Hidalgo County

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Hidalgo County. Down in the southernmost reach of Texas, where the Rio Grande does its slow, wide work, this county came into being on January 24, 1842, carved out of Starr and Cameron counties.

It didn't get organized right away, though. That took until April 7, 1854. Some things down here move on their own schedule.

The county was named in honor of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Mexican patriot born in 1753 and gone by 1811. A name worth carrying. Now, the county seat has its own story, and it's the kind that keeps changin' on you.

In 1852, the seat was Edinburgh. Then on February 7, 1861, that name was changed to Hidalgo. Could've stopped there, but it didn't.

On October 12, 1908, the whole seat picked up and moved to a new site, a place then called Chapin. And then, on February 3, 1911, the name changed again, this time to Edinburg. So the county seat started as Edinburgh, became Hidalgo, relocated to Chapin, and landed as Edinburg.

Same county, same river bending past it, just a place that kept deciding who it wanted to be. Out here, even the names have a journey.

What the marker says

Formed from Starr and Cameron counties. Created January 24, 1842. Organized April 7, 1854. Named in Honor of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla -- 1753-1811 Mexican Patriot County Seat, 1852, Edinburgh, name changed February 7, 1861, to Hidalgo. Moved to present site, then called Chapin, October 12, 1908. Name changed to Edinburg, February 3, 1911.