| |
Historically
the first settlers from Europe came to The Rio Grande Valley in 1749. Hundreds
of years before that Spaniards had brought into Mexico,
large numbers of herd animals. As these herds wandered north across the Rio Grande
that eventually resulted in the introduction of new plants to Texas,
most notably Mesquite. In 1875, an antique map described the Valley as a grassy
plain illustrating how little impact had been made at that time.
The untended
cattle herds thrived and adapted becoming the Texas
Longhorn breed. Meanwhile the jaguar and bears disappeared. The ocelot (which
we have seen at Laguna Atascosa) and jaguarondi (seen at the Big Tree) still wander
here. By the 20th century the irrigation system changed the valley from cattle
to largely agriculture.
By 1850 the cowboys and vaqueros had perfected
the skills and tools for working cattle from horseback. After the Civil War enterprising
stockmen realized they could cause great cattle drives north to Kansas. Once there,
the cattle could be sold and shipped to the eastern market. Round-ups and cattle
drives faded away after only 20 or so years because railroad transportation took
over. But memories lived on in books, movies and songs that kept at least this
Texan singing “When its round-up time in Texas and the bloom is on the sage”
for a lifetime.
The
Old Military Road (OMR) closely follows the Rio Grande River the border
between Texas and Mexico
for 100 miles. The twists and turns of this road has its own way of exposing the
people in their poverty or plenty, as it goes through 28 villages and towns along
the way. It is only logical to think of this road, beginning in 1848 as the original
route between Fort
Ringgold in Rio
Grande City and Fort
Brown in Brownsville.
|
 |
| We
have traveled portions of the OMR many times in the more populated central and
eastern section. The western section is more difficult with a feeling of desolation
and the road is unsuitable at times. The Border Patrol is prevalent along the
road’s entirety. One might suspect the road continues to Laredo
(Fort McIntosh). No maps show this road to exist west of Rio
Grande City. Starting at the village of La Puerta we intended to take
the OMR as it crossed US83E but the road to La Casita was unsuitable. Continuing
on 83, we took the Garciasville
turn-off. On that road we crossed over the OMR and the paralleling railroad track. |
| Crossing
the Old Military Highway and the paralleling RR track on the way to Garciasville.
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2009 |
La
Grulla Cemetery
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2009 |
| Next
we crossed the dirt OMR again to visit La Grulla 3 miles south from 83.
A small carnival was set up on a plot adjacent to the cemetery block. Quite a
contrast! Returning to the highway because of unsuitable roads, we also skipped
Alto Bonita, Ratcliff and Cuevitas. Next we drove to Los
Ebanos, crossing OMR which again is still a dirt road. |
Crossing
the Old Military Hwy & RR on the way to Los
Ebanos
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2009 |
Havana
- At the beginning of the paved portion of the Old Military Hwy
Photo courtesy
Ken Rudine,
February 2009 |
At
Patricio Perez Road we turned off the highway to go to Havana.
At the intersection with the OMR this time, it was paved. Instead of taking the
OMR we bypassed the next villages of Chihuahua and Abram
because we have been there before.
We left US83 at Mission
going south on FM1016. There we joined an improved, paved (OMR,). Now past Bentsen
Rio Grande State Park, we arrive at Madero and the nearby Mission
at La Lomita. On the way to
Granjeno we suggest
you drive the Anzalduas Dam Road on the river. This is a manned Texas park,
good for bird
watching on the river. |
La
Lomita Chapel
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2007 |
Leaving
Granjeno observe and
follow the road signs carefully to Hidalgo.
This is an area of many product distribution warehouses and trucks. It is also
where US281 (from McAllen
and north) joins the OMR and continuing all the way to Brownsville.
Progreso lies at the
intersection with FM1015. This is south of Weslaco
where the 1015 onion was developed and named. The name (or number) is not after
the road, but for the day on which it was first planted - October the 15th.
East of here, Relampago
markers come up quickly followed by the towns of Santa
Maria and Bluetown.
After more miles of crops we come to the “Thornton
Skirmish” Roadside Park, then Las Rusias, Los Indios, Carricitos,
La Paloma, El
Calaboz, Ranchito and Villa Cavazos. |
Los
Indios
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2008 |
La
Paloma Cemetery
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2008 |
| On
the land between the OMR and the Rio Grande, paralleling the Carricitos/La
Paloma villages, the Border Fence is being erected and video surveillance
is operating. |
Border fence
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2008 |
Surveillance
Camera
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2008 |
Surveillance
Camera
Photo courtesy Ken
Rudine, February 2008 | |
|
