Stories from the Rio Grande

Museum CEO Francisco Guajardo discusses the history of water usage along the Rio Grande during the Rio Grande Valley Utility Conference in McAllen, Texas, on Nov. 6, 2024.

Museum CEO Francisco Guajardo presents on the history of McAllen at the McAllen Chamber of Commerce.

Museum CEO Francisco Guajardo presents on record preservation with the Cameron County Clerk's Office.

Let’s tell the story of gold that was buried under a house during the Great Depression and then uncovered by a plumber many years later. It is an exciting story and yet under told story in South Texas history that highlights not only a family that buried the gold, but a story of unprecedented philanthropic generosity in the history of South Texas and in American history. The content for this sessi...

The story of the Underground Railroad, as it moved through South Texas and into northeastern Mexico, is shaped particularly through family stories along the border. It is an under told part of American history. Museum CEO Francisco Guajardo and archivist Melissa Peña explore and share the history of the Underground Railroad to find commonalities and differences that may be geographical, political,...

The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022. Exhibits & Collections Coordinator Melissa Peña curated this exhibit with personal items from four veterans: Gina Guajardo, Jerry Arteaga, José Villarreal and Jessica Villarreal. The veterans also shared their stories through a video produced b...

The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022. Exhibits & Collections Coordinator Melissa Peña curated this exhibit with personal items from four veterans: Gina Guajardo, Jerry Arteaga, José Villarreal and Jessica Villarreal. The veterans also shared their stories through a video produced b...

The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022. Exhibits & Collections Coordinator Melissa Peña curated this exhibit with personal items from four veterans: Gina Guajardo, Jerry Arteaga, José Villarreal and Jessica Villarreal. The veterans also shared their stories through a video produced b...

The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022. Exhibits & Collections Coordinator Melissa Peña curated this exhibit with personal items from four veterans: Gina Guajardo, Jerry Arteaga, José Villarreal and Jessica Villarreal. The veterans also shared their stories through a video produced by the MOST...

Warning: This interview contains descriptive war scenes that may be uncomfortable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022. Exhibits & Collections Coordinator Melissa Peña curated this exhibit with personal items from four veterans: Gina Guajar...

Warning: This interview contains language that may not be suitable for children (there's a beeped version available here ), and it also contains descriptive war scenes that may be uncomfortable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. The Museum of South Texas History hosted the spotlight exhibit "Hometown Heroes of South Texas: A Veterans Day Exhibit" during November 2022.  Exhibi...

In the fourth season of "Stories from the Rio Grande," the local nonprofit Village in the Valley shares how it was created and its missions to "[elevate] and [unite] the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley." Through this virtual platform, MOSTHistory will use the terms African American and Black interchangeably. In this episode, Matthew Pollock discusses how he becam...

The Museum of South Texas History turned 50 in 2020 but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it concludes its celebrations in April 2021. During the month of April, the MOSTHistory Communications team will publish a five-episode series with current and former staff members, and a tribute to Visitors Services host Sandra Luna, who died of COVID complications in July 2020. This episode features former sta...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring those who  live in the borderland region. In final episode of season two, the son of Eddie Lucio Jr. talks about the family dynamics of a father and son working as Texas state elected officials. Here are some photographs of the father and son: https...

MOSTHistory:  Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring those who live in the borderland region. In this episode, Reba Cardenas McNair, the daughter of former two elected officials--one city commissioner and one school board trustee--shares the stories of her parents overcoming challenges to provide opp...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring those who live in the borderland region. In this episode of season two, the sons of Alfonso "Al Ramirez" talk about their father's mayoral term, political activism and other accomplishments. Al Ramirez was the first Hispanic mayor of Edinburg voted into...

MOSTHistory:  Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring the many people who live in the borderland region. In this episode of season two, Ruben Villarreal, the former Rio Grande City mayor, talks about growing up in Rio Grande City, the spirit of the bi-cultural region and how his father's values inspir...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring the many people who live in the borderland region. In this first episode of season two, Lita Leo provides an insight of how her family, which is well-known throughout Hidalgo County, became involved in local politics. She also tells a few stories about g...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring locals, historians, museum staff members or anyone who might have experienced historical changes in the region.   The first season is "The Lost Empires," a rise-and-fall perspective as told by  Neil Cassady, a former salesman for Griffin &...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring locals, historians, museum staff members or anyone who might have experienced historical changes in the region. The first season is "The Lost Empires," a rise-and-fall perspective as told by Neil Cassady, a former salesman for Griffin & Brand. In this ep...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring locals, historians, museum staff members or anyone who might have experienced historical changes in the region. The first season is "The Lost Empires," a rise-and-fall perspective as told by Neil Cassady, a former salesman for Griffin & Brand. In this ep...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring locals, historians, museum staff members or anyone who might have experienced historical changes in the region. The first season is "The Lost Empires," a rise-and-fall perspective as told by Neil Cassady, a museum volunteer. In this episode, Neil discuss...

MOSTHistory: Stories from the Rio Grande will highlight the history and heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico with interviews featuring locals, historians, museum staff members or anyone who might have experienced historical changes in the region The first season is "The Lost Empires," a rise-and-fall perspective as told by Neil Cassady, a museum volunteer. In this pilot episode, you'll...