▁of ▁Texas ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁building ▁a ▁canal ▁system ▁to ▁ir rig ate ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁developers ▁sold ▁tract s ▁of ▁land ▁surrounding ▁the ▁can als ▁to ▁recover ▁their ▁invest ment ▁and ▁show ▁a ▁profit . ▁The ▁initial ▁invest ors ▁( Will iam ▁C . ▁Adams , ▁John ▁P . ▁Gro ve , ▁Donald ▁Jackson , ▁John ▁Perry , ▁Joseph ▁N ey , ▁Rand olph ▁Pa ff ord , ▁A . ▁O . ▁Str ick land , ▁and ▁James ▁H ▁Taylor ) ▁formed ▁the ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁Agricult ural , ▁Man ufact uring , ▁and ▁Ir rig ation ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁The ▁organization ▁completed ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁network ▁of ▁ir rig ation ▁can als ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁Res idents ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁slowly ▁developing ▁town ▁as ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁Del ▁Rio ▁because ▁local ▁l ore ▁said ▁the ▁name ▁came ▁from ▁early ▁Spanish ▁expl or ers ▁who ▁offered ▁a ▁mass ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁on ▁St . ▁Philip ' s ▁Day , ▁ 1 6 3 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 3 , ▁local ▁residents ▁requested ▁a ▁post ▁office ▁be ▁established . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Post al ▁Department ▁short ened ▁" San ▁F eli pe ▁del ▁Rio " ▁to ▁" Del ▁Rio " ▁to ▁avoid ▁confusion ▁with ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁de ▁Austin . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁Val ▁Ver de ▁County ▁was ▁organized ▁and ▁Del ▁Rio ▁became ▁the ▁county ▁seat . ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁Del ▁Rio