Little Mexico (Northeast Junction)

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Little Mexico, up at Northeast Junction in Kimble County. Now, settle in, because this one's got layers. Northeast Junction, commonly known as Little Mexico, is a Latin American community separated from the main portion of Junction by the Llano River.

Just across that water, its own world. And the story of how it came to be is one of those slow-built things, brick by brick, family by family. In the late nineteen twenties, an automobile route called the Old Spanish Trail was established, with Junction sitting near the halfway point between Florida and California.

A portion of what is now FM 2169 grew out of that route. But before the road had a number, before the cars were rolling through, the people were already there. On September 1, 1922, Alberto Martinez and Romauldo Sanchez purchased land from Oren C.

Reid. Add to that additional land from Antonio Medina, and a neighborhood began to take shape. By 1927, it had become part of Junction proper.

Then on November 13, 1945, Julian Pompa presented the city with an area of lots and streets located east of the Old Spanish Trail. A gift. A formal planting of roots.

But here's the thing about Little Mexico that you need to sit with for a moment. The city amenities that Junction residents took for granted, the kind of things most folks never even think to notice, did not reach Little Mexico until after World War II, and that process stretched on all the way into 1984. School buses did not serve the community.

Children walked, several miles, crossing the South Llano River Bridge, just to get to school. Let that picture form in your mind before we move on. Two churches served the Hispanic community.

St. Theresa Catholic Church and the Mexican Baptist Mission, both located in Junction. The mission stood until 1968, when it was razed for the construction of Interstate Highway 10.

That highway took the mission, and later, it displaced many residents of Little Mexico altogether. Before any of that, though, there was the matter of where the dead would rest. Early Hispanic residents did not have a cemetery of their own.

Most were buried on area ranches, scattered across the land with no common ground to gather them. In 1920, land for a cemetery was purchased from Tomas Perez. George Willis was among those who collected the money to pay for it.

And his wife, Julia Valdez Willis, became the first person buried at the new cemetery, which was named Campo Santo. Two veterans from World War I lie there. Veterans from World War II, from the Korean conflict, from Vietnam.

The ground tells the full account of what this community gave. Interstate Highway 10 reshaped the neighborhood, displaced families, took the mission church. And still, Little Mexico continues to thrive, preserving its history and its culture on the northeast side of that river.

The road went through. The community stayed.

What the marker says

Northeast Junction, commonly known as Little Mexico, is a "Latin American" community that is separated by the Llano River from the main portion of Junction. In the late 1920s an automobile route called the Old Spanish Trail was established with Junction near the halfway point between Florida and California. A portion of present- day FM 2169 was created from the route. On September 1, 1922, Alberto Martinez and Romauldo Sanchez purchased land from Oren C. Reid. Along with additional land from Antonio Medina, this neighborhood became part of Junction in 1927. On November 13, 1945 Julian Pompa presented the city with an area of lots and accompanying streets located east of the Old Spanish Trail. Little Mexico did not receive amenities from the city until after World War II continuing into 1984. School buses did not serve Little Mexico and students walked several miles crossing the South Llano River Bridge to attend school. Two churches located in Junction, St. Theresa Catholic Church and the Mexican Baptist Mission, served the Hispanic community, but in 1968 the mission was razed for construction of Interstate Highway 10. Early Hispanic residents did not have a cemetery and most were buried on area ranches. In 1920 land for a cemetery was purchased from Tomas Perez. George Willis was among those who collected the money to pay for the land. His wife, Julia Valdez Willis, was the first to be buried at the new cemetery named Campo Santo. Two veterans from World War I are buried in the cemetery along with veterans from World War II, the Korean conflict and Vietnam. Even though development of Interstate Highway 10 displaced many residents, the community continues to thrive and preserve its unique history and culture. (2009)