It lies on the banks of the Rio Grande / Río Bravo, near the US–Mexico border, opposite to Falcon Heights, Texas.
Ciudad Guerrero was founded in 1750, as Villa del Señor San Ignacio de Loyola de Revilla but later was named after the second President of Mexico Vicente Guerrero.
The city served for a short time as the capital of the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840.
The original Church 26°46′40″N 99°20′21″W / 26.7777°N 99.3391°W / 26.7777; -99.3391 is partially above water and may still be viewable on the Salado Arm of the lake or approached on land when the water level in the lake is low.
As of 2010, the area was reported to have become dangerous to visit because of the presence of rival drug cartels.