Texas Historical Marker #00323
Battle of La Bolsa. In 1859 and early 1860 a series of raids on Texas settlements led by Juan N. Cortina (1824-1894) led to skirmishes with companies of Texas Rangers and U.S. soldiers. These conflicts became known as the Cortina War. On February 4, 1860, a battle occurred at La Bolsa Bend (ca. 1 mi. S.) between Cortina's raiders and Captain John S. "Rip" Ford's Texas Rangers. The Rangers successfully defended the riverboat "Ranchero", traveling downstream from Rio Grande City, from an attack by Cortina's band. Cortina escaped into Mexico and later became a general in the Mexican Army. #323
?, Progreso, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #01955
Former Station Site of Spiderweb Railroad. The agricultural boom that marked the early development of this area was due in large part to the San Benito & Rio Grande Valley Railroad. Begun in 1912 by Missouri native Sam A. Robertson (1867-1938), it was called the Spiderweb Railroad because of its intricate network of lines and spurs. The railroad built a station here in 1926 as the hub of a community and citrus production center planned by the Progreso Development Co. Through early valley shipping centers such as Progreso, local produce was first transported to markets nationwide. (1982) #1955
?, Progreso, TX, United States
Texas Historical Marker #04132
Progreso. Land in this area was part of a Spanish land grant requested by Juan Jose Hinojosa in 1776 and awarded posthumously in 1790. Hinojosa had occupied the land and used it for livestock pasture since 1766. In 1896 ranchers in the area obtained a U.S. post office under the name Progreso. Soon thereafter commercial farming interests began large scale operations in growing sugar cane and, later, citrus groves. The Progreso Development Company platted the townsite in 1927. The town continued a steady period of growth, and citizens voted for incorporation in 1991. (1994) #4132
?, Progreso, TX, United States