Hwy 281 Milepost Zero to 55

Yesterday, I started my road trip going backwards to Brownsville to catch the start of Hwy 281.  Brownsville, the crossroads of two nations.

Brownsville is about 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico via the Rio Grande River.  It was a different port years ago (1800's) when most ships coming up the river were no larger than a modern day yacht, probably smaller.  During the Civil War, Brownsville became a center for smuggling supplies in and out of Texas for the Confederate Army.

Ranching was the dominant industry of the region due to the abundance of land and the shortage of rainfall for crops.  There were a lot of wild horses and cattle in the area, many rounded up by Mexican and American cowboys and they drove them north from Brownsville and surrounding areas to Kansas rail heads (i.e. Chisholm Trail).  Nearly one in three cowboys were either Mexican or African American.  A few adventurous young women also made the journey, sometimes disguised as boys.  Many of the terms (lasso, lariat, mustang, chaps and bandanna) that were originally Spanish words have became everyday speech for the cowboys.

In the mid 19th century, irrigation was started in the Valley and really took hold in early 20th century.  The ranch land of the Valley has been transported to large farms growing sugar cane, cotton, sorghum, onions, and cabbages.  Below is photo of workers picking cabbage and loading onto trailers.

Field

Irrigation ditch

Farmland with Irrigation pump marked by local gang

Trailer of cabbage

Hwy 281 begins in Brownsville in a busy intersection, complete with stores, restaurants and traffic. 

For about 21 miles, the small settlements along the river come one after the other.  This same pattern occurred when the Highway 83 was built along the railroad and for 50 + miles you only notice that you have gone from one city to another by the city sign.  

Hwy 281 follows the Rio Grande River west & northwest for almost 50 miles and along the way you will see portions of the Border Wall.  The Wall will go on for a mile or two, then there are large gaps and roads going right through the area.

The local newspaper today reported that in the past week over 7000 undocumented immigrants were detained in the Valley.  That is a dramatic increase!  Also, the ranking of the countries they are coming from has Mexico as fourth, behind Central America countries.

This is a never-ending situation.

In the ranch lands north of here, many of these immigrants that do not get caught by Border Patrol, do get caught by rough elements of the terrain and heat.  They die.

This may sound morbid, but cemeteries are a photographers dream....all the color!  This cemetery along 281 is an example.  

Hwy 281 turns north about 50 miles from Brownsville into the city of Pharr.  In the city, 281 is renamed Cage Boulevard.  The below photo shows how close we live to this busy highway.  Granted it was taken with a telephoto lens, but you get the point.  We live at milepost 55.  On Monday morning, I will begin to travel north on 281 for the next 1800+ miles.  Stay tuned!