History and Heritage
- Resaca de la Palma battle remembered with illumination
- By LAURA TILLMAN, The Brownsville Herald
- Hundreds of history-buffs, students and families gathered on Saturday evening at the Resaca de la Palma battlefield to commemorate those who fought in the opening campaign of the U.S.-Mexico war in 1846. As the sun began to fade behind the palm... Full story
- Legacy of a landmark: Elegant downtown structure reveals its secrets
- By TRAVIS WHITEHEAD, The Brownsville Herald
- BROWNSVILLE — The rustic yet elegant brick archways of the old building on Washington Street reflect a little bit of New Orleans, the mark of builders who decades ago left their imprint on Brownsville’s city core.
"There were a lot of... Full story
- Chilton receives his pilots wings
- Carl S. Chilton/Special to the Herald
- In April 1944 I was close to receiving my pilot’s wings and becoming an officer. I reported to my parents:
"April 3, 1944—There are only twelve days left, and two weeks from today I should be home on furlough. We are beginning to wonder... Full story
- 1872: A railroad line between Brownsville and Point Isabel
- In the 1860s, after the Civil War ended, the river steamboats of Mifflin Kenedy and Richard King continued to move passengers and cargo up and down the Rio Grande. They had a monopoly on steamboat traffic, and their rates were very high.
In 1871 a... Full story
- Island Doorstep
- Welcome signs provide important first impressions for visitors
- The beautification project along the highway into Port Isabel that was recently finished has made a vast improvement in the appearance of the town.
The scenic facelift is important because first impressions do indeed influence a visitor’s... Full story
- The Price of Love
- Dollar dance dates back to Polish tradition
- By VICTORIA MANNING—THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
- The dance floor is split down the middle. Two distinct lines are formed. Dollar bills are flowing freely. The waltz is playing.
The dollar dance is a running wedding tradition in America, giving newlyweds extra cash and a chance to dance with a... Full story
- Living Legends
- Classic folk tales help pass down history from generation to generation
- By VICTORIA MANNING/THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
- Has your cousin’s neighbor seen la llorona face to face? Was el cucuy hiding in your closet as a child? Did a young girl disappear at a baile on U.S. Military Highway 281?
These urban legends have been repeated and reinvented for ages and... Full story
- Sams Stadium celebrates 53rd year
- By VICTORIA MANNING/THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
- Joe Rodriguez fondly remembers a Sams Memorial Stadium that had grass and a simple scoreboard. In 1957, with a seating capacity of 9,500, it was considered a state of the art athletic field.
Rodriguez, the Brownsville Independent School District... Full story

- Hundreds given school supplies at rally
- By JOSÉ BORJÓN/The Brownsville Herald
- Twelve-year-old Estefani Boeta hurriedly ran to one of the many tables at the Jacob Brown Auditorium at Sunday’s annual Youth Development Rally to claim her bag of school supplies.
Hundreds of Brownsville school children received free school... Full story
- Faith Restored
- VBMC holds first Mass at chapel since 1973
- By Christian Martell/The Brownsville Herald
- "Am I late?” “Is it full?” “Has it started?”
These were the questions asked by Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville employees, as they rushed inside the newly-restored interfaith chapel for the first Mass there... Full story