Uvalde, Texas
Encyclopedia
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat
of Uvalde County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.
Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black
in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde
and was chosen as county seat. It is usually considered the southern limit of the Texas Hill Country
or the most northerly part of South Texas
. The town has the only known bottler of cactus juice.
Uvalde was the home of John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner
, former Speaker of the House
and Vice President of the United States
. Actor Matthew McConaughey
, actress Dale Evans
, activist Katherine Gabrielle and former Governor of Texas Dolph Briscoe
(for whom the post office
is named), were born in Uvalde. The city is also home to the Grammy Award
winning Tejano
/Norteño group Los Palominos
.
of 2000, there were 14,929 people, 4,796 households, and 3,716 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,220.2 people per square mile (857.8/km²). There were 5,313 housing units at an average density of 790.1 per square mile (305.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.27% White, 0.47% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 22.12% from other races
, and 2.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 75.48% of the population.
There were 4,796 households out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples
living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,259, and the median income for a family was $27,897. Males had a median income of $25,600 versus $15,674 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $11,735. About 24.2% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.1% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
, which serves Uvalde, Real, and Zavala
counties. The school district has 10 schools.
Southwest Texas Junior College
has a campus near Uvalde, next to Garner Field
.
for 30 years, chronicles his life. Garner served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1931–1933 and as Franklin D. Roosevelt
's Vice President from 1933 to 1941.
Also located in Uvalde:
, a general aviation airport east of Uvalde.
- governor of Texas.
John Nance Garner
- Vice President of the United States.
Birthplace of Matthew McConaughey
.
Home town of former NFL star and Super Bowl winner Vann McElroy
.
Birthplace of Dale Evans
(Wife of Roy Rogers
).
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 Uvalde County
Uvalde County, Texas
Uvalde County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 25,926. Its county seat is Uvalde. The county is named for Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish governor of Coahuila. Uvalde County was founded by Reading Wood Black who also founded the city of Uvalde,...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.
Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black
Reading Wood Black
Reading Wood Black , was the father of Uvalde County, Texas and city of Uvalde, Texas, which he founded as the town of Encina. In 1979, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4209 was placed in the Hillcrest Cemetery to honor Reading Wood Black. In 1997, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4208 was placed...
in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde
Juan de Ugalde
Juan de Ugalde later also known as Juan de Uvalde was born in Cádiz, Spain. He joined the Spanish army in 1738. In 1787 he was promoted to commanding general of Texas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Nuevo Santander. In 1790 he successfully led Spanish soldiers against Apache forces at Arroyo de la...
and was chosen as county seat. It is usually considered the southern limit 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...
or the most northerly part of South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
. The town has the only known bottler of cactus juice.
Uvalde was the home of John Nance "Cactus Jack" Garner
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner, IV , was the 32nd Vice President of the United States and the 44th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life and family :...
, former Speaker of the House
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
and 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...
. Actor Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
, actress Dale Evans
Dale Evans
Dale Evans, was an American writer, movie star, and singer-songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.-Early life:...
, activist Katherine Gabrielle and former Governor of Texas Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
(for whom the post office
Post 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...
is named), were born in Uvalde. The city is also home to the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
winning Tejano
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
/Norteño group Los Palominos
Los Palominos
Los Palominos are a tejano group from Uvalde, Texas.Los Palominos were formed in 1986 by four brothers under the name Los Tremendos Pequeños. Their repertory includes polka, rancheras, boleros, ballads, and cumbias. They signed with Sony Discos in 1994 after meeting with Armando Lichtenberger and...
.
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 14,929 people, 4,796 households, and 3,716 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 2,220.2 people per square mile (857.8/km²). There were 5,313 housing units at an average density of 790.1 per square mile (305.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.27% White, 0.47% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 22.12% 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 2.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 75.48% of the population.
There were 4,796 households out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% 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, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,259, and the median income for a family was $27,897. Males had a median income of $25,600 versus $15,674 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 $11,735. About 24.2% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.1% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The City of Uvalde is served by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School DistrictUvalde Consolidated Independent School District
Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Uvalde, Texas .Located in Uvalde County, the district extends into portions of Zavala and Real counties...
, which serves Uvalde, Real, and Zavala
Zavala County, Texas
Zavala County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 11,600. Its county seat is Crystal City. Zavala is named for Lorenzo de Zavala, Mexican politician, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and first vice president of the Republic of...
counties. The school district has 10 schools.
Southwest Texas Junior College
Southwest Texas Junior College
Southwest Texas Junior College is a comprehensive, public, two-year college with four campuses serving eleven counties in southwest Texas.The campuses are located in unincorporated Uvalde County , Del Rio Southwest Texas Junior College is a comprehensive, public, two-year college with four campuses...
has a campus near Uvalde, next to Garner Field
Garner Field
Garner Field is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Uvalde, a city in Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The facility is named for John Nance Garner, 32nd Vice President of the United States.Opened in October 1941 with three...
.
Cultural attractions
The John Nance Garner Museum in Uvalde, which was home to John Nance GarnerJohn Nance Garner
John Nance Garner, IV , was the 32nd Vice President of the United States and the 44th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life and family :...
for 30 years, chronicles his life. Garner served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1931–1933 and as Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's Vice President from 1933 to 1941.
Also located in Uvalde:
- The Aviation Museum at Garner Field, which has displays of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
aircraft; - The Briscoe Art and Antique Collection, which displays the collection of former Texas governor Dolph BriscoeDolph BriscoeDolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
; and - The Janey Slaughter Briscoe Grand Opera House, which hosts community theater and concerts.
Religion
Transportation
The City of Uvalde owns Garner FieldGarner Field
Garner Field is a city-owned public-use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Uvalde, a city in Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The facility is named for John Nance Garner, 32nd Vice President of the United States.Opened in October 1941 with three...
, a general aviation airport east of Uvalde.
Notable people
Dolph BriscoeDolph Briscoe
Dolph Briscoe, Jr. was a Uvalde, Texas rancher and businessman who was the 41st Governor of Texas between 1973 and 1979....
- governor of Texas.
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner, IV , was the 32nd Vice President of the United States and the 44th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives .- Early life and family :...
- Vice President of the United States.
Birthplace of Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
.
Home town of former NFL star and Super Bowl winner Vann McElroy
Vann McElroy
Vann William McElroy , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Los Angeles Raiders in the third round of the 1982 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 193-lb., safety from Baylor University, McElroy played in nine NFL seasons from 1982 to 1990 for the Raiders and Seattle Seahawks....
.
Birthplace of Dale Evans
Dale Evans
Dale Evans, was an American writer, movie star, and singer-songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.-Early life:...
(Wife of Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
).
See also
Reading Wood BlackReading Wood Black
Reading Wood Black , was the father of Uvalde County, Texas and city of Uvalde, Texas, which he founded as the town of Encina. In 1979, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4209 was placed in the Hillcrest Cemetery to honor Reading Wood Black. In 1997, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 4208 was placed...