Weslaco is a city in
Hidalgo County,
Texas, United States. As of the
2020 census the population was 41,103,
and in 2020 the estimated population was 41,103.
It is located at the southern tip of Texas in the
Rio Grande Valley near the
Mexican
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America
** People
*** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants
*** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
border, across 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 ...
from the city of
Nuevo Progreso, Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas.
Weslaco derives its name from the W.E. Stewart Land Company. It was the hometown of
Harlon Block, one of the Marines photographed raising the flag at
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high.
...
, and of film and television actor
David Spielberg.
Streets north of the railroad tracks have Spanish names, and streets south of the railroad tracks bear names in English, as a consequence of a 1921 municipal ordinance which declared that land north of the tracks be reserved for
Hispanic residences and businesses, and land south of the tracks be reserved for "Anglo" residences and businesses. During
World War II, sandbag production reached a peak in Weslaco, and the town declared itself the "sandbagging capital of the world".
Weslaco is part of the
McAllen–Edinburg–Mission and
Reynosa–McAllen
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 t ...
metropolitan areas.
History

The present location of Weslaco was originally part of the Llano Grande Land Grant
granted to Juan José Ynojosa de Ballí in 1790.
After Ynojosa's death, the grant was allocated to his children. Manuela and María received the land on which Weslaco is located today. The Ballí family ranched and maintained ownership of the land until 1852. In 1904, the Hidalgo and San Miguel extension of the
St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway
Chartered on June 6, 1903, the St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railway (also known as the ''Brownie'') was a 200-mile (321 km) U.S. railroad that operated from Brownsville, Texas, to Gulf Coast Junction in Houston, Texas. It served numerous ...
made its way to the site. It was promoted by Uriah Lott, Lon C. Hill, Jr., and others interested in developing the area through farming as opposed to ranching. The American Rio Grande Land and Irrigation Company of neighboring
Mercedes
Mercedes may refer to:
People
* Mercedes (name), a Spanish feminine name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or last name
Automobile-related
* Mercedes (marque), the pre-1926 brand name of German automobile m ...
purchased a major portion of the Llano Grande grant and platted the West Tract in 1913. In an effort to control raids from Mexico, the United States government stationed troops along the Rio Grande in 1916. A camp was established at the Llano Grande railroad depot. This camp was located between Mercedes and the current site of Weslaco. A watchtower was constructed at
Progreso by these troops.
On December 14, 1917, the irrigation company sold at ninety dollars an acre to the W. E. Stewart Land Company. The town name "Weslaco" was derived from the company's name. The Stewart Company later sold the townsite to Ed C. Couch, Dan R. Couch, R. C. Couch, and R. L. Reeves. The site was surveyed and platted on September 18, 1919, by H. E. Bennett, a
civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...
hired by Ed Couch and R. L. Reeves, whose partners, fearing failure, had backed out of the venture. Nearby communities circulated flyers discouraging settlement at the proposed town. Nevertheless, the sale of lots was held on December 8–10, 1919. Prices ranged from $50 to $400 per lot. To make a claim, individuals had to choose a lot and camp on it until the day of the sale. Lots were given away free to church groups. Three cars were also given away as a promotion during the sale.
In 1941 stamp collector Oliver Rumbel and Weslaco Postmaster Davenport discovered at the Weslaco post office 26 panes (totalling 1,300 stamps) of the 1938 6 cent eagle airmail stamp printed in ultramarine and carmine rather than dark blue and carmine. This color error is recognized by the Scott catalog as C23c. No other examples of this color error were ever reported.
Geography
Weslaco is located in southeastern Hidalgo County at (26.159130, –97.987374).
It is bordered to the east by the city of
Mercedes
Mercedes may refer to:
People
* Mercedes (name), a Spanish feminine name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or last name
Automobile-related
* Mercedes (marque), the pre-1926 brand name of German automobile m ...
and to the west by the city of
Donna.
