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BENAVIDES, TEXAS

Duval County, South Texas
Highways 339, 359 and FM 2295
15 miles SW of San Diego
25 miles SW of Alice
35 miles W of Kingsville

Population: 1,686 (2000)

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Old bank building in Benavides Texas
The Old Benavides Bank
TE Photo, 2001
History in a Pecan shell

The wide median that bisects the town leaves no doubt that the town was born with the arrival of the railroad. The namesake of the town was Placido Benavides who had served in the Confederate army. After the Civil War he devoted himself to raising cattle and his ranch became one of the largest in Duval County. He generously allowed a depot to be built on his property in 1880 and the following year donated 80 acres for a townsite.
A ruin in Benavides Texas
A former business in Benavides
TE Photo, 2001
In 1882 Archer Parr moved to Benavides and in time became the "Boss" of Duval County.

He set into place a corrupt dynasty with his son and grandson continuing his legacy of creative bookkeeping, voting fraud and outright assassination. For anyone interested in how corrupt and totally controlled a place can be and still be in the United States - The Fall of the Duke of Duval by John E. Clark, Eakin Press, 1995 is recommended.
A nickel on Benavides Bank
An architectural detail from the bank
TE Photo
By 1884 Benavides was Duval County's second largest town.

By 1914 Parr attempted to form a new county with Benavides as the seat of government. It was to be called Pat Dunn County after the State Legislator who was introducing the bill. A clause in the State Constitution prohibited the act - depriving Parr of another County Treasury to loot.
Frigidaire neon sign in Benavides Texas
A relic of better years
TE Photo
The estimated population of Benavides had dropped to 250 but by the mid-1920s had risen to 1,897.

A bank was established in 1928, when the population was about 1200 people. By the 1940s the town was prospering with 80 businesses and a population just over 3,000.
Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church, Benavides Texas

The Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in Benavides
TE photo, 2001
In 1950 Benavide's businesses did $2,084,000 in sales. The population began a decline that lasted until the 80's when it rose to just over 2,000 people.

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© John Troesser

Benavides Texas Forum

Subject: Church in Benavides
I happen to grow up in San Diego Texas and came across your website today. The information was interesting except for a photo of the church. The church you placed under San Diego , TX is the wrong Church. The church you have pictured is actually the church of a near by town, Benavides, TX. Their church's name is Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church. The church in San Diego is Saint Francis de Paula Catholic Church. You can find it on Victoria St. in San Diego. It is a really beautiful church with lots of history itself. Thank you, Elaine Montemayor-Gonzalez, April 17, 2006

Anyone wishing to share history or photos of Benavides, Texas, please contact us.
 
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This page last modified: August 1, 2007