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Frio
River
Photo courtesy Linda Kirkpatrick, October 2007 |
| The Frio River
runs parallel between Highway 83 and FM 112 from Leakey
. The 200 mile river flows into the Nueces River - a mile south
of Three Rivers - after joining with the Leona River and Sabinal.
(
See : Swimming to Mexico ) |
Frio
River Texas
TE photo, 2001 |
History in
a Pecan shell
The town was settled between 1856 and 1860 and many early settlers
had previously lived in Leakey
. Rio Frio's population has never exceeded seventy-five people.
Rio Frio was once known only as "The Ditch" after an irrigation
ditch dug by the Lombardy Trading Company. Very near the tree the
same company opened an Academy for the education of the area children
which soon became a well-regarded institution. |
Lombardy
Irrigation Ditch Historic Marker
TE photo, 2001 |
A short
timeline of significant historic events in Rio Frio
1868:
Local businessmen constructed a gravity-flow irrigation canal off
the Frio River.
1871: A school was established
1875: A charter was granted for the Lombardy Irrigation
Company and the town was granted a post office. The Irrigation
Company then sold small plots to arriving settlers who had the responsibility
of maintaining the canal.
1918: Real County's last cotton gin closed after a boll
weevil infestation and this gave birth to the mohair business.
1920: A church building was built - serving both Baptists and
Methodists. The building was later made a mission serving the Mexican
and Mexican-Americans of the area. |
Rio
Frio Cemetery
Photo courtesy Linda Kirkpatrick, October 2007 |
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