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BORDER REGION COULD BE FIRST IN TEXAS TO BEAR NATIONAL HERITAGE DESIGNATION

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Henry Cuellar today testified before the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, asking Congress to authorize a study for the designation of the Los Caminos del Rio region of South Texas to be named as a National Heritage Corridor. The 200 mile Rio Grande region would join 49 other national heritage landmarks and could be the first area in Texas to bear the national heritage designation.

“South Texas is blessed with such a rich cultural history from places like Los Caminos del Rio,” said Congressman Cuellar. “From just north of Laredo down to Brownsville, the history along the river dates back to the 1500’s. What an honor it will be to have the National Park Service recognize our region with such distinction.”

In April 2009, Congressman Cuellar introduced H.R. 2167, a bill authorizing the Interior Secretary to study the Los Caminos region in order for the area to be designated as a National Heritage Corridor, with support from fellow Texas U.S. Representatives Solomon Ortiz and Rubén Hinojosa. Today, alongside representatives from the U.S. National Park Service, Congressman Cuellar explained the historical significance of the Rio Grande border region.

“This 200 mile stretch is made of farms, ranches and cultural gems where small towns reflect the rich blend of Hispanic and Anglo cultures,” said Congressman Cuellar. “The National Park Service understands that this is one of the most ecologically diverse regions in North America with a flourishing mix of unique history and culture.”

Pending passage of Congressman Cuellar’s bill, the National Park Service would commission a study to determine if Los Caminos del Rio, also known as “the roads of the river,” should be designated as a National Heritage Area. All heritage areas are designated by Congress; notable ones include Niagara Falls, Arizona’s Yuma Crossing and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bearing the designation helps local regions create long-term innovative partnerships with the National Park Service to gain more exposure for their communities.

“Los Caminos Del Rio is an important environmental and cultural development opportunity that benefits all of deep South Texas,” said Texas Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, a co-sponsor of the bill. “Communities up and down the Texas border will benefit from the increased tourism and recreational opportunities that can result from this new designation.”

“I am proud to support legislation that would designate the Los Caminos Del Rio region as a National Heritage Area along the Rio Grande and the U.S.-Mexico border,” said Texas Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz. “The stretch it covers is diverse, just as its people, and deserving of such recognition.”

Stretching for 200 miles between the cities of Laredo/Nuevo Laredo and Brownsville/Matamoros, the area known as Los Caminos del Rio encompasses a rich cultural history for both the United States and Mexico.

“The river plays an important role in unifying the region’s inhabitants, linking and unifying communities on both sides of the border for more than 250 years,” said Daniel Wenk, Acting Director of the U.S. National Park Service.

The National Heritage Corridor would stretch along the border from just north of Laredo southeast to Brownsville. It includes the environmentally significant region known as the “Tampaulipan brushland” which boasts one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the United States. The corridor showcases the legacies of early colonial Spanish settlements, military conflicts, trade and agriculture, depicting a story of regional and national importance. If Congress approves H.R. 2167, the National Park Service would commission a study of the region within three years of the bill’s passage to determine the feasibility of designating the region as an official National Heritage Area.