Calhoun County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Texas
. In 2000, the population was 20,647. Its county seat
is Port Lavaca
. It is a part of the Victoria
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. Calhoun County is named for John Caldwell Calhoun, the seventh vice president of the United States
.
, the county has a total area of 1032 square miles (2,672.9 km²), of which 512 square miles (1,326.1 km²) is land and 520 square miles (1,346.8 km²) (50.36%) is water.
of 2000, there were 20,647 people, 7,442 households, and 5,574 families residing in the county. The population density
was 40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 10,238 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.04% White
, 2.63% Black
or African American
, 0.49% Native American
, 3.27% Asian
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
, 13.19% from other races
, and 2.32% from two or more races. 40.92% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 11.4% were of German
, 9.4% American
and 5.5% English
ancestry according to Census 2000. 67.9% spoke English
, 29.1% Spanish
and 1.2% Chinese
as their first language.
There were 7,442 households out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples
living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the population was spread out with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,849, and the median income for a family was $39,900. Males had a median income of $35,957 versus $19,772 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,125. About 12.70% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.
.
Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic school, pre-K through grade 8, has also served the county since 1996.
, a general aviation
airport, is located in unincorporated Calhoun County northwest of Port Lavaca.
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...
. In 2000, the population was 20,647. 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 Port Lavaca
Port Lavaca, Texas
Port Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
. It is a part of the Victoria
Victoria, Texas
Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Victoria metropolitan area
The Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in the Coastal Bend region of Texas, anchored by the city of Victoria. The area is sometimes referred to as the Golden Crescent Region, though this term is sometimes...
. Calhoun County is named for John Caldwell Calhoun, the seventh vice president of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
History Timeline
- Paleo-Indians Hunter-gatherers, and later 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...
, TonkawaTonkawaThe Tickanwa•tic Tribe , better known as the Tonkawa , are a Native American people indigenous to present-day Oklahoma and Texas. They once spoke the now-extinct Tonkawa language believed to have been a language isolate not related to any other indigenous tongues...
, and KarankawaKarankawaKarankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....
tribes, first inhabitants. - 1685-1690 René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La SalleRené-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La SalleRené-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
lands near Powderhorn Lake in Calhoun County. FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
plants its flag on Texas soil, but departs after only five years. - 1689 The future county is explored by Spaniards, including Alonso De LeónAlonso De LeónAlonso de León wasexplorer and governor, who led several expeditions into the area that is now northeastern Mexico and southern Texas.-Early life:...
. - 1825 Martín De León of Mexico establishes a ranch near the old La Salle fort.
- 1831 Linnville becomes the first Anglo settlement, established by IrishIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-born merchant, statesman, soldier John J. Linn. - 1840 Comanche Indians loot and sack Linnville.
- 1842-1847 Empresario Henri CastroHenri CastroHenri Castro , a Jewish Texan, was one of the most important empresarios of the Republic of Texas.-Early life:...
contracts to bring AlsatianAlsaceAlsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
immigrants from FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, who use Port LavacaPort Lavaca, TexasPort Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
as a holding site before moving on to settle CastrovilleCastroville, TexasCastroville is a city in Medina County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,664 at the 2000 census. Prior to 1893, Castroville was the first county seat of Medina County....
in Medina County. - 1845 Thousands of German immigrants are stranded at port of disembarkation IndianaolaIndianola, TexasIndianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
on Matagorda BayMatagorda BayMatagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...
. - 1846 Calhoun County is formed from parts of VictoriaVictoria County, TexasVictoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 84,088. Its county seat is Victoria. It is included in the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Jackson, and Matagorda counties. It is named for then Chairman of the Senate Finance CommitteeUnited States Senate Committee on FinanceThe U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is a standing committee of the United States Senate. The Committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures generally, and those relating to the insular possessions; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection...
John C. CalhounJohn C. CalhounJohn Caldwell Calhoun was a leading politician and political theorist from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, but often changed positions. Calhoun began his political career as a nationalist, modernizer, and proponent...
. Lavaca was the first county seat. - 1852 Indianola becomes the county seat. The Morgan steamship lines runs regular service from Indianola to New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Slave trading peaks at Indianola. - 1854 PolesPolesthumb|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...
begin to arrive in Indianaola. - 1858 Half Moon Reef Lighthouse is constructed in Matagorda Bay.
- 1860 County population is 2,642, including 414 slaves.
- 1861 Calhoun County 276-18 votes for secession from the Union. Contributes volunteer companies-to the Confederate cause. Fort Esperanza, on Matagorda Island is constructed by Confederate forces using slave labor.
- 1862 Union gunboats bombard Port Lavaca.
- 1875 A Gulf tropical storm heavily damages Indianola.
- 1886 A hurricane destroys Indianola and causes much damage to HoustonHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. - 1892 The LuthernLuthernLuthern is a municipality in the district of Willisau in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.-Geography:Luthern has an area, , of . Of this area, 47.8% is used for agricultural purposes, while 47.6% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 3.5% is settled and the remainder is non-productive...
community of Olivia is established by SwedesSwedesSwedes are a Scandinavian nation and ethnic group native to Sweden, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries.-Etymology:...
