Weslaco, TX

Situated in the Rio Grande Valley and located within Hidalgo County, the city of Weslaco, Texas, covers almost 13 square miles. It was named with an acronym for the W. E. Stewart Land Company, the Kansas City real estate company that developed the town in the 1920s on what had been mostly ranch land. In the 1930s, the town was well known for the neon lighting that covered buildings in its two-block business district. The city today has a population of approximately 27,000 people.

Weslaco is located within 50 miles of the Gulf of Mexico, so the area's climate is considered tropical, with winter lows usually dipping no lower than 50 degrees. Summers bring warm, humid weather, as well as tropical storms and occasional hurricanes from June through November.

In 1997 the Texas legislature declared Weslaco to be "The Citrus Capitol of Texas."

The Rio Grande is an important part of the geography of the region. This North American river serves as much of the eastern border between the United States and Mexico. While sandbars make navigation along the entire river unpractical, the silt-rich waters that flow downstream are instrumental in providing irrigation for agriculture in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Crops of importance include citrus fruits, cotton and winter vegetables.

Two joint projects-Amistad Dam and Falcon Dam-were constructed in a cooperative flood control effort by the United States and Mexico. Both play a vital role in irrigation management and flood control in the Rio Grande Valley region.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

About 62 percent of workers in Weslaco work for companies, 17 percent work for the government and 6 percent are self-employed. The average salary for jobs in Weslaco is $21,945 and the median income of households is $26,573. The city has an unemployment rate of 14.3 percent, which is quite higher than the national average.

The leading industries in this region are education, health and social services, retail and manufacturing. Top employers within the region include Weslaco Independent School District, Knapp Medical Center and Biocom Clinical Laboratories.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The city has a total area of 12.8 square miles and accommodates approximately 10,200 houses with an occupancy ratio of 80 percent. Weslaco is a great city to get around in on foot, as visitors can find many restaurants, coffee shops and grocery stores within a short distance from the center of the city.

What began as a community and local government effort became a reality in 1997 when Weslaco was named a Texas Main Street City. With the ball already in motion, Weslaco and its main street businesses began the task of rehabilitating and revitalizing the downtown area.A drive down Texas Boulevard evokes memories of the 1930's Spanish architecture that helped make Weslaco famous. Older establishments have returned to the stucco shapes and forms that many will remember. Even newer buildings are conforming to the style of years gone by. Housed within these buildings are merchants who care about the look and feel of Downtown Weslaco, and they offer the same personalized service that has kept them in business for so many years.

BEST BETS

• Weslaco Museum: Established in 1971, the museum found a new home in 1986 in the old City Library. Artifacts include a pigeonhole sorting desk used by the town's first postmistress, a switchboard telephone exchange and a portrait donated by the United States Marine Corps of the flag raising on Iwo Jima.
• Harlon Block Memorial: This memorial is dedicated to the men, including the local resident Harlon Block, who raised the flag on Iwo Jima in World War II. Corporal Block was killed one week later in an assault attempting to overtake a Japanese position on the island, and his body was returned to Weslaco for burial in 1949, with seven of his classmates serving as pallbearers.
• World Birding Center at Estero Llano Grande State Park: Featuring shallow ponds, woodlands and a thorn forest, this 176-acre refuge is a birding paradise. Showcasing several miles of trails, boardwalks and observation decks, these wetlands attract birds, dragonflies and South Texas wildlife, as well as visitors from around the world.
• Valley Nature Center: This nature center is home to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies and other wildlife, including the Texas horned lizard and the Texas tortoise. Located on five acres of native habitat in the heart of Weslaco, the refuge features bog ponds, a cactus garden and flora, along with a variety of hummingbirds.
• Museum of South Texas: Located in nearby Edinburg, this museum is located in the old county jail. Built in 1910 and utilized until 1922, the facility includes an infamous "hanging tower." With more than 8,000 square feet of exhibit space, the museum features a vast collection of artifacts, dating from the prehistoric Indian era through the Spanish Colonial period, up to the days of the Western frontier and bandit era.

EVENTS

• Dragonfly Days: One of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, the Rio Grande Valley is home to an abundance of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. The dragonflies in particular are feted during this two-day festival in May at the Estero Llano Grande State Park. The event features lectures, presentations and field trips to various habitats within the Rio Grande Valley.
• Texas Rio Grande Valley Onion Fest: This festival celebrates the development of the Texas 1015 Onion, which was produced in Weslaco. The festival features onion-based gourmet fare, including onion rings and onion blossoms, as well as musical entertainment and a dancing-horse show.

EDUCATION

• South Texas College: Established in 1993, the college has an enrollment of almost 20,000 students spread out among five regional campuses. The academic program offers more than 90 certificate and two-year degree programs, as well as a four-year degree program in applied technology.
• University of Texas, Brownsville/Texas Southmost College: Established in 1991, the college is a state university and community college partnership. With an enrollment of approximately 17,000 students, the facility is located on a 524-acre campus in an urban setting that was once Fort Brown. Many of the fort's historic buildings still remain. The university offers programs in applied technologies, liberal arts, health sciences and mathematics and engineering.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Rio Grande Valley Vipers: Part of the NBA development program, this D-League team plays in nearby Hidalgo.
• Edinburg Coyotes: Part of the fledgling United Baseball League, this team is focused on old-fashioned, fan-friendly baseball.
• Rio Grande Valley Dorados: This arena football team plays home games at the Dodge Arena in Hidalgo.