History
1766 Exploration of Diego Ortiz Parrilla
First expedition to give detailed descriptions of Texas' offshore islands and to refer to Corpus Christi Bay by its present name. The exploration was ordered by the Viceroy of New Spain in the midst of rumors that the English planned to encroach on Spanish territory.
Military
Approximate Route of U.S. Army March to the Rio Grande, 1846
Battle road of General Zachary Taylor and largest U.S. Army fielded in first half of the 19th century. After annexation of former Republic of Texas was approved in 1845, the United States sent Taylor to occupy area below the Nueces-- to support claim to all land east of the Rio Grande. In August 1845 he reached Corpus Christi where he waited while U.S. and Mexico tried to reach boundary agreement.
Military
Camp Kingsville, U.S.A.
(1915 - 1917) Established in September 1915 by Lt. Joseph Dorst Patch, acting under orders of the United States Army during the troubles on the Mexican border. This camp served as the operational base for companies K, L and M of the 26th Infantry, U.S. Army.
Military
Camp San Fernando
Military post on San Fernando Creek, near this site. Guarded the lifeline of the Confederacy, the cotton road, export-import route that ran from the Sabine River in East Texas to the Rio Grande. Manned 1862 by 32nd Texas Calvary flying Bonnie Blue flag; in 1863, a banner lettered: "We fight for our rights". Temporarily occupied, November 1863, by Gen. H. P. Bee.
History
Chamberlain Cemetery
In order to better market and transport cattle from area ranches at the turn of the twentieth century, Henrietta King, owner of the King Ranch, and other ranchers joined to bring the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway through the area to Brownsville in 1904. Railway headquarters were established in the new town of Kingsville. Mrs. King and her son-in-law, Robert J.
Military
Civil War Raid from Camp Boveda
On December 23, 1863, Capt. Jas. Speed of Gen. Napoleon J. T. Dana's Brownsville-based Federal army force raided unguarded King Ranch. Objectives were to capture or kill Capt. Richard King and destroy the Confederate cotton trade. King, forewarned, evaded the enemy. At King Ranch, the raiders killed Francisco Alvarado; captured C.S.A. Captains John Brown, Alvin Dix, W. S. Gregory and Jas.
History
Dawson Richard Murchison
(Feb. 11, 1887-Dec. 20, 1938) Born in Bastrop County. A state game warden 1930-1938; stationed in Kingsville. He was killed on duty in Jim Wells County when he and other wardens caught men "spotlighting" deer. Married Mattie B. Wright, they had 5 children. Recorded - 1968
History
Englishmen in South Texas, 1568
Fifty-two years before the celebrated landing of English settlers at Plymouth Rock, in what is now Massachusetts, three Englishmen traveled this South Texas area. They were sailors who had gone to sea in 1567 with Sir John Hawkins, an admiral of the fleet of Queen Elizabeth I, on a trading voyage.
Industry & Science
First Producing Gas Well in Kleberg County
Natural gas was first encountered in 1912 by Frank House while drilling for water on the Oscar Rosse farm. Other efforts to obtain fresh water resulted in more gas pockets or water contaminated with salt or oil. An unsuccessful attempt was made in 1915 to develop gas production. In Oct.
History
First United Methodist Church of Kingsville
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF KINGSVILLE The first Methodist worship service in Kingsville was on March 4, 1904. The Reverend C. S. Mills, a pastor from Corpus Christi, conducted the service with thirty-one attendants sitting under mesquite trees. Services continued in local businesses and the Presbyterian Church until 1908 when a church building was erected for the congregation.
Architecture
Henrietta M. King High School
Completed in 1909, this school building originally housed all grades of the Kingsville school system. The site and funds for construction were donated by school benefactor Henrietta M. King (d. 1925), the widow of King Ranch founder Capt. Richard King. The structure reflects influences of the Alamo, Concepcion, and San Jose missions of San Antonio.
History
Historic Cattle Dipping Vat
In 1894 this vat-- believed to be the first in the world-- was built to stop the spread of tick fever, which was destroying thousands of U.S. beef cattle. By the 1880s, the disease had become widespread, and official and "shotgun" quarantines prevented cattle from moving across the affected area, bounded by a line from the Rio Grande to the Atlantic.
History
Indian Burial Ground (Dietz Archeological Site)
Centuries old, this burial ground was once used by the primitive Karankawa Indians. A little-known group, this coastal tribe cared for Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca when he was shipwrecked in Texas in 1528. Although previously looted, the site produced over 20 skeletons when excavated by archeologists in 1927 and later.
