It is reported that around 1519the Spanish explorer Alonso Alvarez de Pineda first walked the shores of this Island which he noted on his map as Isla Blanca. Padre Jose Nicolas Balli founded the first settlement on the northern end called Rancho Santa Cruz in 1804. In 1846 during the Mexican-American War troops were stationed on the Island and at Port Isabel. Such men as; Zachary Taylor, Robert E. Lee. U.S Grant, William Sherman, Abner Doubleday,and James Polk were stationed here. In 1943 a WWII film was shot in part on the Island - "Aerial Gunner" staring Robert Mitchum, and the Island doubled as "Japan". The Island is considered one of the top 10 beaches in the nation.

There legends of buried treasures and sunken treasure ships connected with South Padre Island. In 1554 four ships headed for Spain laden with mined silver and metals ran afoul of a storm, 3 ships were driven northward and sank off South Padre. 10 million in silver lay at the bottom of the ocean and in the sand. Two ships were discovered in 1954, while silver can be found at times washed up on shore.

During the Civil War many Southerners hid their treasures on the Island as the Union Army approached. One family buried about $62,000 in coins and jewelry. When they returned the sand had shifted and they could not find the spot. The coins and jewelry have never been found.

Mexico!

Just a few miles south of Weslaco you run out of America at the Rio Grande. Standing on the American banks you gaze across into Mexico. For a quarter you can walk across the bridge at Nuevo Progresso and into Mexico. During the witner season the sidewalks are packed with tourists, and out door vendors with whom you can bargin for the goods they sell. Every now and then you will see beggars sitting, or children selling candy, backscratchers and other items. The main stores are filled with goods of all kinds. As you will notice from the pictures of the streets, dentistry and pharmacies are numerous. The dentists are just as modern as any in the US and for $10.00 you can have your teeth xrayed, and for $20.00 a tooth pulled if you need it.

West of Weslaco about an hour or so you will find the last hand operated ferry across the Rio Grande. For fity cents you can drive onto it, or walk onto it and ride across the river to Mexico.

It is SAFE to go, just remember to bring your birth certificate and DL if you are over 18. You can get into Mexico without either, you may not be able to get back without them. A Passport works too, as does a Passport Card which is good for only land re-entry.

Santa Ana Wild Life Refuge - about 9 miles south and west of Weslaco along Highway 281 offers bird watchers and hikers a wide variety of birds and paths. You can spend an hour or all day walking along the trails, which intersect with each other, and perhaps more importantly are well marked so you wont lose your way.

They offer a guided tram tour, some of the trails are open to bicycles as well.

The visitor center is well maintained offering also a few movies of the wild life.

The entry fee is a mere $3.00 per car load.

Estero Llano Refuge is the closest to Weslaco located on the southeast side of the city on FM 1015.

It is not a large Refuge but contains nice sized ponds and marshy areas to observe the variety of birds and flowers.

There are some longer trails which take you through brushy area away from the ponds as well.

A nice shelter is located at the Visitors Center where one can sit and look out over a large marsh.

Entry fee is $4.00.

Bensten State Park is located south of Mission, Texas, which is west of Weslaco on Expressway 83. This park, like Santa Ana offers the avid hiker or biker long hours of walking. The main trails are old roads, as Bensten was at one time an area for camping.

One of the attractive aspects of Bensten is the many bird feeding stations along the main roads with covered swinging chairs in some places to sit and watch the birds.

There is here a tram available to take you out or back should you choose.

The Visitor's Center offers many other buildings to see which help one become acquainted with the wild life and flora of the area.

A few miles to the east of the Visitor's Center is a butterfly garden. The best time of the year for this is late fall.

Cost to enter - $5.00

Laguna Atascosa (At-a-sko-sa) in on the east cost of Texas north of Port Isabel and west of South Padre Island, which you are able to see from the eastern edge of the Park. It is about 60 miles from Weslaco, and is more for driving than walking, though there are a few trails near the Visitor's Center and scattered throughout the Park. The trails along the 12 mile drive do not offer good parking areas.

The area by the Visitor's Center is worth seeing as it offers a good feeding station for the birds there and they gather in large groups to feed.

A shorter drive back to the west and a few minutes hike takes one back to the Alagator pond.

The other "gem" of the park is the12 mile drive which takes you through the lowlands to the edge of Laguna Madre and the sand flats further on where dozens of Osprey can be seen feeding.

From this eastern edge along Laguna Madre you can see the Queen Isabel bridge and the buildings on South Padre.

The cost is $3.00