Roma, Texas
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Roma is a city in
Starr County, Texas Starr County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 65,920. Its county seat is Rio Grande City. The county was created in 1848. It is named for James Harper Starr, who served as secretary of the tre ...
, United States. Its population was 11,561 at the 2020 census. The city is located along the
Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...
, across from
Ciudad Miguel Alemán Ciudad Miguel Alemán, known prior to 1950 as San Pedro de Roma, is a city located in Miguel Alemán Municipality, Tamaulipas, Mexico, across the Rio Grande from the U.S. city of Roma, Texas. The two are linked by the Roma – Ciudad Miguel Alem ...
in
Tamaulipas Tamaulipas, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas, is a state in Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 43 municipalities. It is located in nor ...
,
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. The city is also popularly known as Roma-Los Saenz, since the incorporated city also took the area known as Los Saenz. It serves as a port of entry from Mexico into the U.S. via the Roma–Ciudad Miguel Alemán International Bridge.


Sights

The town center has a number of picturesque historic buildings, now collected in the Roma Historic District. Roma is a popular
birding Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescope, ...
site in the
Rio Grande Valley Lower Rio Grande Valley (), often referred to as the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of South Texas, is a region located in the southernmost part of Texas, along the northern bank of the Rio Grande. It is also known locally as the Valley or the 956 (the ...
, and a section of the World Birding Center is on Portsheller Street across from the city hall. The channel of the Rio Grande is less than 200 feet wide at Roma. The bluff adjacent to the town square overlooks the river, and parts of the Ciudad Miguel Aleman crossing are readily visible. Because of the arresting views, this location is frequently used by television journalists, public officials, and others who visit the region as a
photo op A photo op (sometimes written as photo opp), short for photograph opportunity (or photo opportunity), is an arranged opportunity to take a photograph of a politician, a celebrity, or an event.Nuevo Santander Nuevo Santander (New Santander) was a region of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, covering the modern Mexican state of Tamaulipas and extending into modern-day southern Texas in the United States. Nuevo Santander was named after Santander, Cantabri ...
. Prior to Texas's independence from Mexico in 1836, the town was listed as under the jurisdiction of the town of Mier, Tamaulipas, and prior to
Mexican independence The Mexican War of Independence (, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from the Spanish Empire. It was not a single, coherent event, but local and regional ...
existed under
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...
rule. The site offered a convenient crossing on the Rio Grande, which became known as ''El Paso de la Mula'' (Pass of the Mule). The area was notable for a salt trade from the Roma area to Monterrey. The Roma area became the Mexican state of Tamaulipas with the Mexican Constitution of 1824. Texas claimed Roma with the establishment of the
Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas (), or simply Texas, was a country in North America that existed for close to 10 years, from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846. Texas shared borders with Centralist Republic of Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande, an ...
in 1835, but Mexico continued to control this area. A Texan force sought to take Roma in the Mier Expedition of 1842, which resulted in the death, capture, or execution of many volunteers. After the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
established U.S. control over the northern bank of the Rio Grande in 1846, Texas governed Roma. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, the region became wealthy on the cotton trade, which was transshipped via Mexico to Europe. While steamboats were able to access Roma through the mid-19th century, lowering water levels as a result of development upstream ended river shipment by the 1880s. Bypassed by railroads, Roma stagnated and inadvertently preserved itself from development. The Roma National Historic Landmark District contains over 30 structures built before 1900. Some of those buildings include: * The Customs House (Casa de Aduanas, in Spanish) is where shippers and brokers came to pay customs fees for imported goods from Europe and Mexico on steamboats. * The John Vale/Noah Cox House was built in 1853 by Swedish immigrant John Vale; its front elevation has finely carved sandstone with classical details on the cornice. * the Leocadia Garcia House, built in the 1840s, served first as a dwelling for José Maria Garcia, husband of Leocadia, and then as a store and dance hall. * Ramirez Hall is the two-story home of Lino Ramirez and three generations of the Ramirez family. Built by architect Heinrich Portscheller, who personally laid brick around windows and doors, it was used as fictitious "Rosita's Cantina" in the 1950s film ''
Viva Zapata ''Viva Zapata!'' is a 1952 American biographical Western film directed by Elia Kazan, dramatizing the life of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata from his peasant upbringing through his rise to power in the early 1900s and his death in 1919. I ...
''. * The Manuel Guerra Building is the crown jewel of restored buildings in Roma. * The Néstor Saenz Store has direct access to the wharf area, just below Juarez Street, where steamboats anchored. * The Edward Hord Office was built in 1853 for Edward R. Hord, who represented Mexican heirs of original landowners in the area, and during the Civil War, functioned as a military building, * The Filomeno Gongora House, built from sandstone blocks, was erected around the 1830s, the oldest house in Roma. * Our Lady of Refuge Church was built in 1853 by Father Pierre Yves Kéralum (1817–1872), a carpenter-turned-priest of the Oblates. * The Parish Hall housed the convent of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word (1880s–1913) and the Sisters of Mercy (1813–1940).


