McAllen history dates back centuries, when Aztec Indians traveled here to collect peyote for their rituals, and 1519, when Alonzo de Pineda discovered the Rio Grande, making it the second place in the U.S. visited by Europeans since Columbus’ 1492 discovery of America.
The town, located on a Spanish land grant, got its name from a Scotsman named John McAllen. He married an heir to the land grant and kept adding land to the ranch. A gifted entrepreneur, McAllen and his son faithfully developed the town to meet the needs of its citizens.