Military
King Ranch, C.S.A.
A major South Texas way-station on cotton road, lifeline of southern states in the Civil War. Had water, food, mules, oxen and bunks for drivers of wagons hauling cotton to trade for war goods. Also bivouacked Confederate troops in war marches. Founded 1853 by Capt. Richard King, who by 1861 had-- in partnership with Mifflin Kennedy and James Walworth-- 20,000 cattle and 3,000 horses.
Industry & Science
Kingsville Cotton Mill
Promotional efforts by William D. McNeill (1860-1925) of North Carolina resulted in construction of the Kingsville Cotton Mill on this site in 1921. Interested citizens supported the project with an investment of $150,000. Production began on Feb. 22, 1922, with McNeill's son-in-law, David H. Jones (1876-1964), as superintendent of the mill.
Transport
Kingsville Railroad Depot
Styled by standard plans of the builder, the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railroad Company; erected in 1904 of locally made adobe brick, this structure is one of oldest in Kingsville. It has seen interesting events involving traffic during border troubles and world wars I and II.
History
Mexican Activities at Santa Gertrudis in the 1830's
As a favored camp, important in Mexico's relations with early Texas. Visited June 1832 by Matamoros citizens on their way to compliment Irish settlers with a feast at Banquete Lake, 25 miles to the north. Gen. Juan Urrea camped here Feb. 25, 1836, with his unit of Santa Anna's invading army.
Industry & Science
Near Site of Hide and Tallow Plant ( King Ranch, 1866-69)
Business founded by Capt. Richard King to advance economic recovery after the Civil War had ended in 1865. The King Ranch beef herds were "money on the hoof", but cull animals also had value if by-products (hides for leather, tallow as a soap ingredient, etc.) could be salvaged from them.
History
Riviera Cemetery
This cemetery has served the residents of Riviera since early in the community's history. Riviera was established by Theodore F. Koch, an immigrant from the Netherlands. In 1907, he dedicated land for a burial ground, formally deeding the acreage to the newly formed Riviera Cemetery Association in 1910. The earliest recorded burials are of Maudie Ethel Poteet and Wilson A.
History
Robert J. Kleberg Public Library
Begun by the Woman's Club in 1909, Kingsville's Public Library was moved to this building in 1927. B. E. Giesecke and A. W. Harris of Austin designed the Spanish colonial revival structure, which was built under the leadership of club president Mrs. John D. Finnegan. It is located on land donated from the Henrietta M. King Estate by Robert J.
History
Santa Gertrudis, Headquarters of the King Ranch
On this site, part of the De La Garza Santa Gertrudis land grant purchased by Captain Richard King in 1853, has stood each of the King Ranch headquarters. The first, an adobe jacal, was replaced by a frame cottage which later burned. Under the direction of Robert J. Kleberg, Sr., this house was designed by Carlton W. Adams for Mrs. Henrietta King.
Military
Taylor Camp Site, 1846
In 1846 Zachary Taylor's army marched from Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande. On March 10,11, 12, 13, the four regiments in succession camped at this spot on Santa Gertrudis Creek. War with Mexico over the boundary of Texas began soon. The first battles -- Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma -- occurred near present Brownsville. General Mariano Arista led the Mexican army.
History
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
As the state sought to expand its normal college system to train teachers, local Kingsville citizens, such as J.N. Bigbee, Maria Toner, Charles Flato, Claude Pollard, R.J Kleberg, and Caesar Kleberg, demonstrated the town's suitability for just such a program. On July 14, 1917, the state normal school board of regents voted to establish a normal college in Kingsville. Due to U.S.
History
The King Ranch
Richard King (1824-1885), a Rio Grande steamboat captain, bought two Spanish land grants on Santa Gertrudis Creek and founded the legendary King Ranch in 1853. He brought longhorn cattle from Mexico and battled droughts and cattle thieves to build a profitable ranch. Operating first in partnership with G. K.
Transport
Uriah Lott
(January 30, 1842 - March 29, 1915) Merchant, banker, builder of railroad to the Rio Grande. Born in Albany, N.Y. Came to South Texas in 1868. Chartered the Corpus Christi, San Diego and Rio Grande narrow gauge railroad in 1875. Later, reorganized it as the Texas-Mexican Railroad, to be built from Corpus Christi to Laredo.
Elsewhere in Texas
Hear it from the road
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