Edna, Texas
Encyclopedia
Edna is a city in Jackson County, Texas
, United States
. The population was 5,899 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Jackson County.
Edna is the gateway to 11000 acres (44.5 km²) Lake Texana
, which covers the site of Texana, Texas. The city has a hospital, convalescent home, library, museum, city park with swimming pool, three banks, two savings and loan associations, a country club with a nine-hole golf course, and Oak Creek Village, a retirement community. It is the center of a prosperous agricultural area with petroleum and natural gas production and has an active chamber of commerce, oilfield service industries, and two grain elevators.
The town was named after a daughter of Count Joseph Telfener - an Italian entrepreneur who was building a railroad from Rosenberg
to Victoria
. Other family members had towns named after them as well. While the railroad had the ambitious name of The New York, Texas and Mexican Railroad, it didn't originate in New York
, nor did it reach Mexico
. Known as "The Macaroni Line" for the Italian workmen who were brought from Italy for construction, the rails eventually went as far as Victoria.
On the courthouse lawn is a monument to Irwin Moore Laughter (July 28, 1893 - June 19, 1916) of the United States Navy
, who was killed in Mazatlan, Mexico, during the attempt by General
John J. Pershing
to capture the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), all of it land.
Edna is located in the gulf-coast region of Texas. The region is dominated by large live oak trees, heavily wooded areas, and lush farmland.
Edna is located on Hwy. 59, otherwise known as The Houston Hwy. Edna is exactly 100 miles (160.9 km) south-west of Houston, Texas
and 120 miles (193.1 km) north-east of Corpus Christi, Texas
.
In an election of January 22, 1883, residents voted to make Edna the county seat in place of Texana. The contract for a new courthouse was awarded on February 11, 1884. A post office opened in 1886. The first church congregations in Edna were the Methodist and Presbyterian, whose memberships moved from Texana almost intact. The latter brought their 1859 sanctuary with them overland eight miles (13 km). It was also used by other denominations for worship services. The oldest public building remaining in the county, the Texana Presbyterian Church, has been restored and serves in Edna as an area cultural center. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a recorded Texas historic landmark. The first newspaper in Edna was the Jackson County Progress. The newspaper plant, along with a large part of the business district, was destroyed in 1906 in the town's second disastrous fire. Succeeding the Progress was the Edna Herald, first published on November 22, 1906.
The 1954 Supreme Court case Hernandez v. Texas
concerned the racial context of the jury selection for a trial that took place in Edna. The landmark decision of the case determined that Mexican American
s and all other racial groups in the United States had equal protection under the 14th Amendment
of the U.S. Constitution
.
of 2000, there were 5,899 people, 2,227 households, 1,523 families, residing in the city. The population density
was 1,512.0 people per square mile (584.0/km²). There were 2,609 housing units at an average density of 668.7 per square mile (258.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.82% White, 13.65% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 17.48% from other races
, and 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.17% of the population.
There were 2,227 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples
living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,000, and the median income for a family was $35,659. Males had a median income of $32,000 versus $19,079 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,193. About 18.5% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.
, including two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The mascot is the Cowboy.
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,899 at the 2000 census. It is the 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....
of Jackson County.
Edna is the gateway to 11000 acres (44.5 km²) Lake Texana
Lake Texana
Lake Texana is a reservoir on the Navidad River, 8 miles east of Edna, in Jackson County, Texas. The reservoir is formed by the construction of Palmetto Bend Dam, begun in 1968 and completed in 1979. The dam and lake are managed by the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority, and supply drinking water to...
, which covers the site of Texana, Texas. The city has a hospital, convalescent home, library, museum, city park with swimming pool, three banks, two savings and loan associations, a country club with a nine-hole golf course, and Oak Creek Village, a retirement community. It is the center of a prosperous agricultural area with petroleum and natural gas production and has an active chamber of commerce, oilfield service industries, and two grain elevators.
The town was named after a daughter of Count Joseph Telfener - an Italian entrepreneur who was building a railroad from Rosenberg
Rosenberg, Texas
Rosenberg is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Fort Bend County and is part of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 31,676 at the 2010 census...
to 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,...
. Other family members had towns named after them as well. While the railroad had the ambitious name of The New York, Texas and Mexican Railroad, it didn't originate in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, nor did it reach Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Known as "The Macaroni Line" for the Italian workmen who were brought from Italy for construction, the rails eventually went as far as Victoria.
