Ciudad Ocampo is a located in Ocampo Municipality in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Founded on May 19, 1749 as Villa of Santa Bárbara, the town later became known as Ocampo in 1869. The credit for the founding of Santa Barbara is given to Don José Escandón y Helguera. It is at the southern border of the state. It lies among the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains. Surrounded by green mountains and hundreds of farms, it is known as "El Vergel de Tamaulipas", the Orchard of Tamaulipas. The name 'Ocampo' is named so in the honor of the illustrious reformist Melchor Ocampo.