Kingsville TX | History - Presented by Village Profile

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History

At one time, Kingsville and its surrounding areas were covered by the Gulf of Mexico. Over the years sediment was deposited, causing the waters to recede and expose soil that was extremely rich and fertile. Farmers flocked to the region but found that their crops could not flourish in the arid climate, so cattlemen and their respective ranches ruled the lands. One of the largest ranches was established in 1853 by Captain Richard E. King, a Mississippi steamboat pilot. After his death, Capt. Kings’ widow, Henrietta M. King, turned over management of the ranch to her son-in-law, Robert J. Kleberg, who expanded the ranch from 800,000 to 1.2 million acres. More importantly, Robert Kleberg was an innovator who was focused on the future. He was the first to drill water wells on his ranch, leading others to follow his lead and producing an over-abundance of water in the region. Suddenly farming was not only ideal, but extremely profitable. Realizing the importance of transporting produce and other goods out of the region, Robert Kleberg then pushed for the formation of the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railroad (running from Corpus Christi to Brownsville).

Suddenly people were swarming to the region. Recognizing the need to form a centralized community to handle the needs of an exploding population, Mrs. King deeded 41,800 acres of land to Kleberg Town and Improvement Company, 853 acres of which were surveyed to form the township of Kingsville. Originally located in Nueces County, sudden population increases caused residents and businessmen to pressure state officials to create a new county. In February 1913, the Texas Legislature voted to divide Nueces County into two sections. The southern section became the new Kleberg County, with Kingsville as the county seat. Shortly thereafter various events provided the impetus to further spur Kingsville’s growth: the discovery of gas and oil and the arrivals of South Texas State Teacher’s College (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville), the U.S. Navy and Celanese.

Testaments to Kingsville’s past still stand today. King Ranch remains one of the largest, family-owned ranches in the world, encompassing approximately 825,000 acres. A historic walking tour through the downtown area showcases architectural highlights such as the 1904 Train Depot, the Flato Opera House, Sims Building, Ragland Mercantile Company Building, the 1930s post office and the bandstand. Kingsville is committed to preserving its past, while still keeping a keen eye on its future.

The Chamber of Commerce Celebrates its 100th Anniversary
In 1908, four years after the formation of Kingsville, its citizens met to organize a commercial club whose purpose was to promote the businesses and schools of Kingsville. This newly formed organization called itself the 5000 Club, a reflection of their goal to assist Kingsville in its growth to a population of 5,000 residents. All businesses and town leaders were encouraged to join, and the support was overwhelming. In 1909, the name was changed to the Kingsville Commercial Club, which subsequently organized and merged with the County Commercial Club. This resulted in the formation of the Kingsville-Kleberg County Commercial Club, recognizing the need for an organization addressing the needs of all Kleberg County organizations. On December 20, 1957, the organization filed corporate documents to officially become the Kingsville Chamber of Commerce.

Regardless of its name, the Kingsville Chamber of Commerce has demonstrated a 100-year legacy of leading the community in a wide range of business, cultural and quality of life issues. As it has grown, it has also spawned several significant organizations, such as the Greater Kingsville Economic Development Council and the Kingsville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. As the Chamber prepares for its second century, we continue to meet and exceed the needs of our member businesses and organizations. But, as has been true throughout our history, we rely solely upon our members for funding. So we ask that you support them in return by utilizing this directory when in need of a particular good or service. With your help, we can continue to make Kingsville your home for a day, a year or a lifetime.