Interstate 2 and
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 (US 83) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that extends in the central United States. Only four other north–south routes are longer: US 1, US 41, US 59, and US 87, while US ...
pass through Weslaco, leading west to
McAllen and east to
Harlingen. Weslaco is north of
Progreso and north of the
bridge over 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 ...
to
Nuevo Progreso in the Mexican state of
Tamaulipas.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, Weslaco has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.49%, are water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by two seasons; a wet season from April to September and a dry season from October to March. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification system, Weslaco has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "''Cfa''" on climate maps. It is the most easterly city in the central states of the
Great Plains
The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...
with a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
bounded by a
semi-arid climate to the west, reflecting in its most
shrubby vegetation. The average high in January is 71 °F and the average low is 49 °F. The average high is 97 °F and the average low is 76 °F in August. The warm season is extremely long, as average high temperatures from May through September are above 90 °F (32 °C) and average low temperatures are above 70 °F (21 °C), with relatively high dew point values resulting in higher relative humidity values and heat index values. Heat index values can consistently reach over 100 °F during these months.
Average annual precipitation is only . Most precipitation occurs in the
wet season which occurs from April to September, with the least precipitation distinctly occurring in the
dry season from October to March. As September is the peak of the north
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year from June through November when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, referred to in North American countries as hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition ...
and tropical storms and hurricanes occasionally drop copious amounts of rainfall on the region, this month tends to be by far the wettest, averaging of rain. The driest month is March, with only of precipitation. Weslaco has had an average annual snowfall of 0.1 inches over the last 30 years. The record snowfall was on December 25, 2004.
Temperatures are frequently above 100 °F (38 °C), occasionally as early as February and as late as the end of October, the highest temperature ever recorded in Weslaco is 110 °F (43 °C), once in 1998 and once in 1999. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Weslaco is 13 °F (−11 °C), on January 12, 1962.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 40,160 people, 12,671 households, and 9,998 families residing in the city.
2000 census
According to the
census of 2000, there were 26,935 people, 8,295 households, and 6,602 families residing in the city. The
population density was 2,123.1 people per square mile (819.5/km). There were 10,230 housing units at an average density of 806.4 per square mile (311.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 14.92%
White, 0.27%
African American, 0.49%
Native American, 1.14%
Asian, 0.06%
Pacific Islander, 20.93% from
other races, and 2.19% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 83.76% of the population.
There were 8,295 households, out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.4% were non-families. 18.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21 and the average family size was 3.68.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.8% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,573, and the median income for a family was $29,215. Males had a median income of $24,202 versus $19,688 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $11,235. About 26.5% of families and 30.9% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 40.6% of those under age 18 and 23.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Trade
The focal point of economic activity has shifted from agriculture to international trade, healthcare, retail and tourism since the ratification of 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 ...
in 1994.
In Hidalgo County, cross-border cargo and vehicular traffic have increased 345% and 36.4% respectively since the beginning of the 1990s, from 228,133 to 1,015,554 cargo trucks in 2008 and from 10.92 million to 14.9 million automobiles. US/Mexico trade crossing the international bridge in Hidalgo County increased from $5.0 billion in 1994, pre-NAFTA, to $12.56 billion in 2000 and $19.9 billion in 2006. From 1995 to 2006 the Rio Grande Valley share of NAFTA trade increased 168% from $11.1 billion to $31.6 billion.
Retail sales
It is estimated that there are 40 million visits per year from Mexican citizens coming to Texas for vacations and shopping trips. These people contribute greatly to the retail sales volume that occurs in Weslaco and the surrounding communities.
Healthcare services
Prime Healthcare Services, through its subsidiary Knapp Medical Center, serves Weslaco's emergency medical needs. The facility is outfitted with a Heli-Pad, Level 3 Trauma Unit and 233 hospital beds. Surrounding Knapp Medical is an unofficial healthcare district featuring a concentration of physicians, medical services and pharmacies. This district draws patients from the entire Mid-Valley. There is a double board certified, fellow trained Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Total Joint Replacement and fracture care. Dr. Michael D. Sander is a native of Weslaco, Texas. Weslaco residents can check with local providers for other specialized needs.
