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SAN
BENITO, TEXAS
Third largest town
in Cameron County
Cameron County, Texas
Gulf Coast
Hwys 77/ 83
5 miles S of Harlingen
20 miles N of Brownsville
Population 23,444 (2000) 20,125 (1990)
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Samuel
Arthur Robertson by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" column)
[Robertson founded] the city of San Benito and later supervised construction
of an irrigation system capable of watering 68,000 acres. He also
built a system of rail feeder spurs across the Valley and established
the area’s first ice plants to facilitate the shipment of produce
from the farms that sprang up because of the irrigation network he
helped develop. While he was at it, he served as San Benito’s first
postmaster and twice as sheriff of Cameron County... more |
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Queen
Citriana Betty Jo Knox
Photo courtesy Cruse Aviation |
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Flying
into San Benito, 1946
Photo courtesy Cruse Aviation |
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History in
a Pecan shell
In 1904 the San Benito Land and Water Company was formed
1907: Lots are sold.
A post office was opened under the name San Benito. According to the
Handbook of Texas - the town was first called Bessie, after the daughter
of Benjamin Franklin Yoakum, a St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway
official. The name San Benito was an invention of Rafael Moreno, who
combined the given names of Benny Hicks and Sam Robertson. Sam became
San and Benny became Benito.
1915-16: San Benito was a base camp for Oklahoma, South Dakota, and
Tennessee National Guard troops.
1916: The train to Brownsville
was derailed at Olmito - ten miles south of San Benito. |
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"Hog
Waddle, Cabbage Day, San Benito, Texas"
Postcard
courtesy rootsweb.com/
~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
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"Public Library, San Benito, Texas"
Postcard
courtesy rootsweb.com/
~txgenweb// postcards/Index.html |
San Benito was a major shipper of citrus fruits and vegetables. The
last citrus-packing facility was said to have closed after the freeze
of 1983, but produce delivery continues - at least locally.
The Community-owned Dolly Vinsant Memorial Hospital, was named for
Lt. Wilma R. (Dolly) Vinsant Shea, an army flight nurse, killed over
Germany in May 1945.
The Stonewall Jackson, a former hotel, is now in used as a retirement
home.
San
Benito Hotels
Book Your Hotel
Here & Save
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San Benito
Chronicles
Freddy
Fender
by Ken Rudine
"Freddy Fender is probably the greatest singer, writer and
musician of Mexican-American heritage."
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"San
Benito - Hometown of Freddy Fender"
Photo courtesy Ken Rudine, February 2006 |
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