Special to El Rrun-Rrun
(Ed.'s Note: Whether it's the record for Zumba dancing or the most kids dipping their fishing poles into the murky waters of a polluted resaca, Brownsville has strived for recognition of some type, any type. When some airhead attempt at an act of daring to put Browntown on the map or get the attention of the Guinness World Record scribes is suggested, we'll do it, B'Gawd!)
But if you think about it, we're already living in a historic city in Brownsville and we really don't need these kinds of gimmicks to set us apart from our U.S. brethren. Here are a few things for which we have gained national recognition.
1. We were the entry point for the U.S. military invasion in 1846 under Zachary Taylor that resulted in one half of the Mexican territory ending in U.S. hands two years later.2. The first battles of the Mexican-American War were fought here at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Guerra. Although you really can't tell now, the U.S. won.
3. This is where Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz made his first attempt to overthrow Benito Juarez and lived at the Stillman House courtesy of Charles Stillman, who was after the railroad and telegraph concessions from the Mexican government. Alas, the Mexican government forces kicked his ass and he did not succeed.
4. This is where Dr. William Gorgas did not discover the cause or cure for yellow fever at Ft. Brown, but did come down with the fever and later – when he was sent to Cuba – boned up on hygienic techniques suggested by Dr. Juan Carlos Finlay that allowed him to wipe out the mosquitoes carrying the disease, and made possible the building of the Panama Canal.
6. Just 25 miles upriver, U.S. troops captured German couriers during WWI with a copy of the Zimmerman Telegram. The Zimmerman note was a message intercepted by British intelligence (some say planted) from Germany to Mexico in 1917 proposing that in the event of a German war with the United states, Mexico should attack the US. It would be a Mexican opportunity to retake the Mexican Cession.
7. The death certificate for recluse billionaire Howard Hughes states that his place of death was in the air above (you guessed it!) Brownsville, Texas. Why not Matamoros? Do you really think the attorneys for the Hughes estate wanted to fight over the billions in a Mexican court?
8. This is the place where "Lucky Lindy" (Charles Lindberg) inaugurated air mail to Latin America with Amelia Earhart looking on when he landed at the city airport. The not-so-lucky Lindy's son was later kidnapped and murdered and Amelia was lost somewhere over the Pacific.
9. This is the place where Billy Mitchell proved the experts wrong and showed them that airplanes could have a military application.
10. This is where a Mexican air batallion trained to fight on our side during WWII.
11. This is the town that caught the attention of the world when babies suddenly started being born without a brain. Called by a a variety of names such as the Mallory babies, the anencephalic babies cases ended up in court and earned modest settlements for the families, but made personal injury attorneys (such as our former city mayor Tony Martinez) wealthy men beyond their imagination.
12. This is the only place where birdwatchers can come to the city dump (a money maker) and see a Mexican crow feasting on carrion and refuse. Notch another one for the bird list, honey!
13. This is where the Houston-based Dannenbaum Engineering company and local bought-and-paid-for public servants bilked the taxpayers of the Brownsville Navigation District for $21 million to build a Bridge to Nowhere...and got away with it!
14. This is the place where dynasties (the Lucios and Oliveiras) sold their positions as public servants to the highest bidders...and got away with it!
3. This is where Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz made his first attempt to overthrow Benito Juarez and lived at the Stillman House courtesy of Charles Stillman, who was after the railroad and telegraph concessions from the Mexican government. Alas, the Mexican government forces kicked his ass and he did not succeed.
4. This is where Dr. William Gorgas did not discover the cause or cure for yellow fever at Ft. Brown, but did come down with the fever and later – when he was sent to Cuba – boned up on hygienic techniques suggested by Dr. Juan Carlos Finlay that allowed him to wipe out the mosquitoes carrying the disease, and made possible the building of the Panama Canal.
5. Brownsville was the point from where airplane expeditions were made into northern Mexico to seek out revolutionary/bandit Pancho Villa, albeit without success. The planes returned to town all shot up.
7. The death certificate for recluse billionaire Howard Hughes states that his place of death was in the air above (you guessed it!) Brownsville, Texas. Why not Matamoros? Do you really think the attorneys for the Hughes estate wanted to fight over the billions in a Mexican court?
8. This is the place where "Lucky Lindy" (Charles Lindberg) inaugurated air mail to Latin America with Amelia Earhart looking on when he landed at the city airport. The not-so-lucky Lindy's son was later kidnapped and murdered and Amelia was lost somewhere over the Pacific.
9. This is the place where Billy Mitchell proved the experts wrong and showed them that airplanes could have a military application.
10. This is where a Mexican air batallion trained to fight on our side during WWII.
11. This is the town that caught the attention of the world when babies suddenly started being born without a brain. Called by a a variety of names such as the Mallory babies, the anencephalic babies cases ended up in court and earned modest settlements for the families, but made personal injury attorneys (such as our former city mayor Tony Martinez) wealthy men beyond their imagination.
12. This is the only place where birdwatchers can come to the city dump (a money maker) and see a Mexican crow feasting on carrion and refuse. Notch another one for the bird list, honey!
13. This is where the Houston-based Dannenbaum Engineering company and local bought-and-paid-for public servants bilked the taxpayers of the Brownsville Navigation District for $21 million to build a Bridge to Nowhere...and got away with it!
14. This is the place where dynasties (the Lucios and Oliveiras) sold their positions as public servants to the highest bidders...and got away with it!
15. This is the place called the poorest community in the United States, and where the world's richest man (Elon Musk) now lives!
Compared to this august list of accomplishments, what can a few zumba dancers and kids with fishing poles do to top this and measure up as world records?
Call the Guinness Book of World Records, Earl! I think we got a winner!
Compared to this august list of accomplishments, what can a few zumba dancers and kids with fishing poles do to top this and measure up as world records?
Call the Guinness Book of World Records, Earl! I think we got a winner!
7 comments:
Brownsville can win another world record topping all of those listed. We can win a Guinness Book of World Records by entering our city as having more potholes than any other city.
According to local news the city of Brownsville administrators have just purchased 3 electric buses at a cost of over $100,000 each to take people to the downtown area. How convenient for those corrupt politicians owning property/businesses in that area. Is this more important than our streets and flooding issues. When are we the voters/taxpayers going to get rid of all this corruption?
Boring gossip. Go porn, Montoya. I's all you have left.
John Wayne was trans.
Haha 😂
The Garza Strip!
Fuck Zumba.
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