LATINOPIA GUEST BLOG GILBERTO QUEZADA 06.07.25 SPANISH LEGACY OF TEXAS RIVERS

The Spanish Legacy in Naming the Texas Rivers

If you have traveled throughout the state of Texas, and especially along the IH 35 corridor from Laredo to Dallas-Fort Worth, more than likely you crossed several rivers that have Spanish names.  Have you ever wondered how or why the river was named and by whom?

The naming of the Texas rivers by the Spanish explorers remains a visible reminder of the Spanish influence in Spain’s vast New World empire.  Throughout the state of Texas, manifestations of this occurrence remain strikingly noticeable.  One can travel across the state and note the Spanish historical heritage.  These rivers are a testament to the Spanish origins and a contribution to the place name geography of Texas.

I was born in the Barrio El Azteca in Laredo, about six blocks from the Río Grande, and I never knew why and by whom it was named.  And, when we lived at 801 Zaragoza Street, from our small backyard, which was located on a very high cliff overlooking the Río Grande, we had a splendid view of this majestic and awesome river.  Every time Jo Emma and I travel from San Antonio to Laredo by way of IH 35 and also when we travel to Austin, we crossed several rivers that have Spanish names.  And when I was working in the South San Antonio ISD, other administrators and I traveled by car from San Antonio to Dallas to attend a conference and I recall crossing some rivers that also had Spanish names.

So, you are welcome to join me on this journey, and hopefully at the end of the tour, you and I will know a little bit more more.  We will start our trip from my hometown and travel north on IH 35.

 

1. Río Grande–Spanish explorer Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca crossed this river between Brownsville and Laredo in 1535 or 1536 and was amazed at its size.  Another Spanish explorer, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, crossed it in 1540.  And, in 1598, Spanish explorer Don Juan de Oñate named it Río Grande because of its enormous size when he crossed it near El Paso.
2. Nueces River–Just before you get to the town of Cotulla is the Nueces River.  In the 1530s, Spanish explorer Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca had referred to this river as “el Río de las Nueces (meaning pecans), probably because of the abundance of pecan trees that were along the river banks, and later another Spanish explorer and governor of Coahuila, Alonso de León, also gave it the same name in 1689.
   

   The Frio River, which in English translates as the Cold River.

3. Frio River–As we continue traveling on IH 35 north, and we pass the town of Dilley and before we get to Pearsall is the Frio River, which in English translates as the Cold River.  In my research, I could not find the Spanish explorer who named this river.
4. Atascosa River–This river is located just before coming to the town of Lytle.  I could not find the Spanish explorer who named this river, but more than likely the name comes from the Spanish word, “atascar” or to be stuck in a deep muddy place.
5. Medina River–Once you pass the town of Von Ormy, this river is located just to the north, in southwestern Bexar County.  In 1689, the Spanish explorer, Alonso de León, named it in honor of Pedro Medina, an eminent engineer from Spain.
6. San Antonio River–The Spanish explorer, Domingo Terán de los Rios, named the river in honor of San Antonio de Padua on June 13, 1691.  He was leading an expedition with Father Damián Massanet and were on their way to the East Texas missions.  The river rises in the San Pedro Springs just north of downtown San Antonio and empties into the Guadalupe River after flowing 180 miles southeast through Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad Counties and then forms the county line between Victoria and Refugio Counties.
7. Guadalupe River–After crossing the city of San Antonio and continuing on IH 35, this river is located just north of the town of New Braunfels in Comal County.  In 1689, Spanish explorer, Alonso de León, named this river in honor of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (Our Lady of Guadalupe).
8. San Marcos River–This river rises in the town of San Marcos at the Aquarena Springs.  Members of the Alonso de León expedition named the river San Marcos in 1689.  The name of San Marcos was also applied to this river by Fray Isidro Félix de Espinosa and Fray Antonio de San Buenaventura Olivares in 1709.
9. Blanco River–Just north of the town of San Marcos, the Blanco River joins the San Marcos River four miles downstream from the Aquarena Springs.  In 1721, it was named by members of the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo expedition for the white limestone along the banks of the river and in the riverbed.
10. Colorado River–As we continue on IH 35, this river is located south of Austin.  Even though the name is Spanish for “red” or “reddish,” the river has always been clear according to the earliest records.  So, the name is a misnomer.  Nonetheless, the Spanish explorer, Alonso de León, first applied it in 1690.
11. Brazos River–This river is located north of Waco and is considered the longest river in Texas.  In the 1540s, Spanish explorer, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and his expedition were exploring the Llano Estacado area and were about to perish for lack of water when they came across this river which he named “Brazos de Dios.”

Now, this concludes our trip from Laredo to the Dallas-Fort Worth areas along IH 35 and there are eleven rivers that have a rich and interesting Spanish heritage.  And, the following rivers do not cross the IH 35 corridor, but nonetheless, they also have an engaging and valuable Spanish history.

