Serving the Valley for over 36 years.

History of the City of PHarr

 

In the 1500’s Spanish explorers came through the Valley in pursuit of colonies.  By the 1700’s there were homesteads on both sides of the river.  The Rio Grande River became the official boundary between  the two great countries following the 1846 Mexican-American War.

 

58  years later the railroad came through. John. C. Kelley, Henry N. Pharr, W.E. Cage ,and R.C. Briggs  formed the Pharr town site, platting and registering  the new town in 1909.

 

A year later the city founders were involved with forming the Louisiana-Rio Grande Canal Company, to furnish irrigation

and domestic water to 40,000 acres in the Pharr area by

means of a pumping plant.  This decision dramatically changed the future course of the Valley.  Thanks to irrigation many crops became possible that were not viable without it including tomatoes, melons, and citrus,  onions and corn.  Irrigation helped change the area from ranch land to productive agriculture and this boosted the local economy.  The railroads made it possible to ship produce around the country.

 

 By the 1950’s, Pharr was home to 22 processing and shipping plants including the Valley Fruit and Vegetable Company, the largest packing facility in the world. Today, Pharr is the hub of international shipping of produce and goods throughout Mexico and the U.S.

It is truly an international city.

        

           956-212-4439

City of Pharr