MEXICO, N.Y. -- If you ever wanted to visit Mexico, you can do so without having to use your passport. Just follow Route 104 through Oswego County to Mexico New York, a town with plenty of history having been in the state for more than 200 years.

"This was a big part of the underground railroad. We can identify at least ten houses and that's one of the largest number that you can prove were part of the Underground Railroad,” said Bonnie Shumway, Mexico Historian.

Just like the country itself, Texas is right nearby. First settled as Vera Cruz, the town is a hamlet of Mexico. Even though it may be small, the area is probably best known for two things, salmon fishing and the gravestone of Revolutionary War hero Silas Towne.

"Silas Towne was camping on Spy Island when the British sailing ship came into the port and he overheard them talking about making an inland attack on Port Stanwick,” said Betty Green, Town of Mexico Deputy Supervisor.

Mexico is known as the mother of towns because when it was originally settled the area stretched all the way through Onondaga and Cortland County. While the nickname of the town is known, the reason why it is called Mexico is not.

"That’s kind of a well-known unknown fact. We have no idea. I have no idea where Mexico got its name, nor where Texas, I really have no idea,” said Green.

"They weren't people from Mexico or anything that came here, only just a name politicians heard and liked,” said Shumway.

The Town of Mexico was part of a large portion of land purchased by George Scriba more than 200 years ago.

Towns were numbered from one to 24, and Mexico was given the number 20, and if you visit the area you won't find any tex-mex restaurants, but you will find it very easy to get to.

"We don't have to go through customs; we can go in and out,” said Shumway.