Timeline of Brownsville, Texas facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Brownsville, Texas, USA.

18th-19th centuries

• 1771 - José Salvador de la Garza settles in area per Espíritu Santo land grant.
• 1846
  • March: Fort Taylor established by Zachary Taylor.
  • May 8: Battle of Palo Alto.
• 1848 - Brownsville founded by Charles Stillman.
• 1849
  • Travellers of the California Gold Rush pass through town.
  • Stillman house built.
  • Brownsville Lyceum founded.
• 1850
  • Market Square built.
  • Sentinel newspaper begins publication.
  • Population: 2,734.
• 1853 - "Police force" established.
• 1859
  • First Cortina War.
  • Immaculate Conception Church built.
• 1863 - November 2–6: Battle of Brownsville; Union wins.
• 1865
  • May 12–13: Battle of Palmito Ranch fought near Brownsville; Confederates win.
  • Saint Joseph Academy established.
• 1867 - Hurricane.
• 1870
  • Point Isabel-Brownsville railway built.
  • Population: 4,905.
• 1874 - Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate of Brownsville established.
• 1875 - Porfirio Díaz plots Mexican coup from his temporary base in Brownsville.
• 1877 - Alonso house built.
• 1878 - Sabas Cavazos Cemetery established.
• 1883 - Cameron County Courthouse built.
• 1890 - Population: 6,134.
• 1892 - Daily Herald newspaper begins publication.
• 1900 - Population: 6,305.

20th century

• 1903 - St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway begins operating.
• 1906 - August: Brownsville Affair (racial unrest).
• 1907 - Snakeville in business.
• 1910
  • Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge opens.
  • Dittmann Theater (cinema) built.
  • Population: 10,517.
• 1913 - County Jail built.
• 1914 - New Cameron County Courthouse built.
• 1926 - Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley established.
• 1927 - KGFI radio begins broadcasting.
• 1930 - Population: 22,021.
• 1934 - El Heraldo de Brownsville newspaper begins publication.
• 1936 - Port of Brownsville opens.
• 1938 - Matamoros-Brownsville Charro Days Festival begins.
• 1945 - U.S. Army Fort Brown decommissioned.
• 1946 - Teatro Victoria in business.
• 1949 - Charro Drive-In cinema and Majestic Theatre in business.
• 1950
  • Texas Southmost College active.
  • Population: 35,086.
• 1960
  • Stillman House Museum opens.
  • Population: 48,040.
• 1965 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville established.
• 1970 - Population: 52,522.
• 1971 - Gladys Porter Zoo established.
• 1978 - Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site established. (Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park since 2009.)
• 1979 - Brownsville Urban System (transport) established.
• 1980 - Population: 84,997.
• 1990 - Population: 98,962.
• 1991
  • University of Texas at Brownsville active.
  • Pat Ahumada becomes mayor.
• 1997 - City website online (approximate date).
• 1999 - Blanca Vela becomes mayor.
• 2000 - Population: 139,722.

21st century

• 2001 - El Nuevo Heraldo newspaper in publication.
• 2007 - Pat Ahumada becomes mayor again.
• 2010 - Population: 175,023.
• 2013 - Filemon Vela, Jr. becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 34th congressional district.
• 2018 - Trey Mendez elected mayor