Brownsville

Extracted Attributes

• State

  Texas

• County

  Cameron County

• Country

  United States

• Founder

  Charles Stillman

• Land Area

  145.2 square miles (376.066 km²)

• Named After

  Major Jacob Brown

• Population (2020 Census)

  186,738 people

• Founding Year Discrepancy

  Generally accepted as 1848; Wikidata records inception as 1849-01-01; full incorporation noted as 1850/1853 depending on historical source.

• Hispanic Population Percentage

  93.9%

Timeline

• Spanish authorities grant 59 leagues of land including the site of present-day Brownsville to José Salvador de la Garza. (Source: web_search_results)

  1781-01-01

• Major Jacob Brown dies during the siege of Fort Texas during the Mexican-American War, inspiring the future city's name. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1846-05-01

• Brownsville is founded by Charles Stillman following the Mexican-American War. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1848-01-01

• Brownsville is designated as the county seat of Cameron County. (Source: web_search_results)

  1849-01-13

• The Battle of Palmito Ranch, one of the final major land actions of the American Civil War, takes place near Brownsville. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1865-05-12

• The deep-water Port of Brownsville officially opens with a 17-mile channel. (Source: web_search_results)

  1936-01-01

• The United States 2020 Census records Brownsville's population at 186,738. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2020-04-01

Brownsville, Texas

Brownsville ( BROWNZ-vil) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the largest city and county seat of Cameron County, located on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The city covers 145.2 sq mi (376.066 km2), and had a population of 186,738 at the 2020 census. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it is the 136th-most populous city in the United States and 18th-most populous in Texas. It is part of the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan area. The city is known for its year-round subtropical climate, deep-water seaport, and Hispanic culture. The city was founded in 1848 by American entrepreneur Charles Stillman after he developed a successful river-boat company nearby. It was named for Fort Brown, itself named after Major Jacob Brown, who fought and died while serving as a U.S. Army soldier during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). As a county seat, the city and county governments are major employers. Other primary employers fall within the service, trade, and manufacturing industries, including a growing aerospace and space transportation sector. It operates international trading through the Port of Brownsville. The city experienced a population increase in the early 1900s, when steel production flourished. Due to significant historical events, the city has multiple houses and battle sites listed under the National Register of Historic Places. The city played a primary role in the Mexican–American War with the siege of Fort Texas and the first engagements of the war: The Battle of Palo Alto and the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. Several key events of the American Civil War took place in the city, such as the Battle of Brownsville and the Battle of Palmito Ranch. The city was also involved in the Texas Revolution. Brownsville's idiosyncratic geographic location has made it a wildlife refuge center. Several state parks and historical sites are protected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Brownsville has a predominantly Hispanic population, which at 93.9% is the fourth-highest proportion of Hispanic Americans of any city in the United States outside of Puerto Rico.

Web Search Results

• Brownsville, TX

  Brownsville, the county seat of Cameron County, is across the Rio Grande from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, at the southernmost tip of Texas. The city is at the southern terminus of U.S. highways 77 and 83 and the Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads, as well as a major port of entry to Mexico. Although the site was explored as early as the seventeenth century, the first settlers did not arrive until the latter part of the eighteenth century. In 1765 the community of San Juan de los Esteros (present-day Matamoros) was established across the Rio Grande. In 1781 Spanish authorities granted fifty-nine leagues of land on the northern bank of the river, including all of the site of Brownsville, to José Salvador de la Garza, who established a ranch about sixteen miles northwest of the site. [...] Brownsville was made county seat of the new Cameron County on January 13, 1849, and a post office went into operation on February 3. Within a short time the town's population—swollen by refugees from Matamoros and Forty-niners taking the Gila route to the gold fields of California—had increased to more than 1,000. Despite a cholera epidemic in the spring of 1849 that reportedly killed nearly half the population, the town continued to boom. Brownsville soon replaced Matamoros as the leading trade center for northern Mexico. Merchants on both sides of the border quickly recognized the advantage of shipping goods to Brownsville and then smuggling them across the Rio Grande to avoid paying high Mexican duties. During the Mexican War, Richard King, Mifflin Kenedy and Charles Stillman had set [...] problems including substandard housing in colonias and high unemployment. Nonetheless, Brownsville continues to be a mecca for tourists year round. Points of interest in and around the city include Fort Brown; the Charles Stillman home; the sites of the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Palmito Ranch; the Gladys Porter Zoo; South Padre Island; and Matamoros.

• Brownsville, Texas - Wikipedia

  Brownsville is in one metropolitan statistical area as defined by the United States Census Bureau. The Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville combined statistical area consists of Cameron County and Willacy County. It includes the Brownsville metropolitan area and the micropolitan area of Raymondville. The city of Raymondville is the county seat of Willacy County. The Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville combined statistical area is home to 445,309 people (2017 estimated), making it the 106th-largest combined statistical area in the United States. Based on the Uniform Crime Report conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013, the Brownsville metropolitan area ranked last on its list of the "Most Dangerous Cities" in Texas, with "240 incidents of violent crime per 100,000 people" and [...] The city holds several federal office buildings. The United States Postal Service operates post offices in Brownsville. Downtown Brownsville is served by the Old Federal Courthouse "United States Court House, Custom House, and Post Office (Brownsville, Texas)"); it is now used as a City Hall. The National Weather Service operates an office and a Nexrad weather radar site in east Brownsville. They provide forecasts and radar coverage for Deep South Texas and the adjacent coastal waters. Other federal building located within the city limits of Brownsville include: Social Security Administration and the Reynaldo G. Garza – Filemon B. Vela United States Courthouse. Military buildings and battle sites include the Brownsville Armed Forces Reserve Center (AFRC) host units from the United States [...] ## Government [edit] See also: List of mayors of Brownsville, Texas Brownsville has a council–manager government. The mayor and a six-member city commission are selected in nonpartisan elections. Four members are elected from geographic districts; the remaining two members are elected at-large. Since Brownsville is the county seat of Cameron County, many county offices are in Brownsville. The city's public library system has two branches. The primary law enforcement agency for the city is the Brownsville Police Department. The Brownsville Fire Department has nine stations around the city; its central office is located on the eastern side of the city. "); it currently serves as Brownsville's City Hall

