A Guide to the Crystal City Collection, 1977, 1982, undated

Biographical/Historical Note

The county seat of Zavala County, Texas, Crystal City was established in the early 1900s. A major producer of winter vegetables, Crystal City became known as the “Spinach Capital of the World,” and held its first annual spinach festival in 1936. The following year, a statue of Popeye, the cartoon character, was erected. By the 1930s, the vast majority of residents were migrant agricultural workers of Mexican descent. The town housed a Japanese internment camp during World War II, and after the war, the Del Monte Corporation built a number of can manufacturing plants north of the town. In the 1960s, the majority Mexican-American population in Crystal City fought for political control of city management and the school board in what was known as the “Crystal City Revolts.”

Scope and Contents

Essays and a pamphlet comprise the Crystal City Collection, 1977, 1982, undated, documenting the history and society of Crystal City, Texas. A pamphlet (1982) celebrates the 75th anniversary of the city. Essays by June Broadhurst, Ben Jackson, and Miguel A. Delgado shed light on the culture and social fabric of the Crystal City community, including the early lives of settlers and the spinach festival.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Crystal City Collection, 1977, 1982, undated, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Evan Usler, April 2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers