Ciudad Victoria

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Ciudad Victoria (also known simply as Victoria ) is the capital city of the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is located in the west-central part of the state, at 23°44′N 99°08′W. It is the municipal seat of the surrounding Victoria municipality, which covers an area of 1,638 km² (632.4 sq mi) . At the census of 2005 the population of the city was 278,455 people, and that of Victoria municipality was 293,044. The city and the municipality both rank fifth in the state in population, behind Reynosa, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, and Tampico.

Ciudad Victoria was founded on October 6, 1750 with the name Villa de Santa María de Aguayo by José de Escandón y Helguera. On April 20, 1825, the town was elevated to the status of city, and was given its current name in honor of the first president of Mexico, Guadalupe Victoria. Toward the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the city began undergoing a number of modernizing changes. In 1890, a railroad was completed that passed through Ciudad Victoria on its route between Monterrey and Tampico. Several major highways were also completed during the 20th century, pushing Ciudad Victoria toward national importance.

A number of important monuments and structures were built around the turn of the 20th century, including a bronze bust of Benito Juárez on July 18, 1897, the Juárez Theater in 1899, and on September 15, 1910, the monument to the heroes of the independence of Mexico. In 1896, the first children's garden/playground (kindergarten) in Latin America was established in the city by Estefanía Castañeda Núñez de Cáceres. Also during that time, the first telegraph lines and electric wires were installed. In 1923, the first water lines were installed.