• Brownsville | Texas Border City, US-Mexico Gateway | Britannica

  Encyclopedia Britannica Encyclopedia Britannica Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day. Britannica AI Icon Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. # Brownsville Britannica AI Icon Brownsville, city, seat (1848) of Cameron county, extreme southern Texas, U.S. It lies along the Rio Grande opposite Matamoros, Mexico, 22 miles (35 km) from the river’s mouth. With Harlingen and San Benito it forms an industrial, agribusiness, and port complex. [...] Brownsville’s deepwater port (opened 1936), with a 17-mile (27-km) channel, serves as the southwestern terminus of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and handles a range of bulk cargoes, including fuel oil, ores, and grains; it is also the harbour for a large shrimp fleet. Brownsville’s industries include petrochemicals, aircraft repair, and food processing. The city is an international air, highway, and rail focus and is the largest urban centre in the irrigated lower Rio Grande valley, which supports the raising of cotton, grain, winter vegetables, citrus fruit, and livestock. [...] Brownsville’s economy is augmented by tourism, based on the nearby Boca Chica Beach, the Padre Island National Seashore (established 1962), and gateway facilities to Mexico. The city’s annual pre-Lenten Charro Days festival combines Texan and Mexican culture. The Historic Brownsville Museum and Stillman House Museum contain collections of documents and artifacts relating to area history. The city is the seat of the upper-division University of Texas at Brownsville (1973) and its affiliate, Texas Southmost College (1926). Inc. 1850. Pop. (2010) 175,023; Brownsville-Harlingen Metro Area, 406,220; (2020) 186,738; Brownsville-Harlingen Metro Area, 421,017.

• Life in Brownsville: Culture, Community & Opportunity

  Brownsville consistently ranks among the most affordable cities in the country. It’s about 25% more affordable than the U.S. average, and well below Texas’s larger metros: roughly 42% lower than Austin, 25% lower than Dallas, and 18% lower than San Antonio. Even compared with similar or smaller cities like Carrollton and Midland, Brownsville holds a clear cost-of-living advantage, at about 30% and 19% lower, respectively. [...] Learn More ## Crossroads to the Hemisphere On the border, by the sea, Brownsville, Texas, is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley. It is known as the Crossroads of the Hemisphere due to its proximity to the United States border with Mexico. Brownsville has four established methods of international trade, including air, sea, road, and rail; this makes Brownsville the perfect gateway for intermodal access to North America, Mexico, Latin America, and beyond. In addition, for more than a decade, Brownsville has been home to SpaceX, opening the potential for interplanetary travel to be added to its list of trade methods. Close Learn More ## Home to the Largest Projects in the Nation [...] National recognition has followed. In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked Brownsville the 8th best place to live in Texas. It was named the 16th safest city in the U.S. by SmartAsset Advisors in 2022. Brownsville is also a recipient of the All-America City Award, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize, and holds a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community designation—the only city south of San Antonio to do so. These honors reflect both civic strength and long-term investments in public health, safety, and mobility.

• About Brownsville

  ### Brownsville Beginnings The settlement around the fort was called Brownsville, a founding date of 1848 is generally accepted for the city. Finally incorporated in 1853, Brownsville was named the county seat of Cameron County (named after Ewen Cameron, a U.S. soldier killed by a Mexican firing squad during the war). Its location on the river helped establish Brownsville as a trade center for southern Texas. The city prospered and steamboat traffic on the river further enhanced Brownsville's status as an economic center. ### Secession [...] ## Brownsville Today The City of Brownsville Today Brownsville is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley with a population of approximately 185,000. It covers nearly 150 square miles and has some 350 miles of paved streets. With an assessed valuation of more than $7.5 billion, the city has nearly quadrupled its wealth in the past 15 years. Brownsville is proud of our past and annually hosts thousands of tourists who not only take in the history but the climate and proximity to Mexico as well. Brownsville TX Homepage Brownsville TX Homepage Facebook Instagram X YouTube ### Contact Us 1001 E Elizabeth Street Brownsville, TX 78520 Phone : 956-546-4357 ### Quick Links ### Site Links ## Loading [...] ### City of Brownsville On the Border by the Sea and Beyond Facebook Icon Instagram X YouTube Search # About Brownsville The Welcome to Brownsville sign with three flags and trees behind it. ## Purpose Statement ## About Brownsville An image of Old Downtown Brownsville that reads A Brief History on it. ## Our Valued Past Time has seen Brownsville grow from a Mexican War military post to the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley and one of the most important historic sites in the State of Texas. Brownsville was a prominent player in the Civil War, earning the title "back door to the Confederacy" by virtue of the fact that trade goods especially cotton could be taken to Mexico and shipped out, avoiding the Union blockade of Confederate ports. ### Matamoros

• Image

  

• Country

  United States

• Located In

  Cameron County

• Instance Of

  Q62049

• Population

  186,738

• Coordinates

  Lat: 25.930277777, Lon: -97.484444444

• Inception Date

  1/1/1849