Rio Grande City, Texas

Everything Rio Grande City is known for

2 songs mention this city 5 artists from here

Rio Grande City, Texas, located in the Rio Grande Valley, is a community with a notable connection to music. While not widely known as a music hub, it is home to several artists and is mentioned in various songs. Latin music artists like Los Buenos and Agustin Ramirez hail from Rio Grande City. The city is also referenced in songs such as "leavin' texas" by Jerry Jeff Walker.

The musical ties of Rio Grande City reflect its position within the broader Rio Grande Valley, a region recognized for its rich Tejano and Conjunto music roots. These genres, influenced by Mexican and European traditions, are a significant part of the area's cultural identity.

Music in Rio Grande City

Songs About Rio Grande City

heard it all before
bob wayne
19%
leavin' texas
jerry jeff walker
10%

Artists From Rio Grande City

L
Los Buenos
latin Pop: 29
M
Mando Y La Venganza
latin Pop: 24
C
Carlos Leal y Su Fara Fara Time
latin Pop: 23
A
Agustin Ramirez
latin Pop: 22
A
Augustin Ramirez
latin Pop: 18

Rivers & Roads in Song near Rio Grande City

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Rio Grande City.

Rio Grande / Río Bravo 157 songs Rio Grande / Río Bravo 242 songs

Musical Heritage

Jose 'Pepe' Maldonado RoadyGoat

Pepe Maldonado picked cotton in the fields around Rio Grande City before he was old enough to know it wasn't his future. At thirteen he decided he'd be an artist instead — and then he taught himself accordion, bass, and bajo sexto, all three. Through the fifties and sixties he worked the Valley playing "El Troquero" and "Amorcito Consentido," and in 1967 a song called "Al Pie de un Crucifijo" carried his name all the way to New York. By the seventies he'd built his own label, Del Sur Records, and a studio called El Rancho Sound, where conjunto groups drove up from Monterrey and Reynosa to cut records. Lydia Mendoza herself made an album there. Eighty-three years old, and the Valley still runs right through his hands.

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History of Rio Grande City

Rio Grande City, TX RoadyGoat

Rio Grande City sits a little higher than you might expect for a border town, just above the river's usual level. That elevation, combined with its location right on the Rio Grande, helped make it a vital trading post early on. Riverboats were common, bringing goods and people, shaping the town's destiny. That history is still palpable. Names like La Borde House hint at the area's heritage. Some even say a treasure is buried somewhere nearby, a relic of those river trading days. The culture here is deeply rooted in the traditions of the people who settled this land. Spanish was, and in many ways still is, the language of daily life. While English has become more prevalent, especially with younger generations, you'll still hear the lilting cadences of Spanish conversations everywhere. The music, too, tells a story. Even in the food, you can taste the past – generations of families passing down recipes that blend Mexican and American influences. Agriculture and ranching remain central, tying people to the land and its history in a very real way. The strong sense of community here is a testament to those enduring bonds.

Rio Grande City, TX RoadyGoat

Rio Grande City sits a little higher than you might expect, a hundred and seventy-seven feet above sea level. That elevation, combined with its position right on the river, made it a natural hub. You can almost picture the steamboats unloading goods, the air thick with the sounds of commerce and the promise of opportunity. The land around here is rich, too, and even now you see family farms stretching out, a testament to generations of hard work and deep roots in the soil. Of course, a place like this breeds characters.

Rio Grande City, TX RoadyGoat

Rio Grande City has always been a place shaped by the river. It carved out not just our geography, sitting us higher than many other towns along the border, but also our history as a trading hub. For generations, agriculture was king. You can still see it in the sprawling family farms, the scent of the earth hanging in the air on a warm day. Lately, though, that familiar rhythm has been disrupted by the increased focus on border security. It's not just the physical presence of more agents and vehicles, but the way it affects daily life. The river, once a symbol of connection and commerce, now feels like a dividing line in a lot of ways. The sense of community is still strong, and folks are resilient, but there's an undeniable tension. It’s a new chapter for Rio Grande City, one where we’re navigating the complexities of being a border community in a rapidly changing world, all while holding onto that deep-rooted pride and history.

De Escandon, Jose

1748

In memory of the greatest colonizer of northern Mexico Jose de Escandon; who executed exploration from Tampico to the San Antonio River; laid out 23 towns, most of which still exist. Founded missions, opened roads, and established settlers. Conferred in recognition of his services to the crown of Spain, the title of El Conde de la Sierra Gorda.

