In the very southern tip of Texas sits the town of Harlingen. I think it was founded in around 1908. We are about 24 miles north of Brownsville, TX (the last town south before the Mexican border) and about 30 miles south of the King Ranch. The area is largely agricultural, and we are in a semi-tropical zone. We are about 40 minutes by ground transport (motorized) west of the Gulf of Mexico and South Padre Island. The top photo is the entrance to Jackson Street, the main drag in old town Harlingen.
Many of the older stores are being re-done by owners of small specialty stores, antique shops, restaurants, art galleries, and offices in an effort to re-vitalize the down town area. These photos were taken yesterday with an azure sky and temperatures hovering around 90 degrees.
The building at the end of this block houses an artist's studio and art shop. His residence is above the store. Harlingen has great wool gathering potential for photographers, painters, and practicioners of the literary arts. We have some great birding opportunities here where many species come to winter. The water and seascapes are magnificent around SPI and surrounding costal areas. We also have wonderful part-time residents from the colder climes (mostly in the 
middle tier of states and Canada) whoflee the winter cold. One of our favorite eateries downtown is the Java Cafe. On occasion, the Java hosts an open mike for poets in the area. The King ranch north of us also has great history and offers tours of the ranch headquarters. All in all not a bad place to be.
