Camp Llano Grande
Weslaco, Hidalgo County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Occupied in 1916-17 by Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota and North Dakota National Guard units, Camp Llano Grande was one of a line of encampments established along the Rio Grande in response to Mexican bandit raids into the U.S. Covering over 200 acres, it included a headquarters building, commissary, and recreational facilities. South of the railroad tracks were parade grounds, tent encampments, and stock pens. The camp was abandoned in March 1917, one month before the U.S. entered World War I, and former Llano Grande troops were called for war service in France. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1916 and 1917, National Guard units from Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota, and North Dakota occupied Camp Llano Grande, one of a chain of encampments strung along the Rio Grande to guard against cross-border raids. The 200-acre camp held a headquarters, commissary, parade grounds, and sprawling tent lines south of the railroad. It was abandoned in March 1917, just a month before the U.S. entered World War I, and its soldiers were soon bound for France.
Why it matters
The camp marks the tense border-defense era that mobilized the National Guard on the eve of World War I, turning the Rio Grande into a training ground for the American army about to sail to Europe.
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Themes & tags
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