Bandera County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Bandera County, formed in 1856 from Bexar
and Uvalde
counties, is a county located on the Edwards Plateau
in the U.S. state
of Texas
. As of 2000, the population is 17,645. Its county seat
is Bandera
. Bandera is named for the Spanish word for flag
. (See List of Texas county name etymologies.)
Bandera County is part of the San Antonio
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
, the county has a total area of 798 square miles (2,066.8 km²), of which 792 square miles (2,051.3 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (0.73%) is water.
of 2000, there were 17,645 people, 7,010 households, and 5,061 families residing in the county. The population density
was 22 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,503 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.02% White
, 0.33% Black
or African American
, 0.90% Native American
, 0.28% Asian
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
, 2.55% from other races
, and 1.86% from two or more races. 13.51% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 7,010 households out of which 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples
living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,013, and the median income for a family was $45,906. Males had a median income of $31,733 versus $24,451 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,635. About 7.70% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
Bexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
and Uvalde
Uvalde County, Texas
Uvalde County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 25,926. Its county seat is Uvalde. The county is named for Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish governor of Coahuila. Uvalde County was founded by Reading Wood Black who also founded the city of Uvalde,...
counties, is a county located on the Edwards Plateau
Edwards Plateau
The Edwards Plateau is a region of west-central Texas which is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east, the Llano Uplift and the Llano Estacado to the north, and the Pecos River and Chihuahuan Desert to the west. San Angelo, Austin, San Antonio and Del Rio roughly outline the area...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. As of 2000, the population is 17,645. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Bandera
Bandera, Texas
Bandera is the county seat of Bandera County, Texas, United States,in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. The population was 957 at the 2000 census, and according to a 2009 estimate, the population had jumped up to 1,216 people...
. Bandera is named for the Spanish word for flag
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
. (See List of Texas county name etymologies.)
Bandera County is part of the San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History Timeline
- 8000 b.c. Early native American inhabitants include ComancheComancheThe Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
and Lipan Apache. - 1841-1843 (exact date uncertain) – Battle of Bandera PassBattle of Bandera PassThe Battle of Bandera Pass in 1841 marked the turning point of the Texas-Indian Wars. Though they would continue another 34 years, the tide began to turn at Bandera Pass.-Location:...
, John Coffee HaysJohn Coffee HaysCol. John Coffee "Jack" Hays was a Texas Ranger captain and military officer of the Republic of Texas. Hays served in several armed conflicts, including the Indian and the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
and a troup of Texas Rangers defeat a large party of Comanches at Bandera Pass. - 1853 John James and Charles S. DeMontel survey and plat the town of Bandera. A. M. Milstead, Thomas Odem, P. D. Saner, and their families camp along the river and begin making cypress shingles. James, Montel and Company build a horse-powered sawmill and open a store.
- 1855 Sixteen PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
families arrive in Bandera to work in James and DeMontel's sawmill. August Klappenbach opens the first store and post office. - 1856 The legislature marks off Bandera County from portions of Bexar CountyBexar County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
, and the county is formally organized. - 1860 Population 399, including 12 slaves.
- 1880 Sheep and Angora goatAngora goatThe Angora goat is a breed of domestic goat that originated in Ankara , Turkey and its surrounding region in central Anatolia...
s become more profitable for Bandera than farming. - 1920 Cora and Ed Buck began taking boarders at their ranch, beginning the tourist trade in Bandera.
- 1933 Frontier Times MuseumFrontier Times MuseumFrontier Times Museum is a museum of the American West located in Bandera in the Texas Hill Country. The facility was opened to the public in 1933 by the author, historian, and printer John Marvin Hunter .-Museum exhibits:...
opens to the public. - 1979 Lost Maples State Natural AreaLost Maples State Natural AreaLost Maples State Natural Area is a state park in the Edwards Plateau of Texas, United States.- Location :Lost Maples State Natural Area is located about north of Vanderpool, Texas and west of San Antonio...
opens to the public. - 1982 Eight-two percent of the land in the county is in farms and ranches.
- 1984 Hill Country State Natural AreaHill Country State Natural AreaHill Country State Natural Area is a state park in Bandera County, Texas in the United States. Hill Country State Natural Area is a multi-use park within the Texas Hill Country.-Location:...
opens to the public. - 2000 The Nature Conservancy purchases 1400 acres (5.7 km²) of Love Creek Ranch from Baxter and Carol Adams, creating the Love Creek Preserve.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 798 square miles (2,066.8 km²), of which 792 square miles (2,051.3 km²) is land and 6 square miles (15.5 km²) (0.73%) is water.
