Timeline of Brownsville, Texas

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Brownsville, Texas, USA.

18th-19th centuries

 * 1771 - José Salvador de la Garza settles in area per Espíritu Santo land grant.
 * 1846
 * March: Fort Taylor established by Zachary Taylor.
 * May 8: Battle of Palo Alto.
 * 1848 - Brownsville founded by Charles Stillman.
 * 1849
 * Travellers of the California Gold Rush pass through town.
 * Stillman house built.
 * Brownsville Lyceum founded.
 * 1850
 * Market Square built.
 * Sentinel newspaper begins publication.
 * Population: 2,734.
 * 1853 - "Police force" established.
 * 1859
 * First Cortina War.
 * Immaculate Conception Church built.
 * 1863 - November 2–6: Battle of Brownsville; Union wins.
 * 1865
 * May 12–13: Battle of Palmito Ranch fought near Brownsville; Confederates win.
 * Saint Joseph Academy established.
 * 1867 - Hurricane.
 * 1870
 * Point Isabel-Brownsville railway built.
 * Population: 4,905.
 * 1874 - Roman Catholic apostolic vicariate of Brownsville established.
 * 1875 - Porfirio Díaz plots Mexican coup from his temporary base in Brownsville.
 * 1877 - Alonso house built.
 * 1878 - Sabas Cavazos Cemetery established.
 * 1883 - Cameron County Courthouse built.
 * 1890 - Population: 6,134.
 * 1892 - Daily Herald newspaper begins publication.
 * 1900 - Population: 6,305.

20th century

 * 1903 - St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway begins operating.
 * 1906 - August: Brownsville Affair (racial unrest).
 * 1907 - Snakeville in business.
 * 1910
 * Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge opens.
 * Dittmann Theater (cinema) built.
 * Population: 10,517.
 * 1913 - County Jail built.
 * 1914 - New Cameron County Courthouse built.
 * 1926 - Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley established.
 * 1927 - KGFI radio begins broadcasting.
 * 1930 - Population: 22,021.
 * 1934 - El Heraldo de Brownsville newspaper begins publication.
 * 1936 - Port of Brownsville opens.
 * 1938 - Matamoros-Brownsville Charro Days Festival begins.
 * 1945 - U.S. Army Fort Brown decommissioned.
 * 1946 - Teatro Victoria in business.
 * 1949 - Charro Drive-In cinema and Majestic Theatre in business.
 * 1950
 * Texas Southmost College active.
 * Population: 35,086.
 * 1960
 * Stillman House Museum opens.
 * Population: 48,040.
 * 1965 - Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville established.
 * 1970 - Population: 52,522.
 * 1971 - Gladys Porter Zoo established.
 * 1978 - Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site established. (Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park since 2009.)
 * 1979 - Brownsville Urban System (transport) established.
 * 1980 - Population: 84,997.
 * 1990 - Population: 98,962.
 * 1991
 * University of Texas at Brownsville active.
 * Pat Ahumada becomes mayor.
 * 1997 - City website online (approximate date).
 * 1999 - Blanca Vela becomes mayor.
 * 2000 - Population: 139,722.

21st century

 * 2001 - El Nuevo Heraldo newspaper in publication.
 * 2007 - Pat Ahumada becomes mayor again.
 * 2010 - Population: 175,023.
 * 2013 - Filemon Vela, Jr. becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 34th congressional district.
 * 2018 - Trey Mendez elected mayor