Economic History
A Railroad Arrived in 1904 and Transformed Cameron County's Economy
The St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway reached the Rio Grande Valley in 1904, triggering a land boom and the rise of commercial agriculture.
Before 1904, Cameron County's economy ran on ranching, trade across the Rio Grande, and some fishing. The railroad changed that fast. It connected the valley to national markets. Settlers from the Midwest arrived in large numbers. They cleared brush and planted truck crops, citrus, and cotton.
Commercial citrus growing began in 1904. By the middle of the 20th century, Cameron County was one of Texas's most productive farming regions. The Port of Brownsville, completed in 1936, added another big economic driver. Oil and gas production began in 1944. That mix of farming, port trade, and energy still shapes the county today.
Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas — Cameron County