Edwards County
County
The Edwards County Courthouse in Rocksprings
The Edwards County Courthouse in Rocksprings
Map of Texas highlighting Edwards County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°58′N 100°18′W / 29.97°N 100.3°W / 29.97; -100.3
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1883
Named forHaden Edwards
SeatRocksprings
Largest townRocksprings
Area
 • Total2,120 sq mi (5,500 km2)
 • Land2,118 sq mi (5,490 km2)
 • Water2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.09%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,422
 • Density0.67/sq mi (0.26/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district23rd
Websiteco.edwards.tx.us
Texas Hill Country in Edwards County south of Rocksprings
Lone wooden windmill in eastern Edwards County

Edwards County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census its population was 1,422.[1] The county seat is Rocksprings.[2] The county was created in 1858 and organized in 1883.[3] It is named for Haden Edwards,[4] an early settler of Nacogdoches, Texas. The Edwards Aquifer and Edwards Plateau are named after the county by reason of their locations.[5]

History

  • The early inhabitants were Lipan Apache and Comanche.[6]
  • 1762 Looking for protection from Comanches, Lipan Apache chief El Gran Cabezón persuades Franciscans and the Spanish military to establish San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission on the Nueces River. The Mission was abandoned in 1771.[7]
  • 1825 Virginia born Haden Harrison Edwards joins forces with Stephen F. Austin and contracts with Coahuila y Tejas to move 800 families into east Texas. In 1826 Edwards announces the creation of the Republic of Fredonia near Nacogdoches, an early attempt to secede from Mexico. Stephen F. Austin joins forces with Mexico against Edwards. Haden Edwards flees in 1827 to Louisiana for his safety, returns to Texas, and spends the rest of his life in Nacogdoches.[8]
  • 1858 Edwards County is formed from Bexar County.[6]
  • 1871 Clint Smith, age 11, and brother Jeff Smith, age 9, are kidnapped by Indians near Rocksprings.[9]
  • 1882 W.J. Greer settles a sheep camp at Rocksprings.[10]
  • 1883 Edwards County is officially organized and named for Haden Harrison Edwards.[11]
  • 1884 Francis Winan cattle and sheep ranch at Rocksprings.[6]
  • 1885 A.O. Burr sets up farming at Rocksprings.[6]
  • 1891 County seat becomes Rocksprings. The County Courthouse is built by architects Ben Davey and Bruno Schort in the Romanesque Revival Style.[12]
  • 1898 Rocksprings Telephone Company is formed.[13]
  • 1913 Edwards loses land in its eastern section to Real County.[6]
  • 1927 A tornado hits Rocksprings.[14]
  • 1940 Rocksprings calls itself the "Top-o-the-World" in mohair production, which peaks that year.[6]
  • 1946 Oil is discovered in the county.[6]
  • 1991 Kickapoo Cavern State Park, 6,400 acres (26 km2) in both Edwards and Kinney County opens to the public.[15]
  • 1992 Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area near Rockspring opens to the public. It is the home to the largest single-chambered cavern and third-deepest in the state.[16]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau the county has a total area of 2,120 square miles (5,500 km2), of which 2,118 square miles (5,490 km2) are land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.09%) are covered by water.[17]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880266—
18901,970640.6%
19003,10857.8%
19103,76821.2%
19202,283−39.4%
19302,76421.1%
19402,9336.1%
19502,908−0.9%
19602,317−20.3%
19702,107−9.1%
19802,033−3.5%
19902,26611.5%
20002,162−4.6%
20102,002−7.4%
20201,422−29.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[18]
1850–2010[19] 2010[20] 2020[21]
Edwards County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[20] Pop 2020[21] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 947 651 47.30% 45.78%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10 2 0.50% 0.14%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 11 5 0.55% 0.35%
Asian alone (NH) 3 11 0.15% 0.77%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.07%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 2 0.00% 0.14%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 4 32 0.20% 2.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,027 718 51.30% 50.49%
Total 2,002 1,422 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the census[22] of 2000, 2,162 people, 801 households, and 586 families resided in the county. The population density was less than 1/km2 (2.6/sq mi). The 1,217 housing units averaged 1/sq mi (0.39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.26% White, 0.79% African American, 0.79% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 12.72% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. About 45.05% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 801 households, 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.80% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.80% were not families. About 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county, the population was distributed as 28.50% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,298, and for a family was $27,083. Males had a median income of $21,912 versus $14,907 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,691. About 24.60% of families and 31.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 47.40% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Town

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Politics

United States presidential election results for Edwards County, Texas[23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 893 83.77% 168 15.76% 5 0.47%
2016 746 69.52% 303 28.24% 24 2.24%
2012 642 72.62% 232 26.24% 10 1.13%
2008 673 65.02% 346 33.43% 16 1.55%
2004 745 77.36% 217 22.53% 1 0.10%
2000 663 70.76% 261 27.85% 13 1.39%
1996 511 50.44% 437 43.14% 65 6.42%
1992 460 51.86% 254 28.64% 173 19.50%
1988 556 59.78% 368 39.57% 6 0.65%
1984 626 79.64% 159 20.23% 1 0.13%
1980 575 69.78% 237 28.76% 12 1.46%
1976 412 61.31% 258 38.39% 2 0.30%
1972 520 82.02% 109 17.19% 5 0.79%
1968 409 64.01% 148 23.16% 82 12.83%
1964 371 52.11% 337 47.33% 4 0.56%
1960 463 72.46% 168 26.29% 8 1.25%
1956 533 79.67% 133 19.88% 3 0.45%
1952 586 73.43% 210 26.32% 2 0.25%
1948 185 34.32% 329 61.04% 25 4.64%
1944 187 31.91% 348 59.39% 51 8.70%
1940 175 23.65% 565 76.35% 0 0.00%
1936 157 30.54% 354 68.87% 3 0.58%
1932 224 27.86% 575 71.52% 5 0.62%
1928 546 89.66% 59 9.69% 4 0.66%
1924 346 61.35% 204 36.17% 14 2.48%
1920 297 56.14% 201 38.00% 31 5.86%
1916 73 19.31% 299 79.10% 6 1.59%
1912 114 34.86% 133 40.67% 80 24.46%

Education

School districts include:[24]

The designated community college is Southwest Texas Junior College.[25]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Edwards County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 115.
  5. ↑ "The Edwards Aquifer Website FAQ". Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McCrain, James B. "Edwards County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  7. ↑ La Vere, David (2003). The Texas Indians. TAMU Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-1-58544-301-7.
  8. ↑ McKeehan, Wallace L. "Haden Edwards and The Fredonian Rebellion 1826-1827". Sons of De Witt County. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Clinton LaFayette Smith". Texas Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Rocksprings, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  11. ↑ McDonald, Archie P. "Haden Edwards". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  12. ↑ "Edwards County Courthouse". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Rocksprings Telephone Company". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  14. ↑ Verby, Sue. "Rock Springs, TX Tornado, Apr 1927". GenDisasters. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Kickapoo Cavern State Park". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  17. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  19. ↑ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  20. 1 2 "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Edwards County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  21. 1 2 "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Edwards County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  23. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  24. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Edwards County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022. - Text list
  25. ↑ Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
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