Somerset, Texas
Encyclopedia
Somerset is a city of Bexar County
in the U.S.
state of Texas
. It is located less than 20 miles south of San Antonio and is part of the metropolitan area. The population was 1,550 at the 2000 census.
In 1913, while drilling for artesian water, Kurz discovered oil. A boom followed. The Somerset oilfield extended from Somerset to below Pleasanton and was the largest known shallow field in the world at that time. Two oil refineries in the field and a pipeline into San Antonio handled the high-gravity crude.
The town grew rapidly from fifty residents in 1925 to 700 in 1928; it was served by a state bank, a ten-room hotel, and several machine and blacksmith shops. A post office opened there in 1920. A nearby lignite coal mine also added to the booming economy of the area.
During the 1920s farmers turned from cotton to dryland fruit and vegetable farming. In 1931 the Somerset Fruit Growers Exchange building was dedicated, and between truck farming, oil, and coal, the town prospered until the mid-1930s, when diminishing oil returns and the Great Depression caused a decline. In 1931 the town reported twenty businesses; by 1958 there were only eight.
In 1920 the Somerset Independent School District
was formed from at least five other school districts: Wildman, Senior, Bexar, Old Rock (Old Somerset area), and Oak Island. The Somerser Police Department was created in 1972 followed be its incorporated in 1973 and has a mayor-council form of city government.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 1,550 people, 513 households, and 392 families residing in the city. The population density
was 773.7 people per square mile (299.2/km²). There were 547 housing units at an average density of 273.0/sq mi (105.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.16% White, 0.26% African American, 1.55% Native American, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 16.00% from other races
, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 70.45% of the population.
There were 513 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples
living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.51.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.5% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,268, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $20,357 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,238. About 22.0% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 26.6% 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...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state 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...
. It is located less than 20 miles south of San Antonio and is part of the metropolitan area. The population was 1,550 at the 2000 census.
History
Somerset was named for a settlement that had been begun in 1848, in what is now Atascosa County, by a group of Baptist families from Somerset, Kentucky. The present site was named Somerset when the First Townsite Company was formed on the Artesian Belt Railroad right-of-way on May 25, 1909, by A. M. Pyron, Carl Kurz, and Jonas A. Kerr.In 1913, while drilling for artesian water, Kurz discovered oil. A boom followed. The Somerset oilfield extended from Somerset to below Pleasanton and was the largest known shallow field in the world at that time. Two oil refineries in the field and a pipeline into San Antonio handled the high-gravity crude.
The town grew rapidly from fifty residents in 1925 to 700 in 1928; it was served by a state bank, a ten-room hotel, and several machine and blacksmith shops. A post office opened there in 1920. A nearby lignite coal mine also added to the booming economy of the area.
During the 1920s farmers turned from cotton to dryland fruit and vegetable farming. In 1931 the Somerset Fruit Growers Exchange building was dedicated, and between truck farming, oil, and coal, the town prospered until the mid-1930s, when diminishing oil returns and the Great Depression caused a decline. In 1931 the town reported twenty businesses; by 1958 there were only eight.
In 1920 the Somerset Independent School District
Somerset Independent School District
Somerset Independent School District is a public school district based in Somerset, Texas .Established in 1920, it is located in Bexar County with a portion of the district extending into Atascosa County...
was formed from at least five other school districts: Wildman, Senior, Bexar, Old Rock (Old Somerset area), and Oak Island. The Somerser Police Department was created in 1972 followed be its incorporated in 1973 and has a mayor-council form of city government.
Geography
Somerset is located at 29°13′37"N 98°39′27"W (29.226954, -98.657533).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 city has a total area of 2 square miles (5.2 km²), all of it land.
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 1,550 people, 513 households, and 392 families residing in the city. 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 773.7 people per square mile (299.2/km²). There were 547 housing units at an average density of 273.0/sq mi (105.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.16% White, 0.26% African American, 1.55% Native American, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 16.00% 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 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 70.45% of the population.
There were 513 households out of which 42.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% 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, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.4% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.51.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.5% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,268, and the median income for a family was $31,875. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $20,357 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 city was $11,238. About 22.0% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 26.6% of those age 65 or over.