Major highways
State Highway 16State Highway 16 (Texas)State Highway 16, or SH 16, is a north–south state highway that runs from U.S. Highway 281 24 miles south of Wichita Falls to Zapata on the Texas-Mexico boundary...
State Highway 46State Highway 46 (Texas)State Highway 46, or SH 46, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas that runs from State Highway 16 east of Bandera to the intersection of SH 123 and SH 123 Business just south of Seguin.-History:...
State Highway 173
Ranch to Market Road 337Ranch to Market Road 337Ranch to Market Road 337 or RM 337 is a Texas state road that runs from Camp Wood east to Medina. The route was designated in 1945 between Camp Wood and Leakey in Real County, but was gradually extended eastward over the years until in 1968 it stretched to RM 187 at Vanderpool in Bandera County...- Farm to Market Road 1077
- Ranch to Market Road 2828
- Farm to Market Road 3240
Adjacent counties
- Kerr CountyKerr County, TexasKerr County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 49,625. Its county seat is Kerrville. Kerr County was named by Joshua D. Brown for his fellow Kentucky native, James Kerr, a congressman of the Republic of Texas...
(north) - Kendall CountyKendall County, TexasKendall County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008 census, its population was 32,886. Its seat is Boerne....
(northeast) - Bexar CountyBexar County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
(southeast) - Medina County (south)
- Uvalde CountyUvalde County, TexasUvalde County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 25,926. Its county seat is Uvalde. The county is named for Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish governor of Coahuila. Uvalde County was founded by Reading Wood Black who also founded the city of Uvalde,...
(southwest) - Real County (west)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 17,645 people, 7,010 households, and 5,061 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 22 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,503 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.02% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.33% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.90% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.28% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.55% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.86% from two or more races. 13.51% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 7,010 households out of which 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.70% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,013, and the median income for a family was $45,906. Males had a median income of $31,733 versus $24,451 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,635. About 7.70% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated places
- LakehillsLakehills, TexasLakehills is a census-designated place in Bandera County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,668 at the 2000 census, making it the most populous place in Bandera county. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(4,668) - MedinaMedina, TexasMedina is a census-designated place in Bandera County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(2,960)
Unincorporated areas
- Bandera FallsBandera Falls, TexasBandera Falls is an unincorporated community in Bandera County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.It is a residential subdivision located several miles south of Bandera and about 3.5 miles southwest of Pipe Creek...
- Pipe CreekPipe Creek, TexasPipe Creek is an unincorporated community in Bandera County, Texas, United States. It had a population of approximately 66 in 1990. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....
(66) - TarpleyTarpley, TexasTarpley is an unincorporated community in Bandera County, Texas, United States. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.The Bandera Independent School District serves area students.-External links:...
- VanderpoolVanderpool, TexasVanderpool is a small unincorporated community in Bandera County in the U.S. state of Texas, in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. It lies west of Bandera. Hunting, ranching and tourism are chief contributors to the regional economy. Vanderpool had a population of 22 in...
(22)
Education
The following school districts serve Bandera County:- Bandera Independent School DistrictBandera Independent School DistrictBandera Independent School District is a public school district based in Bandera, Texas .In addition to Bandera, the district also serves the communities of Lakehills, Bandera Falls, Pipe Creek, and Tarpley....
- Medina Independent School DistrictMedina Independent School DistrictMedina Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Medina, Texas .Located in Bandera County, a small portion of the district extends into Kerr County....
(partial) - Northside Independent School DistrictNorthside Independent School DistrictNorthside Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Leon Valley, Texas. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in the State of Texas...
(partial) - Utopia Independent School DistrictUtopia Independent School DistrictUtopia Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Utopia, Texas .Located in Uvalde County, the district extends into portions of Bandera, Real, and Medina counties....
(partial)
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bandera County, Texas
External links
- Bandera County government website
- Bandera County Chamber of Commerce
- Bandera County Convention and Visitor Bureau
- Pioneer history of Bandera County: seventy-five years of intrepid history, published 1922, hosted by The Portal to Texas History
- Bandera County in Handbook of Texas at the University of TexasUniversity of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...