February 28, 2018 Rio Grande City, TX: Trolley Tour

We  (all six of us) were in Rio Grande City, TX, 50 miles south of Zapata, for a 10:00 a.m. trolley tour of the city.

We enjoyed a two hour tour with guide Aminta aboard the "Bessie III".  Aminta was well informed about the history of the city and families that settled in the area.

Info from tour guide:
"Rio Grande City, county seat of Starr County, lies along the Rio Grande River near the border of Texas and Mexico  It is part of Los Caminos Del Rio or 'roads of the river", a heritage corridor rich in natural and cultural legacies."

There was an influx of French and German refugees escaping the Mexican War of Independence of 1810 who settled in the area.  

The original land grants were sized one mile by 10-15 miles, extending from the Rio Grande River inland.  

The tour included the grounds of Ft. Ringgold, a military reservation consisting of about 360 acres. It was used during the 1810 Mexican War of Independence. It was deactivated in 1944 and sold the the local school district.

This serves as the auditorium for the school.  A local artist painted the historical mural on the front.

1886. Gen. Robert E. Lee came to the fort on two occasions and stayed here.

 After Ft. Ringgold we drove along several streets to observe many buildings, homes, sites in RGC.

At the Catholic church: a replica of "The Grotto of Lourdes" 1928; measures 33 by 90 feet. There was several pieces of petrified wood used in the construction.  Guide Aminta told us there used to be an area of petrified wood between Roma and Rio Grande City.

Original building; 1880's, German doctor's office/residence

1886; built by German immigrant H. Portsheller.

A multi-colored bougainvillea bush: starts as green, goes to white, then pink.  See below.

Note the coral/magenta color in the center: the final color change.

Our gang: Jeff/Marcella; Evelyn/Gary; Gayla/Glen

After a delicious lunch at 'Casa de Adobe", a restored 1880's building, the rest of the Gang returned to Zapata while Glen and I went to the local GMC dealer to have the oil changed, tires rotates and balanced on the truck.  We had a two o'clock appointment; however, "Speedy" was Not in their title.  It was 4:30 when we left!