Rocksprings, Texas
Encyclopedia
Rocksprings is a town in Edwards County, Texas
, in the United States
. As of the 2000 census
, the town population was 1,285. It is the county seat
of Edwards County. The town received its name from natural springs that bubble forth from the porous limestone
rocks in the area.
and was made county seat. The original courthouse
built in the town burned in 1897. By 1914 Rocksprings had a population of around 500.
On April 12, 1927, the town was hit by an F5
tornado
that destroyed 235 of the 247 buildings in the town. The tornado killed 72 townspeople and injured 205, almost 1/3 of the population at the time.
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
and mohair
industry, and the town is recognized as the Angora goat
capital of the world. Tourism
has become a growing part of the economy with the opening of Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area located approximately six miles northeast of Rocksprings.
of 2000, there were 1,285 people, 420 households, and 312 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,064.1 people per square mile (410.0/km²). There were 535 housing units at an average density of 443.0 per square mile (170.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 76.26% White, 1.17% African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 18.75% from other races
, and 2.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 66.69% of the population.
There were 420 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples
living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.58.
In the town the population was spread out with 33.5% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $19,970, and the median income for a family was $22,614. Males had a median income of $21,369 versus $14,408 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $8,957. About 31.7% of families and 38.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
.
The school's colors are red, black, and white, and its mascot is Rocko, the fighting Angora goat.
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 the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the town population was 1,285. 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 Edwards County. The town received its name from natural springs that bubble forth from the porous limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
rocks in the area.
History
J. R. Sweeten sited Rocksprings in 1891 because of the springs nearby. Also in 1891, the town acquired a post officePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and was made county seat. The original courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
built in the town burned in 1897. By 1914 Rocksprings had a population of around 500.
On April 12, 1927, the town was hit by an F5
Fujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
that destroyed 235 of the 247 buildings in the town. The tornado killed 72 townspeople and injured 205, almost 1/3 of the population at the time.
Geography
Rocksprings is located at 30°0′58"N 100°12′32"W (30.016161, -100.209023). Rocksprings sits on top of the Edwards PlateauEdwards 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...
. 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 town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
Economy
The economy of Rocksprings is centered on the woolWool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
and mohair
Mohair
Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. The word "mohair" was adopted into English before 1570 from the Arabic: mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally 'choice', from khayyara, 'he chose'. Mohair fiber is approximately 25-45 microns in...
industry, and the town is recognized as the Angora goat
Angora goat
The Angora goat is a breed of domestic goat that originated in Ankara , Turkey and its surrounding region in central Anatolia...
capital of the world. Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
has become a growing part of the economy with the opening of Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area located approximately six miles northeast of Rocksprings.
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 1,285 people, 420 households, and 312 families residing in the town. 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 1,064.1 people per square mile (410.0/km²). There were 535 housing units at an average density of 443.0 per square mile (170.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 76.26% White, 1.17% African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 18.75% 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 2.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 66.69% of the population.
There were 420 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% 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, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.58.
In the town the population was spread out with 33.5% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $19,970, and the median income for a family was $22,614. Males had a median income of $21,369 versus $14,408 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 town was $8,957. About 31.7% of families and 38.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.6% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Town of Rocksprings is served by the Rocksprings Independent School DistrictRocksprings Independent School District
Rocksprings Independent School District is a public school district based in Rocksprings, Texas .Located in Edwards County, a very small portion of the district extends into Val Verde County....
.
The school's colors are red, black, and white, and its mascot is Rocko, the fighting Angora goat.