Main Street History, Part 3

This week, I'll wrap up my walk along Main Street and look at the last two Historical Markers that I found. As you travel south on Main, you come to our next destination. McAllen City Hall (1300 Austin). While the City Hall itself isn't historic, the plot of land it sits on is. According to the Historical Marker, (erected in 1996) in front of the building, this was the site of the original McAllen Municipal Hospital. The hospital was erected on S. Broadway in 1925 and had a capacity of 25 beds. In 1928, another hospital was built on this site and the two structures were connected by a covered passageway. As the area's population grew, so did the hospital, with additions being made in 1954, 1960, 1967 and 1973. I remember applying for a job at the hospital when I first moved to the Valley in 1978, and my dad was admitted there for a very nasty kidney stone. In the 1980's, a medical complex began to develop along expressway 83 at 2nd St. In 1992, the decision was made to raze the old hospital building to make room for a new City Hall. Demolition was complete in May 1993 and on Oct 29, 1995, the new City Hall opened for business. Although the building no longer exists, one only need to look down Ridge Rd. to see that the legacy lives on.
Continue south on Main, cross W. Jackson and you'll find the location of the final marker. Roselawn Cemetery (1201 S. Main). The marker, erected in 2007, is located in front of the cemetery office at the south end of the property. This burial ground was established in 1908 on land donated by the Hidalgo Canal Company. The oldest marked grave dates back to 1909. Prior to 1930, the cemetery was known as McAllen Cemetery and Valhalla Cemetery. Roselawn Cemetery became the official name in 1930 to reflect the planting of rose bushes as part of a beautification project. And I must admit, Roselawn does have a more tranquil ring to it. Today, Roselawn encompasses 22 acres and continues to serve as a reminder of McAllen's past.
So, the next time you find yourself on the south side of town, check out these sites. I know wandering through a cemetery might not appeal to everyone, but the shade, in this heat, really was enjoyable.
Well, that's the history along Main St. I'm not sure where I'm off to next, but check back as I find more historical markers around McAllen.