Geography

Roma is located at (26.406101, −99.005644). The city gained area prior to the 2010 census giving it a total area of 4.2 square miles (11.0 km), of which 0.1 square mile (0.3 km) (4.50%) is covered by water. The City of Roma is located along the Rio Grande, which is the frontier between the United States and Mexico.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, 11,561 people, 3,045 households, and 2,394 families were residing in the city.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, 9,617 people, 2,678 households, and 2,351 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 3,141 housing units had an average density of 1,139.9/sq mi (439.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 90.3% White, 0.15% African American, 0.2% Native American, 7.85% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 98.54% of the population. Of the 2,678 households, 50.3% had children under 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.2% were not families. About 11.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.59, and the average family size was 3.91. In the city, the age distribution was 34.9% under 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 81.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $15,563, and for a family was $16,883. Males had a median income of $16,020 versus $12,656 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $7,539. About 48.9% of families and 54.3% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 64.2% of those under 18 and 46.3% of those 65 or over.


Government and infrastructure

The city opened its first fire station, a $788,000 facility, on August 1, 2011. The Texas Department of Rural Affairs provided a $540,000 block grant to help build the station. The
United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
operates the Roma Post Office.


Education

Public education in the city of Roma is provided by the Roma Independent School District. Zoned campuses include Anna S. Canavan Elementary School for pre-kindergarten, in grades K–5, the western portion of the city is zoned to Florence J. Scott Elementary and the eastern portion is zoned to Roel and Celia Saenz Elementary School. A small area located near the eastern city limit line lies within the boundaries of Ynes B. Elementary School. Roma is served by both of the district's middle schools—Roma and Ramiro Barrera (grades 6–8), with a majority zoned to Roma Middle. Roma High School serves students in grades 9–12.


Recreation and culture

Spanish is frequently spoken in the community as of 2017. Molly Hennessy-Fiske of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' stated that its
Fourth of July Independence Day, known colloquially as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing th ...
celebration is "massive", and uses it to showcase its patriotic pro-American ethos. The community also celebrates Mexican Independence Day and a December caminata. According to Hennesy-Fiske, the "vibe is more Tejano than Mexican".


In popular culture

The town is the scene identified as the burial site of artifacts from the Library at Alexandria in
Clive Cussler Clive Eric Cussler (July 15, 1931 – February 24, 2020) was an American adventure novelist and underwater explorer. His thriller novels, many featuring the character Dirk Pitt, have been listed on ''The New York Times'' fiction best-sell ...
's novel ''Treasure''. Filming for the 1952 film ''
Viva Zapata! ''Viva Zapata!'' is a 1952 American biographical Western film directed by Elia Kazan, dramatizing the life of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata from his peasant upbringing through his rise to power in the early 1900s and his death in 1919. I ...
'', scripted by
John Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck ( ; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social percep ...
and directed by
Elia Kazan Elias Kazantzoglou (, ; September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003), known as Elia Kazan ( ), was a Greek-American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one of the most honored and inf ...
, took place in Roma. The film and the city are recurring motifs in
Larry McMurtry Larry Jeff McMurtry (June 3, 1936March 25, 2021) was an American novelist, essayist, and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas.
's 1972 novel ''
All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers ''All My Friends Are Going to Be Strangers'' is a 1972 American novel by Larry McMurtry. The work, his fifth novel, follows the travails and romantic entanglements of a young writer, Danny Deck. The events of the novel primarily take place in Hou ...
'', and the book's conclusion takes place in and around Roma.


Notable people

* Hector Hugo Gonzalez, Nurse educator and the first Mexican-American registered nurse to earn a Ph.D. in the United States. * Jovita González de Mireles (1904–1983),
Tejana Tejanos ( , ) are descendants of Texas Creoles and Mestizos who settled in Texas before its admission as an American state. The term is also sometimes applied to Texans of Mexican descent. Etymology The word ''Tejano'', with a ''J'' instead o ...
folklorist, schoolteacher, and
feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...
writer.See Purdy 142–146. * Mariachi Nuevo Santander, Roma High School mariachi group that has won the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza five times in a row since 2013 and has auditioned for ''America's Got Talent'' season 12. * Grupo Duelo,a prominent Mexican Norteño (regional mexican) norteño light band that has garnered numerous awards and nominations, including Grammy Awards, Latin Grammy Awards, and Tejano Music Awards, throughout their over 15-year history. * Oscar Ivan Treviño, Grupo Duelo lead vocalist, songwriter, musician. * Dimas Lopez, Jr, Grupo Duelo accordion player. * Edgar Barrera, attended Roma High School songwriter, producer, musician. * Ervey Alanis, producer, musician. * Ervey Alanis, Jr., producer, musician, videographer, bird photographer. * Eduardo Alanis, songwriter, producer, musician, former lead vocalist of Super Odisea.


References


Further reading

* Purdy, Andrea R. "Jovita González de Mireles (1908-1983)"
''American Women Writers, 1900-1945: A Bio-bibliographical Critical Sourcebook''
Ed. Laurie Champion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2000. 142–146.


External links

* {{authority control Cities in Starr County, Texas Cities in Texas Populated places established in 1765 Micropolitan areas of Texas Texas populated places on the Rio Grande