# Timeline of Brownsville, Texas

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Brownsville, Texas, USA.

## 18th-19th centuries

Part of a series on the :
History of Texas :
Timeline :
| Pre-Columbian Texas | |
| Early Spanish explorations | 1519–1543 |
| French Texas | 1684–1689 |
| Spanish Texas | 1690–1821 |
| Mexican Texas | 1821–1836 |
| Republic of Texas | 1836–1845 |
| Statehood | 1845–1860 |
| Civil War Era | 1861–1865 |
| Reconstruction | 1865–1899 |
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* 1771 - José Salvador de la Garza settles in area per Espíritu Santo land grant.
* 1846
** March: Fort Taylor established by Zachary Taylor.
** May 8: Battle of Palo Alto.
* 1848 - Brownsville founded by Charles Stillman.
* 1849
** Travellers of the California Gold Rush pass through town.
** Stillman house built.
** Brownsville Lyceum founded.
* 1850
** Market Square built.
** Sentinel newspaper begins publication.
** Population: 2,734.
* 1853 - "Police force" established.
* 1859
** First Cortina War.
** Immaculate Conception Church built.
* 1863 - November 2–6: Battle of Brownsville; Union wins.
* 1865
** May 12–13: Battle of Palmito Ranch fought near Brownsville; Confederates win.
** Saint Joseph Academy established.
* 1867 - Hurricane.
* 1870
** Point Isabel-Brownsville railway built.
** Population: 4,905.
* 1874 - Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate of Brownsville established.
* 1875 - Porfirio Díaz plots Mexican coup from his temporary base in Brownsville.
* 1877 - Alonso house built.
* 1878 - Sabas Cavazos Cemetery established.
* 1883 - Cameron County Courthouse built.
* 1890 - Population: 6,134.
* 1892 - Daily Herald newspaper begins publication.
* 1900 - Population: 6,305.

## 20th century

* 1903 - St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway begins operating.
* 1906 - August: Brownsville Affair (racial unrest).
* 1907 - Snakeville in business.
* 1910
** Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge opens.
** Dittmann Theater (cinema) built.
** Population: 10,517.
* 1913 - County Jail built.
* 1914 - New Cameron County Courthouse built.
* 1926 - Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley established.
* 1927 - KGFI radio begins broadcasting.
* 1930 - Population: 22,021.
* 1934 - El Heraldo de Brownsville newspaper begins publication.
* 1936 - Port of Brownsville opens.
* 1938 - Matamoros-Brownsville Charro Days Festival begins.
* 1945 - U.S. Army Fort Brown decommissioned.
* 1946 - Teatro Victoria in business.
* 1949 - Charro Drive-In cinema and Majestic Theatre in business.
* 1950
** Texas Southmost College active.
** Population: 35,086.
* 1960
** Stillman House Museum opens.
** Population: 48,040.
* 1965 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville established.
* 1970 - Population: 52,522.
* 1971 - Gladys Porter Zoo established.
* 1978 - Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site established. (Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park since 2009.)
* 1979 - Brownsville Urban System (transport) established.
* 1980 - Population: 84,997.
* 1990 - Population: 98,962.
* 1991
** University of Texas at Brownsville active.
** Pat Ahumada becomes mayor.
* 1997 - City website online (approximate date).
* 1999 - Blanca Vela becomes mayor.
* 2000 - Population: 139,722.

## 21st century

* 2001 - El Nuevo Heraldo newspaper in publication.
* 2007 - Pat Ahumada becomes mayor again.
* 2010 - Population: 175,023.
* 2013 - Filemon Vela, Jr. becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 34th congressional district.
* 2018 - Trey Mendez elected mayor.
* 2023 - John Cowen Jr. elected mayor.