By De La Garza, Munoz H.R. No. 671
74R10544 PAN-D
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, April 25, 1995, has been selected as Delta Area Day
1-2 at the Capitol to honor the Hidalgo County communities of Elsa,
1-3 Edcouch, Monte Alto, and La Villa and to recognize their citizens
1-4 for their extensive contributions to the rich heritage of the Lower
1-5 Rio Grande Valley; and
1-6 WHEREAS, Following the close of World War I, word began to
1-7 spread throughout the United States of a lovely valley just north
1-8 of Mexico that boasted fertile soil and a delightful climate; soon
1-9 land companies were buying up the productive South Texas land and
1-10 attracting many pioneers to the area; and
1-11 WHEREAS, Among the early settlers of the region were Mr. and
1-12 Mrs. William George, who opened a small store in the Lower Rio
1-13 Grande Valley for the convenience of area farmers; in 1926, as news
1-14 began to spread that the railroad was coming to the area, local
1-15 entrepreneurs got busy with plans for developments of their own;
1-16 and
1-17 WHEREAS, One such promoter, Ed Couch of Weslaco, secured a
1-18 right-of-way for the railroad to come through his property while
1-19 Mr. George began to develop plans for his own community; on
1-20 September 19, 1926, the town lots of Edcouch were sold at public
1-21 auction, and the community was off to a fast start; and
1-22 WHEREAS, Within a year, Edcouch had grown so quickly that, in
1-23 terms of industry alone, the community had acquired two feed
1-24 stores, a box and crate factory, two ice plants, two lumberyards,
2-1 several large packing sheds, and an apt slogan, "Edcouch, the town
2-2 where thirty minutes is Ancient History"; and
2-3 WHEREAS, Nearby, the development of Mr. George, which was
2-4 named for the Spanish version of his wife's first name, Elsie, had
2-5 also come to fruition; on March 2, 1927, the Elsa town lots were
2-6 sold at public auction with great fanfare, for this day also marked
2-7 the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in town; and
2-8 WHEREAS, Elsa, which was renowned for the careful planning of
2-9 its townsite, soon welcomed its own booming industry in the form of
2-10 the Temple Lumber Company, and within a year, the community's
2-11 dynamic citizens had already founded the Elsa Civic and Study Club
2-12 and a town beautification program; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Soon the Canal Banking Company, grocery stores, a
2-14 post office, drugstores, and several packing sheds sprang up,
2-15 including the largest vegetable shipping shed in the world, the
2-16 Vahlsing Shed, and Elsa became the primary vegetable shipping point
2-17 in the Valley; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Though both towns incorporated within a year of
2-19 their founding, their first common tie was the Edcouch-Elsa
2-20 Independent School District, which held its first election on
2-21 November 17, 1933, after area citizens grew tired of sending their
2-22 children to faraway Edinburg to receive an education; and
2-23 WHEREAS, In 1926 W. A. Harding joined with others in the area
2-24 to form the Delta Orchards Development Company, and within four
2-25 short years, the company cleared some 56,000 acres of land and laid
2-26 out the townsites of Willamar, La Sara, Hargill, and Rollo, the
2-27 latter of which was named for Harding's only son; and
3-1 WHEREAS, In 1936 the American Life Insurance Company of
3-2 Detroit, Michigan, took over the unsold land of Delta Orchards and
3-3 changed the name of the townsite of Rollo to Monte Alto, which
3-4 means high brush; an irrigation system was completed in 1939, and
3-5 during that same period, the Rio Farms Company purchased a portion
3-6 of the Monte Alto townsite in a package of land covering
3-7 approximately 10,000 acres; and
3-8 WHEREAS, Just east of Edcouch another bustling community had
3-9 been formed in 1927 when a group of early pioneers gathered
3-10 together to sell lots for La Villa, located in the heart of one of
3-11 the Valley's richest agricultural centers; industry soon followed
3-12 and brought greater recognition to the town as the site of Stites
3-13 Berry Farm, which shipped products to distant markets by air
3-14 express and refrigerated trucks; and
3-15 WHEREAS, Situated amid the most concentrated citrus and
3-16 vegetable growing section of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, each of
3-17 these communities continues to thrive today as a result of their
3-18 delicious produce, a favorable location that enables them to serve
3-19 a large volume of passersby traveling to and from the Valley, and
3-20 their many successful industrial concerns, which include F. H.
3-21 Vahlsing, Inc., the Engleman Gardens Association, the Engleman
3-22 Products Company, the Elsa Canning Company, Rio Farms, Inc., and
3-23 the Elsa Co-op Gin; and
3-24 WHEREAS, The Delta area also offers visitors and residents
3-25 alike an opportunity to participate in one of South Texas' most
3-26 popular community events, the Tomato Festival and Rodeo, which is
3-27 held on May 5 of each year to celebrate the Mexican holiday and the
4-1 Valley's second major crop after cotton; visitors can also engage
4-2 in some of the finest fishing available in the state at Delta Lake
4-3 or take in a movie at the Sky-Vu Theater, one of the only modern
4-4 drive-in movie theaters in Texas; and
4-5 WHEREAS, Blessed with abundant commercial and natural
4-6 resources and an energetic and forward-looking population, this
4-7 unique area and its citizens have played a significant role in
4-8 Texas' development, and their many contributions to the state are
4-9 indeed worthy of special recognition; now, therefore, be it
4-10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
4-11 Legislature hereby recognize April 25, 1995, as Delta Area Day at
4-12 the Capitol; and, be it further
4-13 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
4-14 prepared for prominent display in the communities of Elsa, Edcouch,
4-15 Monte Alto, and La Villa as an expression of high regard by the
4-16 Texas House of Representatives.