Port Isabel in Cameron County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Rio Grande Rail Road Company
1870 - 1911
Photographed by Dave W, March 14, 2026
1. Rio Grande Railroad Company Marker
Pelican station is located on the exact site where the Rio Grande Rail Road ran in the late 1800's. RGRR began in 1870 as the only railroad in Texas and one of the few in the United States. It was a 42" gauge railroad. RGRR ran a twenty-six mile route between Point Isabel and Brownsville and consisted of three locomotives and fifty-six cars.
RGRR was owned and operated by several Brownsville businessmen. It was created in an attempt to break the transportation monopoly held by the river-boat owners Richard King and Mifflin Kennedy, who later became owners of large ranches in the area.
RGRR had a loading/unloading pier 1000 feet long, built over the shallow waters of the Laguna Madre. Lighter boats would offload cargo from ships offshore of Point Isabel and deliver it to the pier to be offloaded once again. This process was reversed for cargo shipped from Point Isabel. This pier was rebuilt in 1928 by the US Corps of Engineers, and used to deliver the granite rock used to construct the Jetties.
While Rio Grande Rail Road has long ceased operations, the history is still very much alive inside Pelican Station. Dine on our amazing meals and enjoy our beautiful view of the Laguna Madre Bay and Queen Isabella Causeway. Also, view our oversized historic photographs of old Port Isabel and RGRR taken by Robert Runyon.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 26° 4.631′ N, 97° 12.314′ W. Marker is in Port Isabel, Texas, in Cameron County. It is at the intersection of South Garcia Street and Railroad Street, on the right when traveling north on South Garcia Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 201 S Garcia St, Port Isabel TX 78578, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Texas. It is also in the American South and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Queen Isabel Inn (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Point Isabel Lighthouse (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Port of Matamoros (about 700 feet away); Landmark on the Point (about 700 feet away); Port Isabel, C.S.A. (about 700 feet away); Charles Champion (about 700 feet away); Point Isabel Lighthouse (about 800 feet away); Site of Fort Polk (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Port Isabel.
Another marker is no longer nearby. A View from the Top (was about 700 feet away but has been permanently removed).
Photographed by Dave W, March 14, 2026
2. Rio Grande Rail Road Company Marker
Photographed by Dave W, March 14, 2026
3. Rio Grande Rail Road Company Marker
Caboose in the parking lot.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 21, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 20, 2026, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. This page has been viewed 18 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 20, 2026, by Dave W of Co, Colorado. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
