Edinburg, Texas

Boy harvesting carrots in 1939.

In 1908, John Closner, William Briggs, Argyle McAllen, Plutarco de la Viña and Dennis B. Chapin developed a new community at this site. The town square was located at the current crossroads of U.S. Highway 281 and State Highway 107. The town was named "Chapin" in honor of one of the developers. A local myth relates that Edinburg became the county seat of Hidalgo County in a dramatic, nighttime covert operation in which the county records were removed from the previous county seat. However, historical records show more practical reasons. The original Hidalgo County Courthouse in the city of Hidalgo was under frequent danger of flooding because of the town's proximity to the Rio Grande, which sometimes encroached on the building. Additionally, Texas law required that the courthouse be close to the geographic center of the county.[9] When Dennis Chapin was involved in the shooting death of Oscar J. Rountree at the Dan Breen Saloon in San Antonio,[10] the community changed its name to "Edinburg" to honor John Young, a prominent businessman who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. The town was officially named in 1911 and incorporated in 1919.

Edinburg is located in south-central Hidalgo County at 26°18′15″N 98°9′50″W (26.304225, -98.163751).[11] It is bordered to the south by Pharr and to the southwest by McAllen, the largest city in the county. U.S. Route 281 (Interstate 69C) runs through the east side of Edinburg. US 281 leads north 103 miles (166 km) to Alice and 229 miles (369 km) to San Antonio. Downtown McAllen is 10 miles (16 km) to the south and west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Edinburg has a total area of 37.7 square miles (97.6 km²), of which 37.6 square miles (97.5 km²) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 0.16%, are water.[7]

Population as of the census[4] of 2000, there were 48,465 people, 14,183 households, and 11,417 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,296.9 people per square mile (500.7/km²). There were 16,031 housing units at an average density of 429.0 per square mile (165.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.32% White, 0.58% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 22.67% from other races, and 2.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 88.68% of the population. About 95% of those who selected the "other race" were Hispanic or Latino.[13]

There were 14,183 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.29 and the average family size was 3.71.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.0% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,938, and the median income for a family was $30,634. Males had a median income of $27,505 versus $21,010 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,854. About 25.2% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.2% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over.

As Edinburg is the county seat of Hidalgo County, most major county offices are located there including the Criminal District Attorney's Office, the District Courts and County Courts at Law of Hidalgo County, the Community Supervision and Corrections Department, the Hidalgo County Juvenile Probation Department, the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office and the offices of the County Judge, the Tax Assessor/Collector, the County Treasurer, County Auditor and Veterans Services. Hidalgo County Commissioner's Precinct Four represents Edinburg on the Hidalgo County County Commissioner's Court.

This city was the home of the Edinburg Roadrunners, an independent league baseball team in the North American League. However, after numerous ownership changes, the team disbanded. Currently, UTRGV is the only major baseball team in Edinburg.

In 2013, the city of Edinburg and the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation announced plans for the construction of an events arena in which the NBA Development League Champions, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, would be the anchor tenants.[23] It opened in 2018. The team also has its practice facility at the Edinburg Sports & Wellness Center.[24] The City also opened a six-city-block stretch of green pedestrian walkway space known as the McIntyre Street Project in April 2014 expected to be the beginning of a proposed arts and restaurant district extending through the heart of Edinburg.[25]

Since 2016, the city has been home to the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros soccer club in the USL Championship, who play at H-E-B Park.[26] The city is also home to the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Academy, the best youth soccer club in the area and a pioneer in youth development for the Rio Grande Valley. The Toros Academy plays in the MLS Next league against the best academies in the nation and provides fully-funded programs for U-15, U-17, and U-19 boys.

The Edinburg Scenic Wetlands is one of nine sites of the World Birding Center, a native habitat site and wildlife refuge.[28]

McIntyre Street Project plans also include a bus transportation hub for Valley Metro,[29] the regional transit service.[30]

• Terry Canales, Democrat member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 41, serving since 2013
• Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, a U.S. Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for service in the Battle of Huế during the Vietnam War.
• Robert Guerra, attorney and Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 41
• Joe M. Kilgore, former lawyer in Edinburg and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas
• Stanley A. Mulaik, Professor Emeritus (retired) at the School of Psychology at the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as the head of the Societate American pro Interlingua.
• Bobby Pulido, Tejano singer
• Megan Salinas, nude model and pornographic actress[66]
• Leslie H. Southwick, federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and a former judge of the Mississippi Court of Appeals
• Pedro Villarreal, Major League Baseball pitcher

• Official website
• Edinburg Chamber of Commerce
• Edinburg Economic Development Corporation