Upper Rio Grande Valley Historical Perspective

There is a plethora of history within the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of south Texas.  I learned that the name “Rio Grande Valley” is the preferred nomenclature used by people residing within the area.  In actuality it is a delta because of the sediment deposition left by the Rio Grande after periodic flooding throughout the river’s history.  The term Rio Grande Valley has stuck since the early twentieth century when the region marketed to the public, in effort to attract tourists and people to move to the region. 

On July 14, 2015 our class Environmental Education Methods (EDCI-6346) took a field trip to the upper part of the RGV visiting three historical markers of which are located at: Santa Cruz, Texas; Los Ebanos hand drawn ferry at Los Ebanos, Texas; and the sandstone bluffs at Roma, Texas.  These were phenomenal places that I personally had not known to exist during the nine years living at southern RGV (Brownsville, Texas).  The first stop was in the small town of Los Ebanos, Texas.

A small hand drawn ferry, the only in operation on either side of the border is in use to carry commuters to both countries – Mexico and the U.S.  Remarkably the stabilizing cable used to pull the ferry from each side is anchored to a large Texas Ebony tree (video clip above).  The second stop was at Santa Cruz, Texas where we visited the highest point at the community called Loma de la Cruz, which translates to Hill of the Cross in English.

The Base of Loma de la Cruz looking towards the cross at the top of the hill.

The top of Loma de la Cruz overlooking Santa Cruz, Texas.

Limestone Conglomerate Rock at Loma de la Cruz.

The land throughout this region consists of a limestone conglomerate rock type.  Limestone conglomerate was created during deposition of once living ancient marine organisms such as shellfish and coral calcium carbonate.  The final stop was at Roma, Texas where the sandstone bluffs overlooked the Rio Grande at Miguel Aleman, Mexico.  The Roma bluffs were created through a sedimentation process of cementation by sand grains throughout time. 

Top of the Roma Bluffs looking to the south east of the Rio Grande facing the city of Miguel Aleman, Mexico.

Photo of student Noah Valdez on top of the Roma Bluffs looking to the north west of the Rio Grande facing the Mexican city of Miguel Aleman.

Hand dug well adjacent to the Roma Bluffs still has water in it, the sandstone rock the land sits on is perfect for filtering water from the water table.

Apparently prehistorically Roma, Texas; Santa Cruz, Texas; and Los Ebanos, Texas were inundated by a shallow sea thousands of years ago.  And the seas throughout time deposited sediment creating the topography that it presently has of which is the sandstone, limestone type of rocks.  Presently, the land area of the upper RGV drains water to the Rio Grande basin watershed meaning that any water that flows from land will drain into the Rio Grande.  Overall, the history of the Upper RGV is rich in culture from both American and Mexican countries, there is so much more to learn.