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Mexico Travel :: The North Mexican States

State of Tamaulipas

The southern part of the coastal state of Tamaulipas was occupied by the Huastecs, a tribe distantly related, linguistically at least, to the Mayas further south. Various expeditions of conquistadors, Juan de Grijalva and Cortes among them, competed in trying to subdue the Huastecs, but all withdrew after much bloodshed. Although the first mission was planted in 1544, it wasn't until the mid-18th century that the Spanish had more than a precarious hold on the state. In 1749, Don Jose de Escandon was granted permission to settle the northern and interior portions of Tamaulipas. Spanish cattle ranchers fought Huastecs, Apaches and Comanches from the north well into the 19th century. In 1829, Spanish troops, in one last desperate attempt to retake their colony, landed at Tampico and managed to repulse Santa Ana's troops. Santa Ana besieged the town and, after being weakened by the tropical heat and yellow fever, the Spaniards finally surrendered. The American fleet of General Winfield Scott landed at Matamoros and Tampico in 1847, before heading south to capture Mexico City. After Texas became part of the United States in 1848, 500 Mexicans from the town of Laredo moved across the river to Mexico and founded Nuevo Laredo. Under Porfirio Diaz, Tampico became a major industrial port, rivalling Veracruz. At the end of the century an American oil man named Edward Doheny struck oil near Tampico, and by 1914 the city was the center of the richest oil-producing area in the world. Boom times lasted until 1921, when salt water began appearing in the wells.

Tamaulipas' three border towns-Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa and Matamoros- all lie on the Rio Bravo opposite Laredo, Hidalgo and Brownsville, Texas respectively. The area is a center of winter vegetable production on rich irrigated agricultural lands. The three cities contain nightlife and gift shops aimed at the 'walk-in' tourist trade from Texas. Nuevo Laredo is the largest (pop 400,000), with most of the tourist businesses on Avda Guerrero and a popular horse racing track south of town. The Cadillac Bar, Nuevo Laredo's most famous cantina, has spawned a chain of restaurants across the United States. Reynosa (pop 350,000) is better known as a center of oil and gas refineries.

Matamoros (pop 350,000) has become notorious because of the 'narcosatanic' drug gang that operated nearby, and because of a recent prison rebellion that exposed widespread corruption in the local police force. Nevertheless, prudent visitors should have no problems. Avenida Obregon at the foot of the International Bridge is the main street. Near the Plaza Hidalgo is a market for tourist handicrafts. Good deserted beaches may be found east of Mexico 180 heading south. Tampico (pop 638,000), at the mouth of the Rio Panuco on the border with the state of Veracruz, is a major oil refinery center and the second largest port in Mexico. It contains many hotels and lots of port atmosphere.

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