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Fort Ringgold

1848

Fort Ringgold, the southernmost installation of the western tier of forts constructed at the end of the Mexican War , stood guard for nearly a century over the Rio Grande and Rio Grande City. On October 26, 1848, Bvt. Maj. Joseph H. LaMotte led two companies of the First United States Infantry to Davis Landing, near the newly established Rio Grande City in Starr County. The army leased thirty-three acres from Henry Clay Davis , the town founder, whose heirs sold 350 acres to the government for $20,000 in 1878. Known initially as the Post at Davis Landing, the fort bore the names Camp Ringgold and Ringgold Barracks before being named Fort Ringgold in the year of the purchase. The name was in honor of Bvt. Maj. Samuel Ringgold, the first United States Army officer to die from wounds received in the battle of Palo Alto (May 8, 1846); he died on May 11. The military chose the site to protect the area from Indian and Mexican attacks. The ninety-six-year occupancy of the post was marked by several interruptions, at times when the government considered it redundant, followed by regarrisoning when the region was threatened. Major periods of occupation were from 1848 until the Civil War intervened in 1861; from 1865 until military exigencies in the Philippines closed it in 1906; and from 1917 to 1944. The army declared the fort surplus and disposed of the property in 1944. The installation was of flimsy construction until after the Civil War. Construction began on a new post in 1869 at the same location, and by the mid-1870s it took on a permanent look with the erection of frame and brick structures along a palm-lined parade ground. Ringgold was one of the most attractive posts along the border. Congress appropriated additional funds for improvements in 1917. In the nineteenth century Ringgold hosted a number of prominent military figures, including Robert E. Lee , John J. Pershing , and possibly Jefferson Davis . In 1875 Capt. Leander H. McNelly and a contingent of Texas Rangers garrisoned the post. Fort Ringgold assured permanence for the isolated Rio Grande City and socially and economically affected the life of the community while it safeguarded the citizenry from border violence. The post housed the area's first telegraph office, fueled the local economy through federal appropriations, and waged protracted warfare on smugglers, rustlers, and insurrectionists who ravaged the region. The Cortina War and the unrest along the border during the Mexican Revolution particularly emphasized the importance of the garrison. Ringgold troops under the command of Maj. Samuel P. Heintzelman ended the threat of the former by joining forces with John Salmon Ford and the Texas Rangers to rid the area of Juan N. Cortina in 1860. The most serious rift between Fort Ringgold and Rio Grande City occurred in 1899 when Troop D of the Ninth United States Cavalry briefly garrisoned the installation. The Black troops, returning triumphantly from the Cuban campaign, quickly grew impatient at racial restrictions and harassment. Tensions heightened amid conflicting reports of impending attacks on the fort and town. On the night of November 20 post commander 2d Lt. E. H. Rubottom responded to a presumed assault on the garrison by ordering Gatling gunfire on the area between the post and town. Only one minor injury resulted, but Rubottom's action succeeded in quelling the disturbance. Ensuing federal, state, and grand jury investigations failed to specify culpability or motivation, although many townspeople and other Texans insisted that soldiers feigned an attack on the fort in order to wreak havoc on the community. Lt. Col. Cyrus S. Roberts of the United States Army and Thomas Scurry , adjutant general of Texas, concluded that Rubottom had acted unwisely but recommended no charges against him or others. Governor Joseph Sayers favored the locals' demand that the Ninth Cavalry be moved, and the residents requested that a White garrison be retained. In 1909 the re

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Garcia, Manuel Marius

1894

Manuel M. García, educator, rancher, and philanthropist, the son of Sixto and Dolores (Ramírez) García, was born on June 17, 1872, at Camargo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The family owned land near Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas, where García spent much of his early life. He was attended the Anglo-Mexican School, a private school in San Diego, Texas, and returned to Rio Grande City upon completion of his studies. In 1888 he enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin, where he studied classics and was a member of the Rusk Society, of which he was president in 1893. He was also editor of the annual, the Cactus (1894), and a writer for Business Manager Magazine . In 1894 García became the first Mexican American to graduate from the University of Texas, when he received his bachelor of arts degree. After graduation he taught modern languages and English at San Antonio Academy for Boys from 1894 to 1898, when he completed his master's degree at UT. He then returned to Starr County, where he served as notary public and principal of School No. 22 from 1898 to 1902. He returned to the academy in 1902 and taught there until 1904. García then served as supervisor of the Spanish department of the San Antonio public schools from 1904 to 1912. He and his wife, Carmen Lassaulx de García, moved to Laredo in 1917 with his father and brother, Sixto García, Jr. There they founded the Merchants' Bank and Trust Company, where García was assistant cashier. His wealth came from his cattle business and real estate holdings in and around Laredo and Rio Grande City. He was active in civic organizations and served as the president of the University of Texas Ex-Students Club in Laredo in 1948. That year he donated a $60,000 building to the Laredo Post of the VFW and was elected the Laredo Times Man of the Year. In 1949 García, his wife, and a granddaughter vacationed in Europe and were featured in a Life story upon their return. García died in Temple on January 9, 1950.

