Border Troubles Bring Boom to Brownsville

In the midst of the Great Depression, the dusty town of Brownsville, Texas, experienced an unlikely economic boost. According to City Commissioner W.T. Aldridge, the border troubles of 1914 and 1915 brought a surge in post office business while he served as assistant postmaster at Eagle Pass. However, the real story of Brownsville’s resurgence lies in the words of pioneer E.W. Archer of Lyford, who believes the Valley is on the threshold of its greatest development in history. Archer, a stalwart optimist, predicts that land prices and real estate values will soar to unprecedented heights in just a few months or perhaps years. His faith in the Valley has never wavered, and he’s seen it all – from the boomtown days to the devastating economic downturn.