Region: South Texas Plains
Hidalgo is on the Rio Grande south of McAllen in southern Hidalgo County at
the junction of Texas 336 and U.S. 281. Members of Jose de Escandon's colony
settled in the area as early as 1749. Over the years, the course of the Rio
Grande forced residents to move the town's buildings inland. For half a century,
1852–1902, the city served as the county seat, before the county government was
moved to Edinburg. The first international toll suspension bridge was
constructed in 1926 to Mexico's border city Reynosa. Today, the
Hidalgo-McAllen-Reynosa International Bridge is one of the major ports of entry
in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, serving 11 million people within a 250-miles
radius. Access to Reynosa, Mexico, is available via Texas 336.
The Valley's subtropical climate attracts outdoor enthusiasts year-round.
Golfers can choose from the area's numerous courses. Nearby wildlife refuges
host birders from throughout the world.