San Felipe Redux

Streetscape in San Felipe

Before moving on to Laredo and San Ygnacio two important sites on the river, we wanted to say a bit more about San Felipe Creek in Del Rio. This small waterway that empties into the Rio Grande was the primary reason Del Rio was sited here. Regrettably, it also served as the dividing line between rich and poor. While other cities may have the wrong side of the tracks Del Rio had the wrong side of the Creek and the effects of that separation are still visible. Particularly complicated was the creation of two separate school districts each serving only one side of the Creek's population. Crafty politicians managed to assign the children of the local air force base to the more prominent school district even though the base was closer to the San Felipe or poorer side of the Creek. This had the effect of syphoning federal funds that would otherwise go to the poorer district. After several decades of lobbying and political activity the situation was finally resolved by combining the two school districts into one. This solution ended the segregation of Mexican children but it also denied their community the ability to manage their own schools.

Plaza de Recreo in San Felipe

Beautiful church on the other side of the tracks err... I mean creek.