Kleberg County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. As of the
2020 census, its population was 31,040. The
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Kingsville.
The county was organized in 1913 and is named for
Robert J. Kleberg
Robert Justus Kleberg (September 10, 1803October 30, 1888), christened Johan Christian Justus Robert Kleberg, was a German Texan from Herstelle, Westphalia, then part of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto and t ...
, an early settler.
Kleberg County is part of the Kingsville, TX
Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also part of the
Corpus Christi-
Kingsville-
Alice, TX
Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
. Most of the county's land lies in the famed
King Ranch
King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. At some it is larger than the state of Rhode Island and country of Luxembourg. It is mainly a cattle ranch, but also produced the Triple Crown winning racehorse Assault.
The ranch is lo ...
, which also extends into neighboring counties.
History
The county was organized in 1913 and was named for
Robert J. Kleberg
Robert Justus Kleberg (September 10, 1803October 30, 1888), christened Johan Christian Justus Robert Kleberg, was a German Texan from Herstelle, Westphalia, then part of the Kingdom of Prussia. He was a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto and t ...
, an early settler (see below).
In 1997, the county commissioners officially designated "heaven-o" as the county's greeting. The stated reason was that "hello" contains the word "hell".
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (19%) is water.
It borders the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
.
Baffin Bay
Baffin Bay ( Inuktitut: ''Saknirutiak Imanga''; kl, Avannaata Imaa; french: Baie de Baffin), located between Baffin Island and the west coast of Greenland, is defined by the International Hydrographic Organization as a marginal sea of the Arct ...
makes up a large part of the border with Kenedy County.
Major highways
*
U.S. Highway 77
**
Interstate 69E is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 77 in most places.
*
State Highway 141
*
State Highway 285
*
Farm to Market Road 771
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used ...
*
Park Road 22
Adjacent counties
*
Nueces County
Nueces County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 353,178, making it the 16th-most populous county in the state. The county seat is Corpus Christi. The county was formed in 1846 from portions of S ...
(north)
*
Kenedy County (south)
*
Brooks County (southwest)
*
Jim Wells County (west)
National protected area
*
Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore (PINS) is a national seashore located on Padre Island off the coast of South Texas. In contrast to South Padre Island, known for its beaches and vacationing college students, PINS is located on North Padre Isla ...
(part)
Demographics
2020 census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''
2000 Census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 31,549 people, 10,896 households, and 7,681 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 36 people per square mile (14/km
2). There were 12,743 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 71.87%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 3.70%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.61%
Native American, 1.47%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.10%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 19.00% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.25% from two or more races. 65.41% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race.
There were 10,896 households, out of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were
married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.30% under the age of 18, 15.70% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 19.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,313, and the median income for a family was $33,055. Males had a median income of $31,179 versus $19,494 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $13,542. About 21.20% of families and 26.70% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 35.50% of those under age 18 and 15.60% of those age 65 or over.
Robert Justus Kleberg
Kleberg county is named after Robert Justus Kleberg Sr. (1803–1888), a Prussian settler, was born on September 10, 1803, in Herstelle, Westphalia.
His father was a merchant. Kleberg was educated in the classics and attended the University of Göttingen, where he received a J.D. degree. After graduating he was appointed a justice of assizes. He married Rosalie von Roeder near Paderborn, Prussia, in ...1834.
They emigrated to Texas that year and settled in Cat Spring in 1836. In the
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
, Kleberg was associate commissioner and president of the Board of Land Commissioners (1837–38), justice of the peace (1841), and chief justice of Austin County (1846). In 1847 the Kleberg's moved to Meyersville, where Kleberg was elected county commissioner in 1848 and chief justice in 1853.
Kleberg fought in the
battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto ( es, Batalla de San Jacinto), fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day La Porte and Pasadena, Texas, was the final and decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Samuel Houston, the Texan Army engage ...
in Capt.
Moseley Baker's company and subsequently served as one of the Texas guards for Gen. Santa Anna. After the revolution, he volunteered for six months' duty in the Texas army in a campaign against the Indians on Escondido Creek.
Kleberg supported the cause of the Confederacy. When the Civil War broke out he raised a company of militia but because of his advanced age was not received into active service. Robert and Rosa raised their own seven children in addition to several young Roeder relatives. Their youngest son, Robert Justus Kleberg Jr. married Alice Gertrudis King.
Kleberg died on October 23, 1888, near Cuero and was buried there. His grave is marked by a monument in the form of a soldier's tent with the words "Remember the Alamo" carved at the base. Kleberg County was named in his honor in 1913; a marker at his home site near Cuero was erected in 1936.
Communities
Cities and towns
*
Kingsville (county seat)
Census-designated places
*
Ricardo
Ricardo is the Spanish and Portuguese cognate of the name Richard. It derived from Proto-Germanic ''*rīks'' 'king, ruler' + ''*harduz'' 'hard, brave'. It may be a given name, or a surname.
People Given name
*Ricardo de Araújo Pereira, Portugu ...
*
Riviera
''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...
Unincorporated community
*
Loyola Beach
Politics
Kleberg County is represented in the
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...
by the
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
J. M. Lozano, a
restaurateur in Kingsville and in
Alice, Texas.
Kleberg County has leaned Democratic for most of its history, but has become more competitive in the 21st century, voting thrice for either narrowly-winning or losing Republicans (
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
and
2004, and
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
in
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
).
Education
School districts include:
*
Kingsville Independent School District
*
Ricardo Independent School District
Ricardo Independent School District is a public school district in Kleberg County, Texas, United States.
The district has two campuses - Ricardo Middle (Grades 5-8) and Ricardo Elementary (Grades PK-4).
In 2009, the school district was rated " re ...
*
Riviera Independent School District
Riviera Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Riviera, Texas ( USA).
Located mostly in Kleberg County, Text list/ref> a very small portion of the district extends into Kenedy County. It includes the s ...
*
Santa Gertrudis Independent School District
Santa Gertrudis Independent School District (SGISD) is a public school district in Kingsville, Texas, Kingsville, Kleberg County, Texas, United States. The district covers approximately , and is located in south of the city of Corpus Christi, T ...
Coastal Bend College
Coastal Bend College (CBC), formerly known as Bee County College (BCC), is a community college that has its main campus in Beeville, Texas, and which operates branch campuses in Alice, Kingsville, and Pleasanton, Texas.
As defined by the Texas ...
(formerly Bee County College) is the designated community college for the Kingsville, Ricardo, and Santa Gertrudis school district areas. The Riviera ISD portion is in the
Del Mar College-Corpus Christi Junior College District
Del Mar College (DMC) is a public community college in Corpus Christi, Texas. Founded in 1935, DMC encompasses two primary campuses and one campus annex with combined physical assets of more than $99 million.
As defined by the Texas Legislature ...
.
Texas Education Code Sec. 130.167. BEE COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.177. DEL MAR COLLEGE-CORPUS CHRISTI JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
The legislation calls it "Bee County College".
See also
* List of museums in the Texas Gulf Coast
The list of museums in the Texas Gulf Coast encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, s ...
*
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Kleberg County
References
External links
Kleberg County government's website
*
Kleberg County Airport website
{{coord, 27.43, -97.66, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990
Kingsville, Texas micropolitan area
1913 establishments in Texas
Populated places established in 1913
Majority-minority counties in Texas