Region: South Texas Plains
In Jim Wells County, the town site was part of the Ventana Ranch. When the
railroad reached the area in 1889, ranch owners donated land to the railroad for
a stop on the ranch. In 1908, 2,500 acres of land were cut from the ranch lands
for the development of the town. A large portion of the land was sold to German
settlers from other predominantly German-Texas towns. Town was named for the
citrus industry in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Today, prime farms and ranching facilities sustain the economy. Year-round
hunting opportunities abound. Nearby lakes and the Texas coast provide excellent
boating and fishing facilities.