. - 1909 Port O’ConnorPort O'Connor, TexasPort O'Connor is an unincorporated village in Calhoun County, Texas, United States, on the coastline between Galveston and Corpus Christi. The ZIP Code Tabulation Area including Port O'Connor had a population of 1,078 at the 2000 census...
is established. The St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico RailwaySt. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico RailwayThe St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexico Railway was a 200-mile railroad that operated from Brownsville, Texas to Gulf Coast Junction in Houston. It passed through small southeast Texas communities such as Robstown, Corpus Christi, Bay City, and Harlingen as well as the Rio Grande Valley.-History:Uriah...
establishes a terminus at Port O’Connor. - 1920 Port Lavaca builds a seawall to protect itself against hurricanes.
- 1931 Lavaca Bay causeway is constructed.
- 1934-1935 Oil and natural gas discovered near Port Lavaca.
- 1947 AlcoaAlcoaAlcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
opens a plant at Point ComfortPoint Comfort, TexasPoint Comfort is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 781 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Point Comfort is located at...
. - 1952 Union CarbideUnion CarbideUnion Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
opens a plant near Seadrift. - 1961 Category 5 Hurricane CarlaHurricane CarlaHurricane Carla was one of two Category 5 tropical cyclones during the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season. It struck the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane, becoming one of the most powerful storms to ever strike the United States. Hurricane Carla was the second most intense storm to ever...
makes landfall between Port Lavaca and Port O’Connor. - 1983 Matagorda Island State Park and Wildlife Management Area is run by the Texas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentTexas Parks and Wildlife DepartmentThe Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas...
under an agreement between the United States Department of the Interior and the state of Texas.
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 1032 square miles (2,672.9 km²), of which 512 square miles (1,326.1 km²) is land and 520 square miles (1,346.8 km²) (50.36%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 87
State Highway 35State Highway 35 (Texas)State Highway 35, or SH 35, is a largely north–south highway in southeastern and southern Texas between Houston, junction of I-45 on the southeast side of the city and Corpus Christi, where it terminates on I-37....
State Highway 185
Adjacent counties
- Jackson County (north)
- Matagorda County (east)
- Gulf of MexicoGulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
(southeast) - Aransas CountyAransas County, TexasAransas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Corpus Christi Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 22,499. Its county seat is Rockport. Aransas County was formed in 1871 from Refugio County.-Geography:According to the U.S...
(southwest) - Refugio County (west)
- Victoria CountyVictoria County, TexasVictoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 84,088. Its county seat is Victoria. It is included in the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
(northwest)
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 20,647 people, 7,442 households, and 5,574 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 40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 10,238 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile (8/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.04% 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...
, 2.63% 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...
, 0.49% 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...
, 3.27% 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...
, 0.07% 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...
, 13.19% 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 2.32% from two or more races. 40.92% 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. 11.4% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 9.4% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and 5.5% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 67.9% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 29.1% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and 1.2% Chinese
Standard Mandarin
Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
as their first language.
There were 7,442 households out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% 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, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.10% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the population was spread out with 28.50% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,849, and the median income for a family was $39,900. Males had a median income of $35,957 versus $19,772 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 $17,125. About 12.70% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities
- Point ComfortPoint Comfort, TexasPoint Comfort is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 781 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Point Comfort is located at...
- Port LavacaPort Lavaca, TexasPort Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
- SeadriftSeadrift, TexasSeadrift is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,352 at the 2000 census. It is a part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
Unincorporated areas
- Alamo BeachAlamo Beach, TexasAlamo Beach is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located just north of the junction of Farm Roads 2717 and 2760, approximately two miles southeast of Port Lavaca and northwest of Magnolia Beach. The community is situated along the waterfront of Lavaca Bay....
- IndianolaIndianola, TexasIndianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
- Long MottLong Mott, TexasLong Mott is an unincorporated community in western Calhoun County, Texas, United States, located south of the junction of State Highway 185 and Farm to Market Road 2235. It is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-References:...
- Magnolia BeachMagnolia Beach, TexasMagnolia Beach is an unincorporated community in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. It is located along the waterfront of Lavaca Bay, southeast of Alamo Beach. The community is part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Port O'ConnorPort O'Connor, TexasPort O'Connor is an unincorporated village in Calhoun County, Texas, United States, on the coastline between Galveston and Corpus Christi. The ZIP Code Tabulation Area including Port O'Connor had a population of 1,078 at the 2000 census...
Education
All of Calhoun County is served by the Calhoun County Independent School DistrictCalhoun County Independent School District
Calhoun County Independent School District is a public school district based in Port Lavaca, Texas . The district's boundaries parallel that of Calhoun County.In 2009, the school district was rated "recognized" by the Texas Education Agency.- Schools :...
.
Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic school, pre-K through grade 8, has also served the county since 1996.
Transportation
Calhoun County AirportCalhoun County Airport (Texas)
Calhoun County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Port Lavaca, a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States.Although most U.S...
, a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport, is located in unincorporated Calhoun County northwest of Port Lavaca.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Calhoun County, Texas
External links
- Calhoun County government
- Calhoun County in Handbook of Texas Online 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...