| |
| | The
statue of Popeye in front of Crystal City City Hall
TE photo, November 2001 |
History
in a Spinach Can
The counties of this region (other than the border
counties) have similar histories. Most towns were born with the arrival of the
railroad or when irrigation technology took advantage of the numerous wells and
springs.
Carl F. Groos and E. J. Buckingham, were developers who opened
the town in the early 1900s. They bought a 10,000-acre ranch in 1905, platted
the townsite of Crystal City and sold off land in smaller parcels for farms.
In 1908 Crystal City was granted a post office and the Crystal City and
Uvalde Railway provided the first rail service.
In 1910 with a healthy
population of 350 – the town incorporated.
An election held in 1928
made Crystal City the county seat.
The arrival of the railroad meant
a market for produce and especially winter vegetables for northern markets. Onions
were the first crop introduced, but spinach replaced the onion crop and now Crystal
City is “Spinach Capital of the World”
The first annual spinach festival
took place in 1936 and the Spinach Festival maintains an office in downtown Crystal
City. The Spinach Festival was resumed in 1982 after being suspended during World
War II.
A statue of Popeye was erected with the blessing of the sailorman’s
creator in 1937. It ranks high in the pantheon of less-than-serious statues in
Texas. Today the pipe-smoking sailor stands in front of city hall – sharing the
same banishment of other tobacco users.
Zavala
County Courthouse |
Remains
of the Japanese Interment Camp in Crystal City
TE photo, 2005 |
Japanese
Interment Camp Identified
with two historical markers.
During World
War II an internment camp was built utilizing buildings from a prewar labor
camp.
Japanese, Japanese Americans and also Japanese that had been living
in South and Central American populated the camp which closed in 1947 and had
its buildings incorporated into the Zavala County ISD.
(See also Alien
Camp by Mike Cox)
For additional information, contact the Zavala
County Historical Commission - PO Box 616, Crystal City, Texas 78839 |
| | Mosaic
mural in Crystal City
TE photo 2001 |
| | Another
of the murals in Crystal City
TE photo 2001 |
| | Mosaic
mural detail
TE photo 2001 |
The
Green Economy
The Del Monte Corporation is the county’s largest employee
and has been since it opened a canning plant in 1945 when it was operating as
the California Packing Corporation.
In the 1940s – an astounding 97%
of Crystal City’s citizens were migrant workers who followed the crops.
Del Monte’s operations and several expansions have helped increase the town’s
size. In 1950 the population that once left town to follow the crops rose to over
7,000 and then to over 9,000 in 1960. |
The
“Crystal City Revolts” of the 1960s
In the 1960s the Hispanic majority asserted their dominant voting power to win
key city and school offices. The exaggerated "Crystal City Revolts"- which were
peaceful – helped form the Raza Unida party in 1970. The party dominated the town
politically until the late 70s when it dissolved into splinter groups.
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| |
The theatre in downtown Crystal City
TE photo 2001 |
| |
The theatre at night
TE photo 2001 |
Crystal City Texas ForumSubject:
Crystal City Texas
Dear TE, A local Little Rock newspaper has an article
about Alma, Arkansas putting up it's second Popeye statue. And they claim Alma
is "The Spinach Capital of the World." Now you and I know that isn't so. May I
use some of your Web-site material in rebutting their article? If this is not
permitted, I may write them, using my personal knowledge, having been born at
Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, September 12, 1922. My wife was born in
Crystal City, in 1923, and participated in two Spinach Festivals. - Ted
Hood Sr., Little Rock, Arkansas, November 07, 2006 Ted
Hood of San Antonio defends the Spinach Capital of the World - November
15, 2006
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