It’s easy to spend your vacation time in the large cities and major tourist attractions when visiting Texas.
Photo by Joshua Case on UnsplashThese have been responsible for the rich cultural and economic history of the state and the country. Yet sometimes, small towns that are mere blips on the map often create something so great, that it changes the world forever. One of those places is Robstown, Texas.
Once a frontier town, it sprang to prominence as a railroad crossing post. Since then, it has become world-famous as the place where Texas Hold ‘Em was first played. Below, we give the history of Robstown Texas.
History of Robstown
Robstown is a place steeped in US history. It is known to have been inhabited by Native Americans from as far back as 1300. Originally, the town was around three miles west of its current location. This was at the crossing of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad and the Texas-Mexican Railway.
The crossroad gradually attracted a host of businesses to cater to those working the railroad. This soon resulted in huge swathes of land development which would become Robstown. The first building erected in the area was the Germania Hotel, to house workers coming to expand the railroad.
Over 92% of Robstown’s population are of Hispanic or Latino origin. The first known record of Hispanic and Latino workers in the area was in 1907 with a man named Anastacio Zamora, a labourer. Now, the city has a population of over 10,000.
The Birthplace of Texas Hold Em
Photo by Marin Tulard on UnsplashOne of Robstown’s biggest claims to fame is that it was the birthplace of the variant of Texas Hold ‘Em Poker. The game had spread in popularity across the US, though early games had wide variations in rules depending on who played and where. Most games were stud poker rules.
The legend is that the first hand of the Texas Hold ‘Em game was played in Robstown. While there is no concrete evidence for this, it makes for a great story and many believe the game likely originated in Texas somewhere. This variation has become one of the most popular card games in the world. Texas Hold ‘Em has boomed in popularity over the last few years thanks to the availability of live dealer casinos online. Players relish the opportunity to play the beloved game from the comfort and ease of their mobile devices. In turn, this has helped spur the reputation of Robstown as a haven for tourists.
Geography of Robstown
To the west of Robstown, you will find the Eagle Ford Shale Formation. This geological formation runs through over twenty-six counties, starting at the Mexican border and spreading eastward. The formation can provide both natural gas and oil.
Around the town lies several farms and tracts of land. Rockin K Farms can be visited by families and is great in the fall when they have a fun festival. Over twenty activities are there for families including walking the corn maze and choosing pumpkins in the patch.
To the east lies the large town of Corpus Christi. This coastal city nestles in a bay on the Gulf of Mexico. With a population of over 300,000, it is a much larger city than Robstown and has a lot more attractions, including its beautiful coastline.
