Region: Gulf Coast
Located in the Wild Horse Desert, just west of the Gulf of Mexico, this is
the birthplace of the American ranching industry. It originated as a town along
the railroad built by the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway Company.
Henrietta King, of the famous King Ranch, donated land for the railway. On July
4, 1904, the first passenger train pulled through town. Kingsville became the
Kleberg County seat in 1913.
Today, the city is a birding and wildlife hotspot, with more than 1 million
acres of habitat. Kingsville is home to the King Ranch, Naval Air Station
Kingsville, Texas A&M-Kingsville, and agricultural and ranching
industries.
An array of shops—Western wear, leather goods, crafts, antiques and
jewelry—and restaurants are nestled in the historic downtown.