San Benito
San Benito, Cameron County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Founded by an engineer, Col. Sam Robertson, on Gulf Coast Railroad that in 1904 reached this area colonized by Mexico about 1770. First called "Bessie", for child of railroad official B.F. Yoakum, then "Diaz", to honor Mexican president; present name honors landowner Benjamin Hicks. Land and water company and sugar company opened here, 1906. Robertson was first Postmaster, 1907. School also opened in 1907, with Miss Kate Purvis, teacher. City was incorporated June 27, 1911: J.M. Breen, Mayor; J. Scott Brown, J.H. Haines, Commissioners.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
San Benito grew up along the Gulf Coast railroad that engineer Col. Sam Robertson pushed into the lower Rio Grande Valley in 1904, on land colonized under Mexico around 1770. First called 'Bessie' and then 'Diaz' before taking its present name for landowner Benjamin Hicks, the town gained land, water, and sugar companies in 1906 and its first school and postmaster in 1907. It was incorporated in June 1911.
Why it matters
The town's founding shows how railroads and land-and-water companies rapidly opened the Rio Grande Valley to farming and settlement in the early twentieth century.
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Related people
- · Col. Sam Robertson
- · Benjamin Hicks
- · Kate Purvis
Themes & tags
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