Edinburg adds historical Mayoral Wall to city hall

The city of Edinburg unveiled its Wall of Mayors Monday evening to commemorate the leadership the city has seen for the past 100 years.

“This gallery wall installation is a testament to our rich history and dedication to all those of service,” said Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr. “We pay tribute to every mayor that has served since 1920. Their leadership [and] their vision have played a vital role in shaping what the city is today.”

Former mayors Richard Molina (2017-2021), Richard Garcia (2003-2006, 2009-2017), Joe Ochoa (1993-2003), and Richard Alamia (1988 – 1992) reunited with Garza inside the chambers before the presentation.

Twenty-one mayoral portraits unveiled to generations of mayoral family adorned the right wall of the Edinburg City Hall Chambers, held notable members such as the first and only female mayor, Margaret R. Brown (1939), and first Hispanic mayor Alfonso R. Ramirez (1963-1967).

The idea came to Mayor Garza when realizing that most Rio Grande Valley cities honored former leaders by hanging their portraits in the city chambers.

“We thought we’d do the same. There’s a lot of history here in our city,” said Garza. “Staff started doing the research and finding all the information of the former mayors. Then we had the challenge of finding the photos of the former mayors.”

He continued.

“It’s important that we recognize the leadership. We

here today because of their leadership,” Garza said.

The first mayor, A.Y. Baker, had his great-great-granddaughter, Courtney Villarreal, tuning in to the event live from Houston, Texas.

Unable to attend, Villarreal sent her cousin, Andy Roberts, to deliver a heartfelt message to the city her great-great-grandfather led.

“We, the Baker-Roberts family, are so grateful for this beautiful tribute to Edinburg and our rich history of leaders,” said Roberts. “This tribute serves as a great reminder to us all of where we come from and where we are going. While Edinburg holds over a century of rich history, we can see an all-bright future for the All-America City.”

Richard Garcia, the first Hispanic municipal judge in Edinburg, who served as mayor for two terms, attended the event and spoke before a full city hall.

“I remember our first Hispanic Mayor here in the city of Edinburg encouraged me to run for Municipal Judge,” he said. “That was a rough go for my family because he [Mayor Alfonso Ramirez] ran against a wonderful fellow named Ed Hendrichson.”

He continued, recognizing both of Hendrichson’s sons in the crowd that evening.

“He served our country, not just our city,” said Garcia. “He served and was a prisoner of war in Germany in World War II and came back home to continue to serve as Mayor.”

Richard Molina emphasized the connections within the room, painting how much the city has grown in the last 36 years.

“When Richard Garcia ran, my family supported him when he ran for judge. Richard Alamia was my dad’s attorney. Our pharmacist was Joe Ochoa, and my fifth-grade teacher, Miss De La Viña, her husband was the mayor,” he said. “There’s so many connections to people here in this room today, and it’s about community.”

The Mayoral Wall now sits proudly on the city hall chamber walls, with a blank space next to Molina when Mayor Garza finishes or continues his mayoral run.