Harlingen, Agricultural center in Cameron County, Texas
Harlingen is a city in Cameron County in southern Texas, roughly 30 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. It sits in the Rio Grande Valley at low elevation and serves as a trade and farming hub for the region.
Lon C. Hill founded the city in 1904 and named it after a Dutch town in Friesland. The first post office and school opened soon after, drawing new residents quickly.
The city takes its name from a Frisian town in the Netherlands, reflecting the founder's European roots. Today this connection is barely visible in daily life, while the proximity to the Mexican border shapes local habits more strongly.
Valley International Airport links the city with other towns in Texas and beyond. U.S. Highways 77 and 83 pass through town and help travelers orient themselves in southern Texas.
The town hosts a large medical center that acts as a trauma facility for much of southern Texas. This gives the city an important role in healthcare across a thinly populated border region.
Location: Cameron County
Inception: 1904
Elevation above the sea: 12 m
Website: http://myharlingen.us
GPS coordinates: 26.20000,-97.70000
Latest update: December 13, 2025 17:50
Photo license: CC BY-SA 4.0
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
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4.2 kmAbbott Reservoir
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3 kmLa Feria Reservoir
15 kmStokey Park
11.8 kmOur Lady of Visitation Catholic Church
19.8 kmValley Baptist Medical Center
4.1 kmL. E. Snavely House
3.6 kmLandrum House
17 kmArroyo Colorado Lift Bridge
12.3 kmFirst Presbyterian Church of San Benito
10.3 kmSt. Benedict's Church
10 kmSan Benito Bank and Trust Company
10.2 kmSantos Lozano Building
891 mLon C. Hill Home
3.7 kmHoward E. and Mary Butt House
1.8 kmRosalio Longoria House
13.6 kmTony Butler Golf Course
3.4 kmHarlingen Country Club
5.4 kmTreasure Hills Golf Club
5.8 kmSchaub Art Studio
978 mUrban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
2.7 kmGolden Age of Hollywood & Mexican Cinema in Harlingen, Texas
937 mThe History of Mexico & Mankind
849 mTexas Travel Information Center at Harlingen
2.2 kmMural, Work of art
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