This research guide provides information on the Texas Citrus Fruit Growers' Exchange. The purpose of this research guide is to offer students access to primary and secondary source materials found within the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley library as well as external resources.
John H. Shary is known as the "Father of the Texas Citrus Industry." While he managed his Sharyland own citrus crops, he also envisioned a better future for all citrus growers in the Rio Grande Valley.
Shary was inspired by the California marketing associations, and in 1923, he organized the Texas Citrus Growers Exchange (TCGE). The goal was to create a sales organization that would bring satisfactory returns to the growers. The exchange would gather, grade, pack, and ship fruits at cost, provide expert advice from other growers, and reduce overhead costs. The TCGE started with three packing plants in Mission, Mercedes, and Sharyland. These plants handled fruit for 114 members. Within 10 years they had grown to seven plants and 530 members.
The success of the TCGE inspired others to follow suit, with the creation of the Rio Grande Valley Citrus Grower's Association in 1925 and the Rio Grande Valley Citrus Exchange in 1931. These associations helped grow the Texas citrus industry into what is now the third largest in the nation.
Photograph of valley-wide Citrus Growers Exchange meeting at Mercedes
Photograph by Nat Dickey, "Views of the Lower Rio Grande Valley." Black and white, sepia tone photograph of the TexaSweet Texas Citrus Fruit Growers Exchange building.
Black and white photograph. Val Verde Plants of Texas Citrus Fruit Growers Exchange and Shary Products Company. The plants were located in Val Verde, between what is now know as Alamo and Donna, TX.
Black and white photograph. Interior of Sharyland Packing Plant. John Shary is pictured on right. Five other men are also pictured. A crate of grapefruit is pictured in center.
The collection consists of business and personal files from John H. Shary, the largest collection of which is the United Irrigation Company series. The collection primarily contains business files, correspondence, internal memos, legal proceedings, maps, blueprints, and newspaper and magazine clippings.
File contains Texas Citrus Fruit Growers Exchange draft of 1924-1925 annual report, TexaSweet Texas Citrus Fruit Growers Exchange letterhead, and two Texas Citrus Fruit Growers Exchange "Carrying on" cards.
Miscellaneous collection of promotional literature primarily from 1910-1940, pertaining to the Rio Grande Valley.
Fliers: Inexpensively produced single sheet announcements or advertisements for distribution among the general public. Leaflets: Unbound volumes with fewer than five pages. Pamphlets: Published non-periodical volumes with no cover or with a paper cover. Usually 5 to 49 pages. Postcards: Cards on which a message may be written or printed for mailing without an envelope; often include a pictorial, comic, or other scene on one side. Sheet music: short musical compositions or a "short score" usually 1 to 10 pages. Viewbooks: Published booklets and other volumes primarily consisting of views of particular places, events, and activities. May be photographs, photomechanical prints, or postcards; may be connected by accordion folds.
The Miscellaneous Photograph Collection in Edinburg is comprised of photographic prints and negatives on a variety of topics. Photographs have been acquired over many years mainly from community donors. Dates include 1850s—2000s.
The John H. Shary Collection contains the papers from John H. Shary (1872-1945), the founder of Sharyland and Father of the Texas Citrus Industry. Shary was a prominent land developer and was president of the United Irrigation Company in the Mission / Sharyland area. The digital images from the Shary Collection include letters, speeches, and photographs.
In Rio Grande Valley Paradise : Sharyland : where nature produces the world's sweetest citrus fruit: Hand-colored promotional booklet highlighting the Southwestern Land Company in Mission, Texas.
Kelly Francis-Love has a Master of Library and Information Science from Kent State University. She previously worked as the archivist at the Museum of South Texas History and is the curator at the McAllen Heritage Center. Ms. Francis-Love worked as a temporary, part-time archivist with Special Collections & Archives during the Summer 2024 sessions. During this time she researched the Texas Citrus Growers Exchange among other small projects.
The research guides compiled by UTRGV staff and students are intended to assist patrons who are embarking upon new research endeavors. Our goal is to expand their knowledge of the types of resources available on a given topic, including books, archival materials, and websites. In so doing, our compilers have taken care to include collections, digital items, and resources that may be accessed not only through UTRGV but also via other institutions, repositories, and websites.
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