Comal County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Comal County 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...

. In 2010, its population was 108,472. Its 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 New Braunfels
New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...

.

Comal 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

  • Early native American inhabitants include Tonkawa
    Tonkawa
    The 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...

    , Waco
    Wichita (tribe)
    The Wichita people are indigenous inhabitants of North America, who traditionally spoke the Wichita language, a Caddoan language. They have lived in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas...

    , Karankawa
    Karankawa
    Karankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....

     and Lipan Apache.
  • 1700-1758 The area becomes known as “Comal”, Spanish for “flat dish”. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Mission at Comal Springs.
  • 1825 Coahuila y Tejas
    Coahuila y Tejas
    Coahuila y Tejas was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution.It had two capitals: first Saltillo, and then Monclova...

     issues land grant for Comal Springs to Juan Martín de Veramendi
    Juan Martín de Veramendi
    Juan Martin de Veramendi was the governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas from 1832 until 1833.Veramendi was born on December 17, 1778 in San Fernando de Béxar, known as Bexar, to Fernando Veramendi and Maria Josefa Granados...

    .
  • 1842 Adelsverein
    Adelsverein
    Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, better known as Adelsverein , organized on April 20, 1842, was a colonial attempt to establish a new Germany within the borders of Texas.-History:...

     organized in Germany to promote emigration to Texas. Fisher-Miller Land Grant sets aside three million acres (12,000 km²) to settle 600 families and single men 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....

    , Dutch
    Dutch people
    The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...

    , Swiss, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian ancestry in Texas.
  • 1844, June 26 - Henry Francis Fisher
    Henry Francis Fisher
    Henry Francis Fisher , a notable German Texan, was born in Kassel, Hesse. In 1837 or early 1838 he came to Houston, Texas, where he was consul for the Hanseatic League...

     sells interest in land grant to Adelsverein
  • 1845 Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels
    Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels
    Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels , was a German prince and military officer in both the Austrian army and in the cavalry of the Grand Duchy of Hesse. As Commissioner General of the Adelsverein, he spearheaded the establishment of colonies of German immigrants in Texas...

     secures title to 1265 acres (5.1 km²) of the Veramendi grant, including the Comal Springs and River, for the Adelsverein. Thousands of German immigrants are stranded at port of disembarkation Indianaola
    Indianola, Texas
    Indianola 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 Bay
    Matagorda Bay
    Matagorda 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...

    . With no food or shelters, living in holes dug into the ground, an estimated 50% die from disease or starvation. The living begin to walk to their destinations hundreds of miles away. 200 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....

     colonists who walked from Indianola found the town of New Braunfels
    New Braunfels, Texas
    New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...

     at the crossing of the San Antonio-Nacogdches Road on the Guadalupe River
    Guadalupe River (Texas)
    The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...

    . John O. Meusebach
    John O. Meusebach
    John O. Meusebach , born Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, was at first a Prussian bureaucrat, later an American farmer and politician who served in the Texas Senate, District 22.-Early years:John O...

     arrives in Galveston
    Galveston, Texas
    Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...

    .
  • 1846 March - Texas legislature forms Comal County from the Eighth Precinct of Bexar County
    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...

    . New Braunfels
    New Braunfels, Texas
    New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...

     is the county seat.
  • 1850 Survey of 130 German farms in Comal reveals no slave laborers.
  • 1852 Neu-Braunfelser Zeitung begins publication, initially only in German, deriving its name 16th Century Germany's prototype of a newspaper titled Zeitung.
  • 1854 County is divided into eight public school districts. The Texas State Convention of Germans meet in San Antonio and adopt a political, social and religious platform, including: 1) Equal pay for equal work; 2) Direct election of the President of the United States; 3) Abolition of capital punishment; 4) “Slavery is an evil, the abolition of which is a requirement of democratic principles..”; 5) Free schools – including universities - supported by the state, without religious influence; and 6) Total separation of church and state.
  • 1858 Final county boundaries determination with the separation of part of western Comal County to Blanco
    Blanco County, Texas
    Blanco County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2010, the population is 10,497. Its county seat is Johnson City. Blanco is named for the Blanco River which traverses the county. The State of Texas formed Blanco County in 1858 from portions of Burnet,...

     and Kendall
    Kendall County, Texas
    Kendall 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....

     counties. New Braunfels votes in a school tax.
  • 1861 Comal County votes for secession from the Union. Contributes three all-German volunteer companies-to the Confederate cause.
  • 1887 Faust Street Bridge built over the Guadalupe River.
  • 1898 Comal County limestone courthouse erected. Romanesque Revival style. Architect James Riely Gordon
    James Riely Gordon
    James Riely Gordon was an architect of courthouses throughout the United States and the state of Texas in particular. Gordon's specialty was constructing public buildings mainly in the Romanesque Revival style. His most successful plan was that of a Greek cross with a square central stairwell and...

