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Brownsville, Texas

"Gateway to Mexico"
Sitting at the southernmost tip of Texas on the Mexican border, Brownsville is where the last battle of the Civil War was fought — a month after Lee surrendered.
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Founded 1848 | Population 194,626 | Peak 194,626 (2024) | County Cameron County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Brownsville, Texas

1
1846 Mexican-American War Begins: The first shots of the Mexican-American War were fired at Fort Texas (later Fort Brown) across from Matamoros, Mexico.
2
1865 Last Civil War Battle: The Battle of Palmito Ranch near Brownsville was the last land battle of the Civil War, fought on May 13, 1865 — over a month after Lee's surrender.
3
1967 Longest Bridge: The Gateway International Bridge connected Brownsville to Matamoros, facilitating one of the busiest border crossings in the U.S.
4
2014 SpaceX Arrives: SpaceX began building its Starbase launch facility at nearby Boca Chica Beach, bringing rocket launches to the Rio Grande Valley.
5
2023 Starship Launch: SpaceX launched its massive Starship rocket from Boca Chica, making Brownsville a global space destination.
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Latest News in Brownsville

Mar 5, 2026
Oregon Democrats Block ICE Notification for Felony Convicts
Oregon Democratic senators have unanimously blocked a bill that would have mandated state authorities to notify U.S. Immigration a…
Jan 1, 2016
Mother Claims her 3 Sons Were Kicked Out of School Because of her Onlyfans Account
A Texas mother sparked outrage in early 2016 when she accused her sons’ school of expelling the three boys over her work on …
Dec 18, 2015
Controversy Sparked Over Texas Sandwich Shop Sign Photo
TEXAS — Back in December 2015, a simple photo of a sign outside a small sandwich shop in the Dallas area set off a wave of outra…
Nov 9, 2015
Cruz Presidents Should Start Every Day Prayer
WASHINGTON — On November 9, 2015, Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz stirred up conversation with a bold suggestion that…
Oct 23, 2015
Military Veteran Biker Group Takes Action when Squatters Steal Soldiers
In a small Texas town back in October 2015, a group of military veteran bikers stepped in to protect one of their own when squatte…
Oct 20, 2015
Bride Set Fire her Husband After she Sleeps Ex Flame
In a quiet suburb outside Dallas, Texas — where life usually unfolds with the predictability of suburban sprawl — a wedding ni…

Complete Historical Timeline

1846 Disaster
Mexican-American War starts here
1848 Government
City founded after war ends
1865 Disaster
Last Civil War battle fought nearby
1904 Transport
Railroad reaches Brownsville
1967 Transport
Gateway International Bridge opens
2014 Science
SpaceX begins building Starbase
2023 Science
Starship launches from Boca Chica

Did You Know?

1
The last battle of the Civil War was fought near Brownsville on May 13, 1865 — 34 days after Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
2
SpaceX's Starbase at Boca Chica Beach makes Brownsville the unlikely launch point for humanity's journey to Mars.
3
Brownsville is the most affordable metro area in the U.S. and also one of the most Hispanic at over 93% Latino population.

Famous People from Brownsville, Texas

KK
Kris Kristofferson
Actor, Composer · Born Jun 22, 1936 · Died Sep 28, 2024 (age 88)
BS
Bruce Sterling
Writer, Futurist · Born Apr 14, 1954 · Age 71
GN
Grace Napolitano
Politician · Born Dec 4, 1936 · Age 89
SB
Shelbie Bruce
Actor, Television Actor · Born Nov 12, 1992 · Age 33
BK
Bernard L. Kowalski
Screenwriter, Film Director · Born Aug 2, 1929 · Died Oct 26, 2007 (age 78)

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