Topic · Page 12
History & Culture
Local Notes
History & Culture notes
Young County · Oil and Gas History
Oil Has Shaped Young County's Economy Since the 1920s
Young County struck oil in the 1920s, and production peaked in the 1950s, driving a population and economic boom that still shapes the county today.
Zapata County · Historic District
San Ygnacio: A National Register Historic Town
San Ygnacio, about 14 miles northwest of Zapata on US 83, has some of the oldest stone buildings in Texas and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Zapata County · County History
Zapata County's Roots: A 1750 Spanish Land Grant
Zapata County traces its roots to a 1750 Spanish land grant on the north bank of the Rio Grande — one of the earliest permanent European settlements in what is now Texas.
Zavala County · History
A WWII internment camp once held thousands in Crystal City
The U.S. government ran one of its largest WWII civilian internment camps in Crystal City from 1942 to 1948, holding Japanese, German, and other civilians.
Zavala County · Local History
Crystal City built its identity on spinach farming and the Popeye statue
Crystal City earned the name Spinach Capital of the World in the 1930s. The county still has a Popeye statue from that era.
Zavala County · Political History
Zavala County was the center of a major Mexican American political movement in the 1960s and 70s
In 1963, Mexican Americans in Crystal City organized and won city council seats. That win, called the Crystal City Revolt, sparked a broader civil rights movement.