On the courthouse lawn is a monument to Irwin Moore Laughter (July 28, 1893 - June 19, 1916) of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, who was killed in Mazatlan, Mexico, during the attempt by General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
John J. Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
to capture the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
.
Geography
Edna is located at 28°58′36"N 96°38′48"W (28.976550, -96.646568).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 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), all of it land.
Edna is located in the gulf-coast region of Texas. The region is dominated by large live oak trees, heavily wooded areas, and lush farmland.
Edna is located on Hwy. 59, otherwise known as The Houston Hwy. Edna is exactly 100 miles (160.9 km) south-west of Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston 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 ...
and 120 miles (193.1 km) north-east of Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
.
History
Edna, the county seat of Jackson County, was established in 1882 when the New York, Texas and Mexican Railway line was built from Rosenberg to Victoria and bypassed Texana, Texas then the county seat. Construction of the railroad began in September 1881. Edna was laid out on land owned by Mrs. Lucy Flournoy, who conveyed right-of-way and a half interest in the townsite to the railroad, which was promoted and built by Italian Count Joseph Telfener. The town was named for a daughter of the count. The NYT&M, nicknamed the "Macaroni," was constructed by Italian laborers, most of whom were brought from Lombardy by Telfener. After completion of the road, the majority of the crew remained in the area and established homes. The first train arrived on July 4, 1882; the first merchant was Gideon Egg, who moved his general merchandise store from Texana in 1882, and the first child born in the new community was Edna Louise Traylor.In an election of January 22, 1883, residents voted to make Edna the county seat in place of Texana. The contract for a new courthouse was awarded on February 11, 1884. A post office opened in 1886. The first church congregations in Edna were the Methodist and Presbyterian, whose memberships moved from Texana almost intact. The latter brought their 1859 sanctuary with them overland eight miles (13 km). It was also used by other denominations for worship services. The oldest public building remaining in the county, the Texana Presbyterian Church, has been restored and serves in Edna as an area cultural center. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a recorded Texas historic landmark. The first newspaper in Edna was the Jackson County Progress. The newspaper plant, along with a large part of the business district, was destroyed in 1906 in the town's second disastrous fire. Succeeding the Progress was the Edna Herald, first published on November 22, 1906.
The 1954 Supreme Court case Hernandez v. Texas
Hernandez v. Texas
Hernandez v. Texas, 347 U.S. 475 , was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that decided that Mexican Americans and all other racial groups in the United States had equal protection under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution....
concerned the racial context of the jury selection for a trial that took place in Edna. The landmark decision of the case determined that Mexican American
Mexican American
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican descent. As of July 2009, Mexican Americans make up 10.3% of the United States' population with over 31,689,000 Americans listed as of Mexican ancestry. Mexican Americans comprise 66% of all Hispanics and Latinos in the United States...
s and all other racial groups in the United States had equal protection under the 14th Amendment
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
of the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
.
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 5,899 people, 2,227 households, 1,523 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 1,512.0 people per square mile (584.0/km²). There were 2,609 housing units at an average density of 668.7 per square mile (258.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.82% White, 13.65% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 17.48% 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 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.17% of the population.
There were 2,227 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% 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, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,000, and the median income for a family was $35,659. Males had a median income of $32,000 versus $19,079 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 $15,193. About 18.5% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The City of Edna is served by the Edna Independent School DistrictEdna Independent School District
Edna Independent School District is a public school district based in Edna, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-Schools:*Edna High School * *...
, including two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The mascot is the Cowboy.
Trivia
- Edna has not always been the county seat of Jackson County. Texana (now a ghost town covered by Lake TexanaLake TexanaLake Texana is a reservoir on the Navidad River, 8 miles east of Edna, in Jackson County, Texas. The reservoir is formed by the construction of Palmetto Bend Dam, begun in 1968 and completed in 1979. The dam and lake are managed by the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority, and supply drinking water to...
) was the county seat in the mid-to-late 19th century, until Edna got it. - Edna is known as "The Flag City Of Texas", according to the city's website
Famous residents
- Stone Cold Steve AustinStone Cold Steve AustinSteve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
, professional wrestler and filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
star - Iben BrowningIben BrowningIben Browning was an American climatologist and author. Browning was a scientific generalist, who made a career of suggesting new and sometimes unusual ideas....
, climatologist - Juanita Slusher (alias Candy BarrCandy BarrCandy Barr was an American stripper, burlesque exotic dancer, actress in one pornographic movie, and model in men's magazines of the mid-20th century....
), burlesque dancer and model