Weslaco, Texas
Weslaco got its name from the initials of the W.E. Stewart Land Company that promoted the townsite in the irrigated Rio Grande Valley in 1919. Weslaco is located in the heart of an immense citrus, vegetable and cotton-producing area.
The town's charming city hall, built in 1928, features intricate cast-stone sculpture adorning the entryway and cupola of the Spanish Moorish building. The interior stairway is set with colorful Spanish tiles in geometric designs. The building is a designated historical site at 500 South Kansas Avenue.
The Harlon Block Memorial features a simple, but elegant monument to a local Marine, who participated in the famed flag-raising on Iwo Jima. The monument is located at the Texas Army National Guard Armory, 1100 Vo-Tech Drive.
The public library is one of the most modern facilities in the Rio Grande Valley. It, too, boasts Old-Mexico style, complete with a Spanish open courtyard. The library is located at 525 South Kansas Avenue.
Birding has become a worldwide attraction to Weslaco. The city is the center of a major flyway of the continent as well as the home to the World Birding Center's geographic center. The 176-acre refuge is open by appointment.