McAllen is an all American city on the border. Mission Dedicated to consistently providing high quality services and quality of life to all who live, work and visit the City of McAllen. Description Although travelers had passed through and explored South Texas, it wasn't until the 1740's that established settlement began to dot the landscape, mostly on the south side of the Rio Grande. It wasn't until the early 1850's, when John McAllen arrived in the Rio Grande Valley, did development begin to come together where McAllen is today. John McAllen and others established a town site in 1904 kno...