jewel of the valley

La Joya (The "Jewel") is a community that has a rich and fascinating history. The name was captured from a natural lake just west of the city, and was named by the early settlers of this area. This lake stored valuable water for the early settlers for domestic use, crops and their cattle.

The city’s name was derived from a small natural lake just west of the city; the lake was said by the early settlers to shine in the sun like a jewel. The site on which La Joya was founded was part of what was known as Los Ejidos de Reynosa Viejo. The ejidos were the shared grazing lands used for the livestock of the settlers of Reynosa Viejo. These settlers had been brought in on March 14, 1749, by Jose de Escandon to form this settlement. To this day, many La Joya residents can trace their ancestry to the Escandon settlers.