Del Rio Area

DEL RIO, TEXAS
The city of Del Rio, Texas, is located in Val Verde County on the Texas-Mexico border, midway between Padre Island and Big Bend National Park. The city is eight miles south of Amistad National Recreation Area which surrounds Lake Amistad, formed by the Rio Grande, Pecos and Devil's Rivers, with 850 miles of shoreline. Del Rio is immediately across from the International Bridge that originates in Ciudad Acuña, Mexico and is seven miles east of the Air Education Training Command's Laughlin Air Force Base.

Roughly 40,000 people reside in the city. The city stands at an elevation of 948 feet, and has an average annual temperature of 72-degrees with an annual average of 17.9 inches of rainfall. In a semi-desert locale, Del Rio is an oasis with San Felipe Springs flowing 150 million gallons of pure water per day through creeks and canals which border recreational facilities including parks, municipal swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses and facilities for baseball, softball and soccer. Water and a temperate climate make Del Rio a recreational mecca, with many modern motels and campgrounds. Sportsmen enjoy hunting, fishing, golf and tennis throughout the year. Local attractions such as Seminole Canyon State Historical Park, the Judge Roy Bean Visitor Center, Whitehead Museum and Val Verde Winery, the state's oldest, attract many travelers, as do annual rodeos and fiestas.

DEL RIO HISTORY
The Spanish established a small complex near the site of present Ciudad Acuña, the Mexican sister city of Del Rio, and some Spaniards settled on what became the United States side of the Rio Grande. The developments that led to the growth of Del Rio, however, took place after the Civil War. In the arid vastness of Southwest Texas, water was the key to survival, and for Del Rio the San Felipe Springs provided millions of gallons of water. A number of developers acquired several thousand acres adjacent to San Felipe Creek and developed plans to sell small tracts of rich farmland to prospective buyers. These investors formed the San Felipe Agricultural, Manufacturing and Irrigation Company in 1868. The organization soon constructed a network of irrigation canals, which were completed in 1871. Soon they began to sell small tracts of land to newly arriving settlers, who then established truck farms. Residents in the area referred to the slowly developing town as San Felipe del Rio. Local lore says that the name came from early Spanish explorers who offered a Mass at the site on St. Philip's Day, 1635. In 1883, after the first post office was opened, the United States Postal Department requested that the name be shortened to Del Rio to avoid confusion with San Felipe de Austin.

DEL RIO AREA ATTRACTIONS
Alamo Village
7 Miles North on Highway 674
Brackettville, TX (830) 563-2580
Located in Brackettville, the Alamo Village is an active movie location that is open to visitors. It is the largest, most complete outdoor set in the United States, boasting the only replica of the Alamo in the world. It is the site of John Wayne's "Alamo," "Lonesome Dove" and "Two Rode Together." The Alamo Village hosts a variety of events throughout the year including the Alamo Village Trail Ride, a gunfighter's competition and cowboy horse races. For more information, call their offices or visit their website at http://www.alamovillage.com 

Ciudad Acuña
Located in the Mexican state of Coahuila.
Del Rio's sister city, directly across the Mexico/U.S. border, is one of the best border cities in Mexico. The area offers world famous cuisine, leather goods, gift shops and dancing at nightclubs and discos. Ciudad Acuña hosts a range of events throughout the year including a motorcycle convention, an international fishing tournament and the International Parade commemorating Ciudad Acuña's friendship with Del Rio.

Lake Amistad
Located on the U.S. and Mexico border, between San Antonio and Big Bend National Park.
Considered by many to be Del Rio's biggest draw, Lake Amistad is 67,000 acres of water along 540 miles of U.S. shoreline. Its limestone deposits and solid surrounding earth lend the water an extraordinary clarity and deep turquoise quality. Some of the most popular activities on Lake Amistad include boating, fishing and water skiing. Located Northwest of Del Rio in west Texas, Amistad NRA is accessible via U.S. 90 from the east and west and U.S. 277/377 from the north and south. For more information, call (830) 775-7491 or visit their website at http://www.nps.gov/amis 

Val Verde Winery
100 Qualia Drive
Del Rio, TX (830) 775-9714
Established in 1883, the Val Verde Winery continually produces a variety of wines, many of which have garnered acclaim from wine connoisseurs throughout the country. The Val Verde Winery is the oldest bonded winery in Texas. For more information, call their offices or visit their website at http://www.valverdewinery.com 

Whitehead Memorial Museum
1308 S. Main St.
Del Rio, TX (830) 774-7568
This museum boasts 21 exhibits over more than two acres of land. The exhibits are spread throughout several buildings, each in itself of historical significance. Exhibits include an authentic frontier log cabin and the gift shop located in a former mission. The Whitehead Memorial Museum is dedicated to serving Del Rio and preserving its local heritage. For more information, call their offices or visit their website at http://www.whiteheadmuseum.org