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Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Monday. Ad- Twiggs—a southern sympathizer—agreed to
mission: $2. Children 10 and under are free. surrender all military sites in Texas to the Con-
Website: www.cotam.net. For more information federacy. During most of the Civil War, Confed-
call 956-547-6890. erate troops at Fort Brown served as guardians
of the prosperous cotton trade to Matamoros. In
Donna Historical Museum November 1863, however, General Napoleon
Located in the historical Donna News Build- Dana and 7,000 Union troops seized control of
ing located at 129 S. 8th Street, The Donna His- Brownsville. However, the Union army’s pres-
torical Museum has memorabilia of early pioneer ence there was brief as Union priorities shift-
days in Donna. Named for the daughter of one ed and troops were dispatched to other fronts.
of Donna’s founders, the museum is open Tues- Confederate forces under Colonel John S. “Rip”
days thru Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Open Ford steadily pushed back the remaining Union
during lunch too. Admission is free, although troops. In July 1864 the Union once again aban-
donations are welcome. For more information, doned the post, leaving Fort Brown in southern
contact the museum at 956-464-9989. hands for the duration of the conflict. After May
1865, Fort Brown was re-occupied by the U.S.
Delta Lake Park Army, including U.S. Colored Troops, and be-
Located in eastern Hidalgo County, Delta came the Rio Grande district headquarters, re-
Lake Park has a pavilion, barbecue facilities, suming its role as a guardian of the border.
picnic tables along the lake shore, it is a perfect Fort Brown declined in importance as Mex-
place for birdwatchers to spend a day watching ico stabilized following its revolutionary period
the water ducks and geese who call the lake (1910-1917) and local law enforcement agen-
home while in the Valley. The lake is on FM 88 cies replaced the military in policing the border.
north of Elsa, three miles north of Monte Alto. In September 1944 it was formally decommis-
Hours: Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. to sun- sioned when the 124th Cavalry was sent to Bur-
set, around 7:30 p.m. For more information call ma during World War II.
956-968-8733. While most of Fort Brown is gone, some of
the old barracks have been converted into class-
Falcon Dam rooms for the University of Texas-Brownsville. A
The need for water and electrical power for frame home where General “Black Jack” Persh-
the growing demands of the Rio Grande Valley ing, Charles Lindberg, Abner Doubleday (creator
and Texas border resulted in a Water Treaty of of baseball) and Col. Robert E. Lee stayed at
1944 with Mexico to build three dams on the Rio one time or another has been preserved. An
Grande River. Construction of the $35 million old commissary that had a jail in the basement
Falcon Dam began in 1950 and was completed remains on the campus along with a bachelor’s
in 1954. The dam and reservoir covered 87,000 officer’s quarters, the post chapel, the morgue
acres of land. The dam was dedicated in 1953 and an old hospital. During winter months, walk-
when President Dwight Eisenhower dedicated ing tours of the campus are sponsored by the
the dam, making the first presidential visit to the Brownsville Heritage Complex. Check their web-
Rio Grande Valley in history. Falcon Dam is lo- site for upcoming tours.
cated about 14 miles northwest of Roma on FM
2098. Fort Ringgold
Established in 1848 as a cavalry fort, today
Falcon Lake & Falcon State Park most of the old fort is part of the Rio Grande
See Nature Sites on page 39. City School District. Several of the old buildings
The park is located on the shores of Falcon such as the hospital have been retained along
Lake on Park Road 46 and FM 2098, off of Hwy with the parade grounds. The most prominent is
83. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; open 365 days a an old house where Col. Robert E. Lee stayed
year. For information call 956-848-5327. when visiting the fort. The house has been
turned into a museum in his honor. It is located
Fort Brown/UT-Brownsville at 1 S. Fort Ringgold, Rio Grande City. Or call
As the primary U.S. military establishment 956-716-6700 for more information.
at the mouth of the Rio Grande, Fort Brown be-
came a major prize for both sides during the Civil Fort Treviño-San Ygnacio
War. The fort was built by General Zachary Tay- For a look into Spanish Colonialism on the
lor in 1846, making it the first major U.S. military north side of the Rio Grande, drive out to San
post built along the Rio Grande. Ignacio and look at Fort Treviño, located at the
In February 1861, Union General David corner of Uribe and Treviño Streets, from the
Page 14 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2018-2019