Brownsville, Texas

Brownsville is a city in Cameron County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 139,722. It is the county seat of Cameron County.

Geography

Brownsville is located at (25.930307, -97.484424), on the U.S.-Mexico border (marked here by the Rio Grande or Río Bravo del Norte) from Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 215.0 km² (83.0 mi²). 208.2 km² (80.4 mi²) of it is land and 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²) of it (3.16%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 139,722 people, 38,174 households, and 32,180 families residing in the city. The population density was 671.0/km² (1,737.8/mi²). There were 42,323 housing units at an average density of 203.2/km² (526.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 7.32% White, 0.41% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.54% Asian, and 0.03% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 91.28% of the population.

There were 38,174 households out of which 50.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 20.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.7% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.62 and the average family size was 3.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 34.6% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,468, and the median income for a family was $26,186. Males had a median income of $21,739 versus $17,116 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,762. About 32.4% of families and 36.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.0% of those under age 18 and 31.0% of those age 65 or over.

In 2000, the median gross rent paid for housing in Brownsville was $405 per month. This was the lowest of any city in the United States with more than 100,000 people.^*

History

Fort Texas, a fort on the Mexican border was commissioned in 1845 less than a mile from what would become downtown Brownsville.
Not even completed yet, the Mexican Army began the Siege of Fort Texas on May 3-9, 1846. One of the only two American soldiers who died in the attack was the Fort's commander, Major Jacob Brown, in honor of whom the post was renamed to Fort Brown.
The Battle of Palo Alto occurred five miles from the present location of downtown Brownsville on May 8, 1846, the first battle of the Mexican American War. On May 9, the Battle of Resaca de la Palma was fought within the bounds of the present city limits.
Brownsville was established in January 13, 1849 by Charles Stillman.
On July 13 1859, the First Cortina War started. Juan Nepomuceno Cortina would become one of the most important historical figures of the area, and continued to exert a decisive influence in the local events until his arrest in 1875. The First Cortina War ended on December 27, 1859. In May of 1861, the brief Second Cortina War took place.

During the Civil War Brownsville was used as a smuggling point for Confederate goods into Mexico.
On May 15, 1865 a month after the surrender had been signed at Appomattox Court House the Battle of Palmito Ranch was fought.
On Valentine's day, 1895, 2 inches of snow fell in Brownsville. This was the first recorded instance of snow in the region.
On August 13, and 14th 1906 Brownsville was the site of the Brownsville Raid.
On December 8, 1911 Brownsville's first international bridge was opened, which was called the Brownsville & Matamoros Bridge.
On September 8, 1926 The Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (later known as Texas Southmost College) admitted its first class.
In 1945 Fort Brown was decommissioned and in 1948 the City and College acquired the land.
From 1945 to 1970 Brownsville population doubled from 25,000 to 52,000 people.
In 1991 Brownsville receives a University via the partnership between the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.
Brownsville was declared an All-America City in the year 2001.
On December 25, 2004, Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley had the first instance of measurable snow in 109 years, with 1 1/2 inches, and the first recorded White Christmas. This was part of the 2004 Christmas Eve Snowstorm.

City Government

Brownsville has a Council-Manager style of Government. The Mayor and six City Commissioners, two At-Large and four District, serve staggered four year terms. With elections for one At-Large and two District seats every two years. General elections are held on the first Saturday of May in odd numbered years.

As of 2006, the members of the Commission are:

Mayor: Eddie Treviño Jr. (Since 2003)
Commissioner At-Large "A": Sally Arroyo (Since 2003)
Commissioner At-Large "B": Ernie Hernandez (Since 2005)
Commissioner District 1: Ricardo Longoria Jr. (Since 2003)
Commissioner District 2: Charlie Atkinson (Since 2006)
Commissioner District 3: Carlos Cisneros (Since 2002)
Commissioner District 4: Edward Camarillo (Since 2005)

Charlie Atkinson won the special election to fill the vacated District 2 seat on Saturday, 13 May 2006. Atkinson will hold the seat for the remainder of former incumbent David Betancourt's term. David Betancourt vacated his seat on 3 January 2006 to run for Cameron County treasurer.

The next regular elections for the City will occur in the following years:

Mayor: 2007
At-Large "A": 2007
At-Large "B": 2009
District 1: 2007
District 2: 2007 (*)
District 3: 2009
District 4: 2009

The City Commission appoints the City Manager. As of 2006, the City Manager is Charlie Cabler.

