Region: Gulf Coast
Harlingen is home to everything tropical, from the red-crowned parrots to the
palm trees and bougainvillea that dominate the landscape. Aloe vera farms and
citrus groves surround the city.
Harlingen developed at the crossroads of major national rail lines, and it
has long been an important trade and transportation center. Incorporated in
1910, its namesake was a canal-encircled town in the Netherlands—the ancestral
home of railroad president Col. Uriah Lott.
Cotton, sugar cane and vegetables became early reasons for the city's
prosperity. Harlingen has survived freezes, floods and a 1933 hurricane. The
city changed forever with start of World War II and the creation of an aerial
gunnery school at Harlingen Army Air Field, which later became Harlingen Air
Force Base. The Port of Harlingen opened in 1952 and began barging Valley sugar
and grain north.
The city continues to be a magnet for thousands of retirees from the Midwest
and Canada. Some are full-time residents, while others, known as "Winter
Texans," live in the city seasonally. In addition, numerous visitors from Mexico
regularly shop and dine in Harlingen.
The community of Nuevo Progreso, Mexico, is southwest of Harlingen. The Free
Trade Bridge, 10 miles from Harlingen, provides access across the border and
connects to a four-lane divided highway in northern Mexico.
The city boasts an extensive park system with recreational facilities for
visitors and residents. The popular 27-hole Tony Butler Municipal Golf Course at
U.S. 77/83 at the southwest edge of city is a golfer's delight. 956/427-8870. www.myharlingen.us.
Open by appointment only, Los Ebanos Preserve offers opportunities to view
birds and butterflies in an 82-acre private nature park. On Texas 100 between
Harlingen and Brownsville. 956/399-9097, 956/241-2494. www.losebanospreserve.com.
Amateur sports tournaments and annual events such as the Jalapeno 100 Bicycle
Ride attract visitors from throughout the region and the state. Harlingen's Rio
Grande Valley Birding Festival attracts birders from around the world. Harlingen
also is home to Texas State Technical College at Harlingen and the Marine
Military Academy.