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Harrell, William George

1945

World War II Medal of Honor recipient William George Harrell was born on June 26, 1922, in Rio Grande City, Texas, to Roy E. and Hazel Marion (Culver) Harrell. His father served in the cavalry in World War I , worked as a ranch hand, and patrolled the Mexican border as an employee of the Bureau of Immigration. After the death of Roy Harrell in 1931, Hazel Harrell was left to support William, his older brother Dick, and his sister Virginia. As a youngster, Harrell attended school in Rio Grande City and in Mercedes. In junior high school, he was a member of the Boy Scouts. Like his father, Harrell developed a love for horses. He also enjoyed camping and hunting and spent much of his time boating at a local lake. He worked in the summer at various jobs including a stint on a ranch. In 1939 Harrell graduated from Mercedes High School and enrolled at Texas A&M University. In September 1939 Harrell arrived at Texas A&M and remained there for four semesters. With an interest in the scientific breeding of horses and cattle, he selected animal husbandry as his field of study and selected the cavalry as his military science requirement. An aunt provided some financial support, but Harrell understood that he had to finance his own way. After two years in College Station, he decided to seek employment in order to pay for his the rest of his education. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he sought to join the military. After being rejected twice by the United States Army Air Corps due to color blindness and once by the United States Navy, Harrell enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in July 1942. He took basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and received training as an armorer at Camp Elliott. After completing the basic rocket course, Harrell was assigned to Company A, Twenty-eighth Marine Regiment, Fifth Marine Division in early 1943. After additional training in Hawaii and then Saipan, Sergeant Harrell hit the beach on Iwo Jima with the Twenty-eighth in the early hours of February 19, 1945. The Fifth Division was ordered to the southern part of the island facing Mount Suribachi. The marines had taken Mount Suribachi and one of the two airfields by February 24. In the early morning of March 3, Harrell and fellow Texan PFC Andrew J. Carter of Paducah manned a foxhole in a perimeter defense about twenty yards in front of the company command post. At about 5:00 A.M., the enemy attacked. Carter shot first and killed four Japanese moving toward him. Sergeant Harrell rapidly fired his carbine and killed two Japanese that had emerged from a ravine. After Carter’s rifle jammed, Harrell ordered him to the rear to secure another one. Fighting alone and ignoring the dangers of enemy grenades landing near him, Harrell fought the Japanese and took enemy fire that shot off his left hand and fractured his thigh. After securing a rifle, Carter returned to aid Harrell. Unable to reload his rifle, Harrell drew a pistol with his right hand to kill a Japanese officer who slashed Carter’s hand with a samurai sword. Convinced his comrade might bleed to death, Harrell ordered him to the command post. Although exhausted and injured, Harrell found the strength to kill two more Japanese charging him; one with pistol fire and the other with a grenade that exploded and tore off his (Harrell’s) right hand. After the fighting, medics found Harrell and twelve dead Japanese by him. Harrell’s commander called the position the “two-man Alamo.” For their heroics, Harrell received the Medal of Honor, and Carter received the Navy Cross. First treated for his wounds at the Army Hospital Station on Iwo Jima, Harrell was later moved to a U.S. Naval hospital at Pearl Harbor and then to the U.S. Naval Hospital at Mare Island, California. While undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at the Mare Island Hospital, Harrell met Larena Anderson, a clerical worker at the local naval base. They married on February 16, 1946. Their son William Carter wa

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Rio Grande City - Fort Ringgold

1848

Border military post where Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant both served before the Civil War. Former steamboat port on the Rio Grande.

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Rio Grande City, C.S.A.

1863

An official Confederate port of entry, customhouse and major terminus of the cotton road to Mexico. Cotton was the one great money crop of the South that could be sold to hungry European mills for cash for necessary arms, munitions, drugs that had to come from Europe. International ports on the Rio Grande were the South's frail lifelines, its last resource in a war with an industrialized North that manufactured for its self what the South had to import. Cotton arrived at this booming border town on wagons and oxcarts after a hot and dusty trip. It was then ferried across the river and delivered to the neutral ships anchored in the Gulf. Teamsters loaded vital leather goods, clothing, blankets, guns, ammunition and medical supplies for the return trip. Troops from nearby Fort Ringgold guarded the wagon trains and town from bandit raids. In November 1863 Federal forces captured Brownsville and the 1st Texas Union Cavalry advanced up river, captured and occupied this town, seizing the cotton awaiting entry. Rio Grande City was reoccupied in May 1864 and used as a supply and reserve base for the recapture of Brownsville. There was constant danger here from raids by Mexican guerrillas paid by enemy agents to make trouble in Texas. Draft evaders, Union sympathizers and those wanting to avoid conflicts of war tried to cross the river here. In an arrangement with Mexican officials, Confederates both required and checked passports to curb desertions and smuggling.

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Everything Near Rio Grande City

80 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

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