Country Club Dispute facts for kids
The Country Club Area is a neighborhood in El Paso, Texas. It was once the center of a long-running argument, called a border dispute, between Texas and New Mexico. This argument was about where the exact border between the two states should be, especially because the Rio Grande river, which was supposed to be the border, had moved over time.
Contents
How the Border Dispute Started
The First Border Lines (1850)
Back in 1850, a big agreement called the Compromise of 1850 helped set up new boundaries in the United States. As part of this deal, Texas agreed to give up its claims to parts of what are now New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma. In return, Texas received $10 million. New Mexico then became a territory, meaning it was a part of the U.S. but not yet a state.
The important border for Texas was set in 1850 where the Rio Grande river met the 32nd parallel (an imaginary line of latitude). From that point, another line along the 32nd parallel to the 103rd meridian (an imaginary line of longitude) marked the southern border of New Mexico.
Changes After the Gadsden Purchase
A few years later, in 1853, the United States bought more land from Mexico in what was called the Gadsden Purchase. This land included parts of present-day Arizona and New Mexico. After this purchase, Congress passed a law in 1854. This law gave all the Gadsden Purchase lands to New Mexico Territory.
This created a 12-mile-long section where the Rio Grande river formed the border between the State of Texas and the New Mexico Territory.
The River Moves
Sometime between 1850 and 1912, when New Mexico officially became a state, the Rio Grande river changed its path. The big question was: how much did it move, where did it move, and in what direction? Both Texas and New Mexico agreed that the true border was where the Rio Grande was in 1850.
By 1912, the actual western border of Texas was already beyond the Rio Grande in most places. People had bought land west of the river, paid taxes to Texas, and even voted in Texas elections.
Why the Land Was Important
This border argument was very important because the land involved was valuable. The area near the Rio Grande, which is part of the Chihuahua Desert, was much greener and more fertile than other dry lands nearby. This made it great for farming. Besides farms, valuable homes and even a country club were built in this area. That's why the dispute is named after the Country Club Area (the El Paso Country Club is located at 31°50′05″N 106°35′22″W / 31.83472°N 106.58944°W).
How the Dispute Was Solved
Taking the Case to Court
In 1913, New Mexico decided to take Texas to the U.S. Supreme Court. This is the highest court in the country. The Court appointed a "special master" to investigate and gather all the facts about the disputed land.
The Court heard arguments from both states in a case called State of New Mexico v. State of Texas in 1927. They announced their decision later that same year.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court mostly agreed with Texas. They said that Texas was right about most of the facts in the case. The Court also suggested that New Mexico couldn't really argue about border changes that happened before it became a state in 1912. Those earlier border issues were between Texas and the U.S. Federal Government.
Today, the Country Club Area remains the only major place where Texas extends beyond the Rio Grande river.