    .
  • 1920s - County establishes itself as a manufacturing and shipping center for textiles, garments, flour, and construction materials.
  • 1960 Four students at St. Mary’s University
    St. Mary's University, Texas
    St. Mary's University is a Catholic and Marianist liberal arts institution located on northwest of downtown San Antonio, Texas, United States. St. Mary’s is a nationally recognized master’s level school ranked among the top colleges in the west for best value and academic reputation by U.S. News...

     San Antonio discover Natural Bridge Caverns
    Natural Bridge Caverns
    Natural Bridge Caverns are the largest known commercial caverns in the state of Texas.The name was derived from the 20 m natural limestone slab bridge that spans the amphitheater setting of the cavern's entrance...

    , the largest known commercial caverns in the state of Texas.
  • 1961 Comal’s first Wurstfest draws a crowd of 2,000.
  • 1964 Canyon Lake
    Canyon Lake, Texas
    Canyon Lake is a census-designated place in Comal County, Texas, United States. The population was 16,870 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

     impoundment, boosting tourism and related industries.

Darmstadt Society of Forty

Count Castell of the Adelsverein
Adelsverein
Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, better known as Adelsverein , organized on April 20, 1842, was a colonial attempt to establish a new Germany within the borders of Texas.-History:...

 negotiated with the separate Darmstadt Society of Forty to colonize two hundred families on the Fisher-Miller Land Grant
Fisher-Miller Land Grant
The Fisher-Miller Land Grant was part of an early colonization effort of the Republic of Texas. Its 3,878,000 acres covered between the Llano River and Colorado River. Originally granted to Henry Francis Fisher and Burchard Miller, the grant was sold to the German colonization company of Adelsverein...

 territory in 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 return, they were to receive $12,000 in money, livestock, equipment and provisions for a year. After the first year, the colonies were expected to support themselves. The colonies attempted were Castell
Castell, Texas
Castell is a small unincorporated riverside town in Llano County, Texas, United States. Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, its northern border is formed by the Llano River. Designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1964, Marker number 9440....

, Leiningen, Bettina, Schoenburg and Meerholz in Llano County
Llano County, Texas
Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....

; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County; and Tusculum in Kendall County
Kendall County, Texas
Kendall 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....

. Of these, only Castell survives. The colonies failed after the Adelsverein funding expired, and also due to conflict of structure and authorities. Some members moved to other Adelsverein settlements in Texas. Others moved elsewhere, or returned to Germany.

Geography

According to the U.S. 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 county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,489.2 km²), of which 562 square miles (1,455.6 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²) (2.29%) is water.

The Balcones Escarpment
Balcones Fault
The Balcones Fault Zone is a tensional structural system in Texas that runs approximately from the southwest part of the state near Del Rio to the north central region near Waco along Interstate 35. The Balcones Fault zone is made up of many smaller features, including normal faults, grabens, and...

 runs northeastward through the county, generally just west of Interstate 35. West of the escarpment are the rocky hills and canyons of the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...

; to the east are the rolling grasslands of the coastal plains.

The Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...

 flows generally southeastward through the county, and is impounded by Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake (Texas)
Canyon Lake is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country in the United States. Canyon Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir formed on the Guadalupe River in Comal County by Canyon Dam, which is located about sixteen miles northwest of New Braunfels. The dam, lake,...

. The Comal River
Comal River
The Comal River is the shortest navigable river in the state of Texas in the United States. Proclaimed the "longest shortest river in the world" by locals, it runs entirely within the city limits of New Braunfels in southeast Comal County. It is a tributary of the Guadalupe River...

 rises from the Comal Springs in New Braunfels, and quickly joins the Guadalupe River.

Major highways

  • Interstate 35
  • U.S. Highway 281
  • State Highway 46
    State 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:...