12. Comal River–This river is about 2.5 miles long and is thereby considered the shortest river in Texas.  It originates in the northwestern part of New Braunfels in Comal County.  The Spanish “comal” signifies a flat dish and was meant to describe the landscape along the riverbed.  Credit for naming the river is given to Pedro de Rivera y Villalón, a Spanish explorers who discovered it.
13. León River–This river is located in northcentral Texas and close to Fort Worth in Eastland County.  Members of the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo expedition named it “león,” a lion in English, maybe because when they came upon it, the river was roaring like a lion and cresting due to flooding.
14. Trinity River–This river is located just south of Dallas.  In 1690, the Spanish explorer, Alonso de León, named the river, “La Santísima Trinidad,” meaning the Most Holy Trinity.
15. Neches River–This river is located in East Texas in Van Zandt County.  In 1689. the Spanish explorer, Alonso de León, named the river in honor of the Neches Indians who lived in villages along its banks.
16. Sabine River–This river is located in East Texas and north of the town of Greenville, the county seat of Hunt County.  In 1716, the Spanish explorer, Domingo Ramón, named the river, “Río de Sabinas,” probably because of the many cypress trees that were in the vicinity.
17. Lavaca River–This river is located in the southeastern part of Texas and rises in the northwestern corner of Gonzales County.  In the 1680s, the French explorer, René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, named it “Riviére de Les Veches,” or “Cow River,” because of the abundance of buffalo.  When the Spanish explorers came upon the river, they translated the name to “la vaca.”
    

    Pecos River– This river is a major tributary of the Río Grande in West Texas.

18. San Jacinto River–This river is located in Harris County and north of Houston.  According to historical accounts, the Spanish explorers came upon the area that was full of jacintes, Spanish for hyacinths, during the years from 1751 to 1772.  And, credit is given to Captain Joaquín Orobio y Basterra, commandant of the Spanish garrison at La Bahía who explored the area for the governor of the Province of Texas in 1746.
19. Angelina River–This river is located in East Texas in Rusk County.  The Spanish missionaries named the river, “Angelina,” (Little Angel) for an Hasinai Indian girl who had converted to Christianity during the 1700s.
20. Sabinal River–This river is located in the northwestern part of Bandera County and joins the Frio River in the southeastern corner of Uvalde County.  It was also named by Spanish explorers for the abundance of Cypress trees along the banks of the river.  The river was originally called, “el Arroyo de la Soledad,” (Creek of Solitude).  On early Spanish maps, their is a trail that follows the river and is listed as the Comanche Trail because it was well-known among the Indians.  Now, most of the river flows through the Edwards Underground Water District.
21. Bosque River–This river is located in central Texas in McLennan County and close to Waco.  In 1719, the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo named it for the abundance of woods or woody lands along the river.
22. Concho River–This river is located in the San Angelo area in northcentral Texas.  The river was discovered by two Spanish explorers–Hernán Martín and Diego del Castillo in 1650.  Historians believe that the river was named “concho” for the plentiful amount of mussel shells (conchas) found in the riverbed.
    

    The San Antonio River.

23. Pecos River— This river is a major tributary of the Río Grande in West Texas.  The Spanish explorer, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, named the river when he crossed it in 1541 for the Pecos Pueblo Indians who were living in the area.
24. Devil’s River–Even though the river has an Anglo name, in 1590, Spanish explorer Gaspar Castaño named it Laxas, meaning not strong or slow-moving and it runs from Sutton County to its mouth on the northeastern shore of Amistad Reservoir in southern Val Verde County.  Other Spanish explorers called the river the San Pedro River.  It was not until the 1840s, that John Coffee (Jack) Hays, a captain with the Texas Rangers, called it the Devil’s River.
25. Red River–The following Spanish explorers called it the Río Rojo because of the large quantities of red soil during flooding periods, from 1541 with the Coronado expedition, to 1542 with the Moscoso expedition, and in 1690 with the Domingo Terán de los Ríos expedition.  The Red River played a very important and critical role in the history of East Texas.  It is the second longest river in Texas, only next to the Río Grande.
26. Llano River–Spanish explorers Domingo Ramón in 1711 and Pedro de Rábago y Terán in 1754, and José Mares in 1787 and 1788 called the river Río de los Chanes or Río de los Sanas after the Sana Indians.  In the 1800s, the name Llano, meaning plain, became the new name.  The Llano River is fed by two branches, the North and South Llano Rivers.  The North Llano River rises in west central Sutton County and runs for about forty miles to meet with the South Llano River which rises in northwestern Edwards County.  The Llano River flows east for about 100 miles to its mouth on the Colorado River.
    

    The Guadalupe River.

27. San Sabá River–Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, Governor of Spanish Texas led a military expedition west of the Colorado River in 1732 and discovered a river and named it Río de San Sabá de las Nueces in honor of St. Sabbás, a sixth-century monk.  The San Sabá River begins at the eastern edge of Schleicher County and flows through several counties before reaching its mouth on the Colorado River at the southern edge of San Sabá County.
28. Navasota River–During the Spanish period, the river was known by many names, beginning with Spanish explorer Domingo Terán de los Ríos who named it San Cypriano.  Both Fray Isidro Félix de Espinosa and the Marqués de Aguayo called the river San Buenaventura.  In 1727, Pedro de Rivera y Villalón named the river Navasota River, which rises northeast of Mount Calm in southeastern Hill County and flows through several counties before reaching its mouth on the Brazos River.

Well, this is the end of the journey across Texas, and I hope you have enjoyed reading about the Spanish named rivers as much as I have enjoyed putting this essay together.  Thus, the Spanish legacy of the naming of the rivers is a continuity with the Hispanic past.

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Copyright 2025 by J. Gilberto Quezada. Photos of Guadalupe River, San Antonio River and Rio Frio copyrighted by Ricardo Romo and used with his permission. All other photos of rivers in this blog are in the public domain.