Former Station Site of Spiderweb Railroad
Progreso, Hidalgo County, Texas
Marker Inscription
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)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Rio Grande Valley's early agricultural boom owed much to the San Benito & Rio Grande Valley Railroad, begun in 1912 by Missouri native Sam A. Robertson and nicknamed the "Spiderweb" for its dense tangle of lines and spurs. In 1926 the railroad built a station here as the hub of Progreso, a planned citrus community, opening a channel that carried local produce to markets nationwide.
Why it matters
Rail lines like the Spiderweb turned Valley farmland into a commercial powerhouse, linking newly planted citrus groves to the American dinner table.
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Related people
- · Sam A. Robertson
Themes & tags
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