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A GROWING COMMUNITY |
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THE LOS FRESNOS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE |
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A Brief History of Los Fresnos By James A. Keillor |
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Los Fresnos, a small community located in Cameron County approximately twelve miles north of Brownsville, was one of the last unsettled frontiers of the Rio Grande Valley. It "was almost the last tract of land to be opened under the 'land company' system. The upper Valley had been quite well cleared by northern farmers by 1915 when the first settlers came to Los Fresnos."l The town grew rapidly from its beginning until the Great Depression and again during the decade of the 1940s, but has always maintained a small town atmosphere.
It is not clear how Los Fresnos received its name as several versions may be found. According to one account, it was named after the "Rancho Los Fresnos established by Mexican ranchers as early as 1771.”2 Another account tells us the proposed town was initially named Moseville by Lon C. Hill, Sr., naming it after his son, Lon C. (Mose) Hill, Jr., but the name was subsequently changed to Los Fresnos.3 However, Harry H. Whipple, an early settler who moved to Los Fresnos in the summer of 1915, states that it was already called Los Fresnos when he arrived.4 A third account gives the credit directly to Hill, Sr. for the eventual name. "As he rode through the ‘senderos' (winding lanes) viewing, and planning for the future development of, this beautiful country, he saw many ash trees scattered in the woods and on the banks of the ‘resacas'. |