Page 32 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2026-2027 Villa de Cortez Those who love visiting old buildings and experiencing the past should call to arrange for a tour of the Villa de Cortez. Built in 1928, the building now includes a restored ballroom, which can be rented for group events. The facility features the old hotel lobby, a vintage shop, a barbershop, and a children’s bookstore. There is also Jose’s Cafecito Mexican Restaurant. The vendors would appreciate your visit, however, the 3rd and 4th floors are business offices, and visitors may enter only when on a tour. Villa de Cortez is located on the corner of Business 83 and Texas Blvd. in Weslaco. For information on the building, or to book an event or tour, please call (956) 969-3100. Weslaco Museum The Weslaco Museum, located in historic downtown, displays art and/or historical artifacts on a monthly to bi-monthly schedule in its front gallery. Historical artifacts from the early years of Weslaco and the surrounding Rio Grande Valley areas are on permanent exhibit in the static portion of the museum. The historical exhibits feature information about the history of the families who settled in Weslaco and the Rio Grande Valley. There is an extensive collection of artifacts from early businesses and tools used by homesteaders in the area. Notable items include a 1904 cannonball safe used in Weslaco’s first bank and an oxen cart used to haul salt from La Sal del Rey. Other areas of the museum include a dedication to the Texsun Juice plant and the troqueros and laborers that helped to grow the area. The museum also pays tribute to many local veterans, such as Harlon Block. Block’s family moved to Weslaco when he was in elementary school, and he graduated from Weslaco High School in 1943. Block was immortalized in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photo taken by war correspondent Joe Rosenthal of the flag raising on the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima during World War II. Block was one of six who raised the American flag; he is the man crouched to place the flag and is depicted at the Iwo Jima statues in Harlingen, TX and Arlington, VA. The Weslaco Museum, located at 500 S. Texas Blvd., is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information and a list of upcoming events contact the museum at (956) 968-9142, visit http://www.weslacomuseum.org/, or follow on Facebook and Instagram. Weslaco Visitors Center Visit Weslaco! Stop by the Weslaco Visitors Center for information on where to shop, eat, and stay in Weslaco! During your visit you are invited to sit, relax, and watch one of the historical films, from local sugar cane production in the RGV to historical ranches of South Texas. The Center is located at 275 S. Kansas Ave., Suite B. Call (956) 968-2102 for more information. Delta Lake Park Hidalgo County Commissioner David L. Fuentes invites the community to experience the beauty and tranquility of Delta Lake Park, a hidden gem in eastern Hidalgo County. Nestled along the scenic lakeshore, Delta Lake Park offers a welcoming space for fami-
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