Brownsville, Texas

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS ON THE BOR S ince its founding in 1848, Brownsville has grown 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 earned the title “back door to the Confederacy” during the Civil War because trade goods, especially cotton, could be taken across the border from the city to Mexico and shipped out, avoiding the Union blockade of Confederate ports. Today, Brownsville is home to upwards of 175,000 residents and covers nearly 150 square miles, with 350 miles of paved streets. At an assessed valuation of more than $6 billion, the city has nearly