The City Commission also appoints a six member Public Utilities Board for a four-year term. Members are limited to two consecutive or non-consecutive terms. The Mayor is an ex-officio member of the Board.

Education

Universities and Colleges

The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College
South Texas Vocational Technical Institute

Public schools

Most of Brownsville is served by Brownsville Independent School District. The B.I.S.D. counted its total enrollment in the 2003-04 at 45,986 students in 50 schools. It is the 17th largest school district in Texas. A portion of northern Brownsville is served by the Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School District.

In addition, Brownsville residents are allowed to apply to magnet schools operated by the South Texas Independent School District, as well as B.I.S.D. magnet schools. Each B.I.S.D. high school has a magnet school within the school (example, Homer Hanna High School, a B.I.S.D. high school, has the district's medical magnet program).

Private and Parochial Schools

Grades 9-12:

Saint Joseph Academy(grades 7 through 12)
Valley Christian High School

Grades 1-8:

Brownsville SDA School
Episcopal Day School
First Baptist School
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School
Faith Christian Academy
Guadalupe Regional Middle School
Incarnate Word Academy
Kenmont Montessori School
St. Luke's Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School

Charter Schools

Raul Yzaguirre School For Success
Sentry Technology Prep Charter High School

Transportation

Mass Transit

The Brownsville Urban System, or "BUS" for short, is the largest Mass Transit system in the Rio Grande Valley and the only Mass Transit system in Cameron County. BUS provides bus service throughout the City of Brownsville. BUS is particularly used by Mexican tourists as the main bus station is located within two blocks of Brownsville's Gateway International Bridge. A north Brownsville transfer station was recently established in mid-Brownsville, expanding bus service to rapidly developing North Brownsville.

Highways

Brownsville is served by the following U.S. Highways: U.S. 77 and U.S. 281.

U.S. 77 is part of NAFTA's future IH-69

International Bridges

Brownsville has 3 international bridges:

The Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge, known locally as the "Old Bridge".
Gateway International Bridge, known locally as the "new bridge".
The Veteran's Bridge at Los Tomates, or locally simply known as the "Veteran's Bridge".

Airport

Brownsville has its own city-owned airport, the Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport. The airport is used for general aviation and is served by one commercial airline, Continental Airlines, with an average of seven flights to Houston-Intercontinental (depending on the day of the week).

Trivia

Brownsville is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley, both in population and size.

Because of its proximity to Mexico, English and Spanish have equal status in Brownsville.

The motto of Brownsville is "On the Border by the Sea".

Local attractions include the Gladys Porter Zoo, Camille Lightner Playhouse, a historical downtown with buildings over 150 years old, the Port of Brownsville and the Children's Museum of Brownsville. There is also easy access to South Padre Island and Matamoros, Mexico.

Brownsville (Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville) is one of American's Greenest Cities according to Forbes.com.

Brownsville has been referenced in a number of songs. It is the hometown of the heroine in the song "Delta Dawn". Bob Dylan performed a song called "Brownsville Girl" (co-written with Robert Hunter of Grateful Dead fame). It is mentioned in the song "Matamoros Banks" by Bruce Springsteen, and in the song "Texas Women" by Hank Williams Jr. Jim White recorded a song titled "That Girl from Brownsville, Texas". John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats wrote a song about Brownsville called "It's All Here in Brownsville" that appeared on Full Force Galesburg. Brownsville Bay is referenced in the song "Somewhere Between Texas and Mexico" recorded by Pat Green

Judge Reynaldo G. Garza of Brownsville was first appointed to the United States District Court in 1961 by President Kennedy, and to the United States Court of Appeals by President Carter in 1978. Garza's biography All Rise: The First Mexican-American Federal Judge was written by Louise Ann Fisch, also a Brownsville native. ^*

Federico Peña, former U.S. Transportation Secretary, former U.S. Energy Secretary and former mayor of Colorado|Denver, was raised in Brownsville.

Actor Kris Kristofferson was born in Brownsville on June 22, 1936.

Actress Elka Walker,^* best known for "The Real World" series, was born in Brownsville on February 2, 1978.

External links

All-America City | Cameron County, Texas | Cities in Texas | International border crossings | County seats in Texas

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