Government
The current City Officials are Mayor David Suarez, Mayor Pro-Tem Letty Lopez, Commissioner Leo Muñoz (District 1), Commissioner Greg Kerr (District 2), Commissioner JP Rodriguez (District 3), Commissioner Adrian Farias (District 4) and Commissioner Josh Pedraza (District 6). The current Chief of Police is Joel Rivera, a former Division Chief at the
Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office.
The
United States Postal Service operates the Weslaco Post Office at 109 N Border Ave.
The
Texas Department of Public Safety operates the Region 3
McAllen office in Weslaco.
The
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol (USBP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States' U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Customs and Border Protection and is responsible for securing ...
Weslaco Station is located at 1501 E. Expressway 83.
The Sergeant Tomás Garces
Texas Army National Guard
The Texas Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard and the Texas Military Forces (along with the Texas Air National Guard and the Texas State Guard).
Texas Army National Guard units are train ...
Armory located at 1100 Vo Tech Dr, in the home for the C Company 3rd Battalion (Mechanized)
141st Infantry and Detachment 1, Company A, 536th Brigade Support Battalion. This armory was dedicated in honor of Weslaco native Sgt. Tomás Garces, the first Texas Army National Guard combat casualty since
World War II.
Transportation
Highways
*
Interstate 2 travels through Weslaco.
*
U.S. 83 travels through Weslaco as its major east–west artery.
Airports
Private air services are accommodated by the Weslaco
Mid Valley Airport
Mid Valley Airport (formerly FAA LID T65) is the main airport serving Weslaco, Texas, United States.
In 2021, the city partnered with the Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT ) is a government ...
. Commercial flights are available at the nearby
McAllen Miller International Airport, or the
Valley International Airport in Harlingen.
Buses
Local public transportation is provided by
Valley Metro.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Public education in Weslaco is provided by the
Weslaco Independent School District
Weslaco Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Weslaco, Texas (USA).
WISD serves the city of Weslaco, a western portion of the city of Mercedes,[South Texas Independent School District
South Texas Independent School District (STISD) is a magnet school district headquartered in Mercedes, Texas (USA). STISD operates magnet schools that draw students from three counties: Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy. STISD covers an area of , o ...]
. There are 4 private schools: San Martin de Porres Catholic School, Valley Grande Adventist Academy, Mid-Valley Christian School, and First Christian Academy. Weslaco also has two Charter schools: Horizon Montessori and Technology Education Charter High School. The city has a
Head Start Program, pre-kinder programs as well as several privately owned day care centers.
College and trade schools
Continuing education facilities located within Weslaco include
South Texas College, South Texas Vocational Technical Institute, and Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies.
Texas A&M operates an agricultural research center in Weslaco.
Public library

The Mayor Joe V. Sanchez Public Library serves Weslaco. In addition to its book collection, the library offers computer classes and various community events. Meeting rooms and an auditorium are available.
Notable people
*
Natalia Anciso
Natalia Anciso (born March 25, 1985) is an American Chicana- Tejana contemporary artist and educator. Her artwork focuses primarily on issues involving Identity, especially as it pertains to her experiences growing up along the U.S.-Mexico Bor ...
,
contemporary artist and
educator
A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching.
''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
, born in Weslaco
*
Harlon Block,
United States Marine; lived in Weslaco and graduated from
Weslaco High School
*
Omar Figueroa Jr.
Omar Figueroa Jr. (born December 13, 1989) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2008 to 2022. who held the WBC lightweight title in 2014.
Amateur career
Figueroa had approximately 40 amateur bouts, mostly fought in Texas a ...
, professional
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to:
* Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing
*Boxer (dog), a breed of dog
Boxer or boxers may also refer to:
Animal kingdom
* Boxer crab
* Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans
* Boxer snipe ee ...
, former
WBC
WBC may stand for:
Business
*Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, a former large India broadcaster now folded into CBS
*Westpac (New Delhi Exchange code: WBC), a multinational Financial services company
*Wholesale Broadband Connect, BT Wholesale's ...
Lightweight world title holder; lives in Weslaco and graduated from
Weslaco East High School
The Weslaco East High School (established 2000) is a school in Weslaco, Texas, USA. It is the second high school to be established in Weslaco (after the Weslaco High School). In the first year of the school, Weslaco East High School served only ...
*
Roberto García, professional
boxer Boxer most commonly refers to:
* Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing
*Boxer (dog), a breed of dog
Boxer or boxers may also refer to:
Animal kingdom
* Boxer crab
* Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans
* Boxer snipe ee ...
; former
WBC
WBC may stand for:
Business
*Westinghouse Broadcasting Company, a former large India broadcaster now folded into CBS
*Westpac (New Delhi Exchange code: WBC), a multinational Financial services company
*Wholesale Broadband Connect, BT Wholesale's ...
Middleweight Silver title holder; lives in Weslaco and graduated from
Weslaco High School
*
Pat Hingle
Martin Patterson Hingle (July 19, 1924 – January 3, 2009) was an American character actor who appeared in stage productions and in hundreds of television shows and feature films. His first film was ''On the Waterfront'' in 1954. He often play ...
,
actor; lived in Weslaco and graduated from
Weslaco High School
*
Doug "DJ Wrekk" Huff, record producer, disc jockey born in Weslaco
*
Chuck Leah
Chuck Leah is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. His seven studio albums span genres that include Folk rock, folk-rock, Folk music, folk, Americana (music), Americana, and depression-era blues. His main instruments ...
; Americana singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist born in Weslaco
*
Gonzalo Lopez
Gonzalo Artemio Lopez (February 10, 1976 – June 2, 2022) was an American fugitive, mass murderer, and prison escapee who killed a total of six people in separate murders in 2005 and 2022. In 2005, Lopez kidnapped and murdered a man in Weslaco, ...
, criminal, born in Weslaco
*
David Spielberg, actor, born in Weslaco
Museum
The Weslaco Museum has exhibits and hosts events for local residents.
Parks
Weslaco is home to one of the nine sites of the
World Birding Center
The World Birding Center is the official title given to a combined nine parks and nature preserves in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas managed by a partnership of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the United States Fish and Wildlife Ser ...
in the
Rio Grande Valley. The site is located within the
Estero Llano Grande State Park
Estero Llano Grande State Park is located south of the city of Weslaco in Hidalgo County in the U.S. state of Texas.
Background
The land where the parks sits was part of the Llano Grande Land Grant granted to Juan José Hinojosa in 1776 by C ...
. Visitors can take bird walks, butterfly walks, dragonfly walks, and the electric tram nature tour. The park is also available for school programs and field trips.
The
Valley Nature Center
Valley Nature Center is a 6-acre park and nature preserve in Gibson City Park, Weslaco, Texas. Its focus is environmental education about the natural history of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas), Rio Grande Valley.
The center's activities inclu ...
is a six-acre park and
environmental education center that focuses on the plants and animals of the Rio Grande Valley.
City parks
The City of Weslaco Parks & Recreation Department maintains six city parks, and three public swimming pools. The parks host parades, festivals, holiday programs, special gatherings, and dedications. The department coordinates cultural programs, leisure activities, and events for citizens. Perennial and summer recreation programs are coordinated with residents, athletic organizations, and schools. Weslaco has several baseball and softball leagues as well as little league and soccer.
Tourism
Weslaco is a Winter Texan destination and a gateway between Texas and Mexico.
[Winter Texans Online]
" Retrieved on November 8, 2015. In the summer months, many travelers come to the area to visit the lower Texas coast and the beaches of South Padre Island. Many Mexican vacationers visit the Texas Valley and stay or maintain homes in Weslaco and surrounding communities.
See also
*
Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of 30926590 and employs a staff of approximately 630.
References
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Skaggs_House_Frontera_Audubon_Weslaco_TX.jpg
External links
City of Weslaco official websiteWeslaco Area Chamber of CommerceEconomic Development Corporation"Weslaco, TX"in ''Handbook of Texas Online''
{{authority control
Cities in Hidalgo County, Texas
Cities in Texas
Populated places established in 1919