Hinojosa (U.S. Representative) * Kris Kristofferson (musician, actor, songwriter) * Tom Landry (American football coach, Mission, Texas) * Bobby Lackey (College Football Player; Weslaco, Texas) * José M. López (Medal of Honor Recipient) * Domingo Martinez (author), Domingo Martinez (author) * Eduardo Martinez (Historian, Journalist) * Roy Mitchell-Cárdenas (musician) * Jack Morava (mathematician) * Rachel McLish (Ms. Olympia; actress) * Bobby Morrow (Olympic gold medalist) * Billy Gene Pemelton (1964 Olympian) * Major Samuel Ringgold (United States Army officer), Samuel Ringgold (father of modern artillery) * Charles M. Robinson III (author) * Valente Rodriguez (actor) * Ricardo Sanchez (U.S. Army lieutenant general; Ground forces commander in Iraq) * Julian Schnabel (filmmaker) * Adela Sloss Vento * Merced Solis aka Tito Santana (wrestler) * Nick Stahl (actor) * Emeraude Toubia (actress) * Filemon Vela Sr., Filemon Bartolome Vela (federal judge) * Eric Miles Williamson (novelist, literary critic, professor) * Raquel Gonzalez (wrestler), Raquel Gonzalez (wrestler)


See also

*


References


External links


Texas State Historical Association — Lower Rio Grande ValleyRio Grande Valley Partnership: Valley Chamber

Rio Grande Valley Sports Information CenterRgvattractions.com: Attractions in the Rio Grande ValleyRio Grande Valley Community FoundationRGVPride.comLos Ebanos, TXWintertexaninfo.com: The Winter Texan Connection
*KERA-TV, KERA documentary about Farmworker, agricultural workers
“A Thirst in the Garden,”
The Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection at the University of Georgia, American Archive of Public Broadcasting {{Authority control Lower Rio Grande Valley, Rio Grande Valleys of Texas Valleys of Mexico Regions of Texas Wetlands of Texas Landforms of Cameron County, Texas Landforms of Hidalgo County, Texas Landforms of Starr County, Texas Landforms of Willacy County, Texas Landforms of Tamaulipas Rio Grande basin