Port of Entry to Mexico

The International Border Crossing at Hidalgo.

Introduction

The town of Hidalgo, with an estimated 1998 population of 5,563, sits on the banks of the Rio Grande River separating Texas from Mexico. The International Bridge at Hidalgo, which has a daily southbound traffic count of over thirty thousand vehicles and pedestrians, is one of the busiest border crossings in the state. American citizens go to Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico for dining and shopping, and Mexican citizens cross over to shop in the one of Texas' leading retail trade areas. To see a map of Hidalgo, click here to visit Yahoo! Maps. To check the current weather, click here for the Weather Underground.

Brief History

Hidalgo grew out of a Spanish colony established in 1749 by members of the José de Escandón party. In 1852 John Young, a native of Scotland, settled in the area and named the town Edinburgh, which later became the county seat for Hidalgo County. In 1885 the town's name was changed to Hidalgo, and shortly thereafter, the county seat was moved to the settlement of Chapin, which was later renamed Edinburg.

In 1920, the Rio Grande River flooded and changed its course, forcing the town's residents to rebuild Hidalgo farther inland. Six years later, an international toll suspension bridge was constructed in Hidalgo by the neighboring city of McAllen. Hidalgo became incorporated in 1931.

According to The Handbook of Texas Online: "The Mexican peso devaluations in 1976 and in the mid-1980s caused economic problems for the small port of entry; the continuing growth of neighboring McAllen, however, helped development in Hidalgo."

In 1990 Hidalgo earned a footnote in history as the place where the first confirmed discovery in the U.S. of an Africanized Killer Bee colony was made. A twenty-foot long statue of a killer bee commemorates the event.

The Rio Grande River. To the left is Reynosa and to the right is Hidalgo.

Places to See

• McAllen-Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge, Bridge St., 956-843-2471. The International Crossing consists of two bridge spans, one four-lane span carrying passengers and cargo into Mexico, and the other northbound, carrying passengers and cargo into the U. S.

• The City of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Looming just over the International Bridge is this Mexican city of over 750,000 inhabitants. Reynosa offers fine restaurants known for elaborate wild-game dinners, occasional Sunday afternoon bullfights, and high-caliber Mexican League baseball (the Reynosa Broncos) in the Spring and Summer. Gift shops cater to U.S. visitors with a wealth of handicraft items in the Zona Rosa (tourist area) and in a traditional Mexican market in midtown. More information about Reynosa is available by clicking here.

• Hidalgo Pumphouse Heritage and Discovery Center, 902 S. 2nd St., 956-843-8686. Built in 1909, this historic building's giant steam pumps could draw up to 350,000 gallons of water per minute from the Rio Grande River. The pumphouse helped transform 40,000 surrounding acres of what was once dry brushland into the fertile farmland that exists today. It took eight years and $1.5 million dollars to restore the pumphouse and its original steam engines, which are the only ones of their kind in the country. Registered in the National Register of Historic Places. Fee.

The restored 1909 Hidalgo Pumphouse.

• Borderfest. A three-day festival held in early March, Borderfest is an annual celebration of border culture. The event features a colorful parade, beauty pageant, folkloric dancers, local crafts, mariachis, food, live music, a carnival, and more. Call 956-843-2734 for more information.

• La Feria de Reynosa. For two weeks in late July and early August, the city of Reynosa, across the bridge from Hidalgo, stages a magnificent celebration that has been an annual tradition since 1965. A celebration of Mexican life and traditions, La Feria showcases world-class entertainers and great pagentry. In 1999, the event drew about 12,000 people per day. Fee.

• World's Largest Killer Bee (Statue), 704 E. Texano Dr. Since the first sighting of the notorious Africanized Killer Bees occurred here, the town in 1993 built an $18,500 fiberglass-and-steel statue of a killer bee. For more about the statue, visit the Roadside America Web site.

The Killer Bees Have Landed ... Outside the Hidalgo Public Library.

• Future Minor League Hockey Arena, State Hwy. 336, near 18th St. Hidalgo has been awarded a franchise in the Central Hockey League, which is currently composed of 16 teams in New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Arkansas.

The text and photos on this page are ©1999-2002 by Noe Torres. A lifelong resident of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Noe works as a librarian, technology consultant, and Web page designer for a number of educational organizations in the Valley. Noe holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.