2 ▁miles ▁west ▁of ▁San ▁Antonio . ▁Loc ated ▁within ▁six ▁miles ▁of ▁its ▁names ake ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande , ▁Del ▁Rio ▁is ▁connected ▁to ▁Ciudad ▁A cu ña ▁by ▁the ▁Lake ▁Am ist ad ▁Dam ▁International ▁Cross ing ▁and ▁Del ▁Río ▁– ▁Ciudad ▁A cu ña ▁International ▁Bridge . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Del ▁Rio ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 3 5 , 5 9 1 . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁home ▁to ▁L augh lin ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base , ▁the ▁bus iest ▁pilot - training ▁base ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Spanish ▁established ▁a ▁small ▁settlement ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁in ▁present - day ▁Mexico , ▁and ▁some ▁Sp ani ards ▁settled ▁on ▁what ▁became ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁Pa ula ▁Los o ya ▁Taylor ▁built ▁the ▁first ▁ha ci enda ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁U . S . ▁development ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁shore ▁of ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁did ▁not ▁begin ▁until ▁after ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁The ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁Spr ings , ▁about ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁on ▁the ▁U . S . ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁border , ▁produces ▁ ▁of ▁water ▁a ▁day . ▁Develop ers ▁acquired ▁several ▁thousand ▁acres ▁of ▁land ▁adjacent ▁to ▁the ▁spr ings , ▁and ▁to ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁Creek ▁formed ▁by ▁the ▁spr ings , ▁from ▁the ▁state