Robstown, Texas
City in the United States in Nueces County
About Robstown
Robstown is a city in Nueces County, Texas, of the United States of America, and is a western suburb of Corpus Christi. It was founded in 1907 by a land speculator from Keota, Iowa by the name of George H. Paul. Paul purchased 10,410.43 acres of the Driscoll Ranch located north of the Texas-Mexican Railway built in 1875. Around the same period, Robert Driscoll Jr. opened a small shop known locally as "Robs Store". The residents soon started referring to the surrounding settlement as "Rob's town", a name that eventually became Robstown. The population was 10,383 as of July 1, 2024.
Robstown has its own city government with the current Mayor, Mary Ann Y. Saenz as of March 18, 2026. There are six council member seats with the current members being John A. Ramon, Council Member Place #1; Victor Moreno, Council Member Place #2; Rene Paredez, Council Member Place #3; Adolfo Lopez, Council Member Place #4; J.C. Carrion, Council Member Place #5; and Lorraine Morales, Council Member #6.
The Texas State Legislature recognizes Robstown as the birthplace of Texas hold 'em poker. Texas hold'em was birthed in the early 1900s, but did not become widely known until 1967 when it was launched in Las Vegas, Nevada. Robstown is also known for its long-standing mascot, the "Cotton Pickers" used by the Robstown Independent school district. The Cotton Picker mascot reflects the city's agricultural heritage, as many families in the city of Robstown worked in the cotton industry. Prior to the cotton industry there were mesquite trees that needed to be cleared in order to grow cotton. The first plow invented to clear the land for agricultural use was the Mrazek Plow” in 1908 by Tom Mrazek.
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How Robstown is governed
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Residents of Robstown
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Population over time
From 11,487 in 2010 to 10,143 in 2020 (−11.7%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 10,143 |
| 2010 | 11,487 |
History
The area that would become Robstown was likely in the range of several different, nearby Native American tribes that were active in the Texas Gulf Coast. This would have included Karankawa, the Lipan-Apache, Tonkawa, and Coahuiltecan peoples. It is not known if the exact area of Robstown was inhabited by Indigenous people.
Robstown was sparsely inhabited until the early 1800s, when rancheros had arrived with cattle. These ranchers soon petitioned the King of Spain for land grants in the Nueces area, and a grant was issued to Vincente Lopez de Herrera. The area included in this grant was occasionally named Barraco Blanco or El Rancho de Diesmos Herrera, which was then shortened to Diesmero. Land ownership changed hands several times and was used entirely for pasture. The construction of the Texas-Mexican Railway would aid in the land's development, as farmers and ranchers moved to the area. One of these ranchers was Robert Driscoll, a former Confederate colonel who would eventually give his land, much of which was the present area of Robstown, to his son Robert Driscoll, Jr. Historian Kalani Banks describes how this sale would give Robstown its name:On December 11, 1906, Robert Driscoll, Jr. was granted power-of-attorney for handling the sale of land at the intersection of the railroads at Robstown. [...] Local tradition is that someone asked Col. Driscoll what to call the land, and he said, "Call it Rob's town. He's in charge now."Primarily, the town's industry would remain focused around agriculture and railroad work. Simon Peña, a railroad worker, would be the first to establish a permanent residence in the newly formed Robstown. The need for agricultural labor brought many settlers of Mexican descent.
As Mexican-Americans enrolled in predominantly Anglo-American schools, non-white students began to face discrimination. A Texas law in the 1930s required compulsory school attendance for children ages 8-14, but this law was not enforced well for Mexican children. On April 5, 1972, a walkout was organized by 150-350 students, who felt that the schools were perpetuating discriminatory practices. Student leaders met with Robstown High School principal Hoyt Chapman. Student demands included an end to verbal and physical abuse, for the library to be open after school, new textbooks, an end to grade deductions for students who had not received vaccinations, and for the introduction of a Chicano studies program. A refusal from the principal to meet demands led to a second walkout on April 11, 1972.
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