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Rio Grande City, Texas
City
City of Rio Grande City
Santa Cruz at Rio Grande City, Texas, Plaque describing the history of Rio Grande City, Texas, Plaque of the Old Rio Grande City Cemetery
Seal
Nickname:  "RGC"
Location of Rio Grande City in the U.S. state of Texas
Rio Grande City Show map of Texas Rio Grande City Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 26°22′50″N 98°49′6″W / 26.38056°N 98.81833°W / 26.38056; -98.81833
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Starr
Settled	1846
Founded	1848
Incorporated	May 1993
Government
• Mayor	Gilberto Falcon
• Police chief	Noe Castillo
Area [1]
• Total	11.35 sq mi (29.40 km2)
• Land	11.35 sq mi (29.40 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	174 ft (53 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,317
• Density	1,300/sq mi (520/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	78582
Area code	956
FIPS code	48-62168[2]
GNIS feature ID	1388199[3]
Website	www.cityofrgc.com

Rio Grande City is a city in and the county seat of Starr County, Texas, United States.^[4] The population was 15,317 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is 41 miles (66 km) west of McAllen. It is connected to Camargo, Tamaulipas, via the Rio Grande City–Camargo International Bridge.

The city is situated within the Rio Grande Valley. It holds March record for high temperature for the United States at 108 °F (42 °C).

The area around Rio Grande City was first settled by Spanish colonists on the southern bank of the river as Camargo. The northern bank became more densely settled after the Mexican-American War and United States' annexation of the territory.

In 1846 the northern bank was gradually developed— still under the name Camargo. It was used by the US Army as a supply depot for its invading Mexico as part of the Mexican–American War. The area was strategic as the furthest point up the Rio Grande that was navigable and regularly accessible to the era's steamboats.

During the early stages of the war, US soldier Henry Clay Davis married Hilaria de la Garza Falcon, a resident of Camargo south of the river. She was heiress to the land on the north side of the river that was developed as Rio Grande City. At the end of the war, Davis set out to organize this area into a formal city; he divided the land into plots to be sold.

At first, the area was referred to as Rancho Davis. He and other developers changed the name to Rio Grande City to attract Anglo-American investors and settlers. From its founding in 1848 until the Texas Mexican Railroad opened up in 1883, Rio Grande City was one of the most significant hubs of trade between Texas and Mexico. In addition, because of its prominence and exploits by local residents, it was part of the romanticized concept in the United States of the "Wild West".

Famous early residents include Joshua H. Bean, brother of Judge Roy Bean, and the first mayor of San Diego, California; Orlando C. Phelps, one of the few surviving members of the Mier Expedition; Edwin R. Rainwater, hero of the Texas Revolution; Edward R. Hord, an influential early South Texas statesman; and John L. Haynes, a native Virginian politician and writer who was a strong proponent of Mexican-American (Tejano) rights and outspoken anti-secessionist before the Civil War.

Rio Grande City has conserved some of its older structures, and has a designated historic district.

Among its contributing structures is the La Borde House, which dates to 1899. La Borde was a French riverboat trader and merchant who commissioned the mansion's design in Paris. He had this refined by architects in San Antonio, Texas, and oversaw construction of the building along Main Street.^[5]

The large house was renovated around the early 1980s, nearly 100 years later. It is now operated as a hotel, complete with a parlor, patio, parlor, shaded verandas, and restaurant.^[5]

In the 1970s and into the 1980s, federal law enforcement officials concentrated their anti-drug smuggling efforts on Starr County.^[6]

In spite of Rio Grande City's rich architectural heritage, many buildings in the old downtown district are abandoned, dilapidated, or crumbling. While there are a good number of small shops and businesses operating in the district, most new development and commerce takes place in new shopping centers outside of the old downtown neighborhood.

In May 1993, Rio Grande City was officially incorporated as a municipal corporation (i.e. city).^[7]

Ringgold Barracks were established at Davis Landing on 26 October 1848 by the 1st US Infantry under the command of Captain J.H. La Motte, in honor of Major Ringgold, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Palo Alto.^[8] Troops were withdrawn on 3 March 1859 but reoccupied again on 29 December 1859 during the Cortina War.^[8]

The fort was abandoned again at the start of the Civil War in 1861, but reoccupied by US forces in 1865.^[8] The fort was active until 1944 when the property was sold to the Rio Grande City public schools system.^[9]: vii Units stationed here included the 1st Infantry (Mounted Dragoons), 7th and 28th Infantry Regiments, 3rd Texas Volunteers, the 9th, 10th and 12th Cavalry Regiments, the 9th and 10th being composed of Buffalo Soldiers.^[9]: 13

The original parade ground is maintained, and several post buildings survive to be used as school facilities. These include the sentry and guard houses, barracks, officers quarters, bakery, hospital and post headquarters,^[9] situated along Ringgold Avenue, Lee Circle, 12th Cavalry and F Troop streets. The Rio Grande City United States Army Reserve Center is the only remaining military presence at the Fort Ringgold area.

Rio Grande City is located at 26°22′50″N 98°49′6″W / 26.38056°N 98.81833°W / 26.38056; -98.81833 (26.380667, −98.818364).^[10]

The city gained area prior to the 2010 census^[11] giving it a total area of 11.4 square miles (30.0 km²), all land.^[12]

Rio Grande City is served by the Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District (formerly Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District).

Immaculate Conception School of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, founded in 1884 and the only Catholic school in Starr County, provides a faith-based Pre-K through eighth-grade education to approximately 250 students each year.^[15]

• Shannon Dingle, Christian writer and activist; taught special education writing at Ringgold Middle School for a while
• Ricardo Sanchez, Lieutenant General and commander of U.S. forces in Iraq; retired from the United States Army

Rio Grande City first appeared as an unincorporated community in the 1950 U.S. Census;^[22] and as a census designated place in the 1980 U.S. Census.^[25] After incorporation, Rio Grande City was listed as a city the 2000 U.S. Census.^[27]

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,317 people, 3,873 households, and 2,880 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 Census Rio Grande City had a population of 13,834. The median age was 30. The racial makeup of the population was 92.1% white (4.7% claiming to not be Hispanic or Latino), 0.2% Black, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 5.5% from some other race and 1.1% from two or more races. 94.3% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race with 88.2% of the population describing themselves as ethnically Mexican.^[31]

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 11,923 people, 3,333 households, and 2,796 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,571.6 inhabitants per square mile (606.8/km²). There were 3,846 housing units at an average density of 506.9 per square mile (195.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.97% White, 0.30% African American, 0.44% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 12.51% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 95.89% of the population.

There were 3,333 households, out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.1% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.47 and the average family size was 3.86.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.1% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $19,853, and the median income for a family was $21,363. Males had a median income of $20,245 versus $14,984 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,684. About 40.4% of families and 44.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 57.3% of those under age 18 and 33.7% of those age 65 or over.

• Media related to Rio Grande City, Texas at Wikimedia Commons
• City of Rio Grande
• Rio Grande Herald newspaper hosted by the Portal to Texas History.