Adjacent counties

  • Blanco County
    Blanco County, Texas
    Blanco County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2010, the population is 10,497. Its county seat is Johnson City. Blanco is named for the Blanco River which traverses the county. The State of Texas formed Blanco County in 1858 from portions of Burnet,...

      (north)
  • Hays County
    Hays County, Texas
    Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its official population had reached 157,107. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos....

      (northeast)
  • Guadalupe County
    Guadalupe County, Texas
    Guadalupe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 89,023. It is named for the Guadalupe River. The seat of the county is Seguin. It was founded in 1846....

      (southeast)
  • Bexar County
    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...

      (southwest)
  • Kendall County
    Kendall County, Texas
    Kendall 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....

      (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census
Census
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 2008, there were 109,635 people, 29,066 households, and 21,886 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 139 people per square mile (54/km²). There were 32,718 housing units at an average density of 58 per square mile (22/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.08% 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...

, 0.95% 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...

, 0.53% 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...

, 0.46% 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...

, 0.03% 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...

, 6.98% 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 1.96% from two or more races. 22.57% 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 29,066 households out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.80% 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, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.70% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.50% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,147, and the median income for a family was $52,455. Males had a median income of $36,048 versus $25,940 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 $21,914. About 6.40% of families and 8.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.50% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

The county is part of the 21st District in the United States House of Representatives, represented by Republican Lamar Smith, the 25th district of the Texas State Senate, represented by Republican Jeff Wentworth, and the 73rd District of the Texas House of Representatives and is represented by Republican Doug Miller.

Cities and towns

  • Bracken
    Bracken, Texas
    Bracken is an unincorporated community in Comal County, Texas, United States. It lies along the eastern bank of Cibolo Creek, southwest of New Braunfels. The community is found in close proximity to Garden Ridge, and is included in the Greater San Antonio area....

     (unincorporated)
  • Bulverde
    Bulverde, Texas
    Bulverde is a city in Comal County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,761 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bulverde is located at , about 23 miles north of downtown San Antonio....

  • Canyon City
    Canyon City, Texas
    Canyon City is a former city located on the Guadalupe River in Comal County, Texas, United States, in what is now Canyon Lake.-History:Canyon City is said to be a small town on the Guadalupe River built in the mid-19th century in the Canyon Basin, north of San Antonio...

     (unincorporated)
  • Canyon Lake
    Canyon Lake, Texas
    Canyon Lake is a census-designated place in Comal County, Texas, United States. The population was 16,870 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

     (unincorporated)
  • Fair Oaks Ranch
    Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas
    Fair Oaks Ranch is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 4,695 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

  • Fischer
    Fischer, Texas
    Fischer is an unincorporated community in Comal County, Texas, United States. The community is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.Although it is unincorporated, Fischer has a post office, with the ZIP code of 78623.-External links:...

     (unincorporated)
  • Garden Ridge
    Garden Ridge, Texas
    Garden Ridge is a city in Comal County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,882 at the 2000 census. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Garden Ridge is located at , 19 miles northeast of San Antonio....

  • New Braunfels
    New Braunfels, Texas
    New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...

  • Neighborsville (unincorporated ghost town)
  • Schertz
    Schertz, Texas
    Schertz is a city in Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The population was 31,465 at the 2010 census.On July 16, 2007 CNNMoney.com rated Schertz one of the best places to live in the United States...

  • Spring Branch
    Spring Branch, Comal County, Texas
    Spring Branch is an unincorporated area located in western Comal County, Texas, United States, north of San Antonio. Surrounding towns include Bulverde and Canyon Lake. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area....

     (unincorporated)
  • Startzville (unincorporated)
  • Sattler (unincorporated)

Popular culture

  • The Jason Boland song "Comal County Blue" is about the county.
  • The Bleu Edmondson song "No Room For Mercy" takes place in the county.

See also

  • Adelsverein
    Adelsverein
    Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, better known as Adelsverein , organized on April 20, 1842, was a colonial attempt to establish a new Germany within the borders of Texas.-History:...

  • German Texan
    German Texan
    German Texan is an ethnic category that includes residents of the state of Texas with German ancestry who identify with the term. This identification may include cultural agreements—German language, German cuisine, feasts, music, hard work, frugality, and close family ties. From their first...

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Comal County, Texas
    National Register of Historic Places listings in Comal County, Texas
    List of Registered Historic Places in Comal County, TexasThis is intended to be a complete list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Comal County, Texas...


External links

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