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La Salle 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
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 6,664. Its
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
Cotulla Cotulla ( ) is a city in and the county seat of La Salle County, Texas, United States. Its population was 3,718 as of the 2020 census. History Immigrant Joseph Cotulla, who was reared in Silesia, then a part of Prussia, migrated to the Unite ...
. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1880. It is named for
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (; November 22, 1643 – March 19, 1687), was a 17th-century French explorer and fur trader in North America. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, ...
, a 17th-century French
explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...
.


History


Early history

The area of present-day La Salle County was occupied by the
Coahuiltecan The Coahuiltecan were various small, autonomous bands of Native Americans who inhabited the Rio Grande valley in what is now southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. The various Coahuiltecan groups were hunter-gatherers. First encountered by Europ ...
Indians until the 18th century, when they were squeezed out by the Spanish from the south and the
Apache The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...
from the north. After the
Mexican War of Independence The Mexican War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de México, links=no, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821) was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was not a single, co ...
, the Mexican government used land grants to encourage settlement, but very few settled in the area. By 1836, the area was entirely populated by Indians. Between the Texas Revolution and the Mexican War, the area of present-day La Salle County lay in the disputed area between the
Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...
and the
Nueces River The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, about long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande. ''Nueces'' ...
. Desperadoes ruled the area, as neither the Mexican government nor 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 ...
could gain control. The
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...
assigned the
Nueces Strip The Nueces Strip or Wild Horse Desert is the area of South Texas between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. According to the narrative of Mexican missionary Juan Agustín Morfi, there were so many wild horses swarming in the Nueces Strip in 1 ...
to Texas in 1848, but outlaws and hostile Indians delayed settlement of the area. La Salle County was officially formed in 1858 from the Bexar District. The first settlements were established on the road from Laredo to
San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...
. In 1852, the Army established Fort Ewell near present-day Artesia Wells, where the road crossed the Nueces River, to protect travelers on the road. The fort was abandoned in 1854, and the remaining inhabitants moved to the settlement of Guajoco, located one and a half miles from the fort. By 1871, around 60 people lived in Guajoco, mostly of Mexican descent. In 1856, William A. Waugh of
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
established a ranch where the San Antonio–Laredo road crossed Cibolo Creek. His ranch headquarters became a stopping point for travelers, and in 1879, a post office was established there with the name Waugh's Rancho. Iuka, an early settlement located 8 miles west of present-day
Cotulla Cotulla ( ) is a city in and the county seat of La Salle County, Texas, United States. Its population was 3,718 as of the 2020 census. History Immigrant Joseph Cotulla, who was reared in Silesia, then a part of Prussia, migrated to the Unite ...
, was established in 1868 by several families and served as a stage stop and marketplace for cattle buyers. The settlement established a post office in 1880. In 1870, the population of La Salle County was 69, and by 1880, it was 789. La Salle County was formally organized in 1880 and Stuart's Rancho, near Guajoco, was designated the county seat. In the early 1880s, the International-Great Northern Railroad laid tracks to the county. Around this time, outlaws were gradually eliminated from the area, and the last Indian raid happened in 1878. These changes help bring stability to the county. With the arrival of the railroads, settlements such as Iuka and Guajoco were abandoned as inhabitants moved near the railroad tracks. Polish immigrant Joseph Cotulla arrived in La Salle County in 1868 and eventually established a large ranching operation. In 1881, Cotulla donated 120 acres of his land to the railroad for the townsite of Cotulla, and the railroad built a depot there in 1882. While Cotulla continued to develop his town, Iuka's postmaster, Jesse Laxton, developed a townsite just across the tracks named La Salle. La Salle was granted a post office in 1881, and in 1882, was designated the temporary county seat. However, Cotulla became the county seat by
special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-larges ...
in 1883.


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 (0.5%) are covered by water.


Major highways

* * * * * * * * * *


Adjacent counties

* Frio County (north) * Atascosa County (northeast) *
McMullen County McMullen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 600, making it the fourth-least populous county in Texas. Its county seat is Tilden. The county was established from parts of Bexar Count ...
(east) *
Webb County Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 267,114. Its county seat is Laredo. The county was named after James Webb (1792–1856), who served as secretary of the treasury, secreta ...
(south) *
Dimmit County Dimmit County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 8,615. The county seat is Carrizo Springs, Texas, Carrizo Springs. The county was fou ...
(west) * Zavala County (northwest)


Demographics

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 6,664 people, 2,142 households, and 1,659 families residing in the county. 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, 5,866 people, 1,819 households, and 1,351 were 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 4 people per mi2 (2/km2). The 2,436 housing units averaged 2 per mi2 (1/km2). The
racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 81.47% White, 3.55% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 12.21% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. About 77.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,819 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were not families. About 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89, and the average family size was 3.45. In the county, the age distribution was 29.4% under 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $21,857, and for a family was $25,494. Males had a median income of $20,856 versus $17,339 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 $9,692. About 28.20% of families and 29.80% 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 38.50% of those under age 18 and 24.80% of those age 65 or over. The county's ''per capita'' income makes it one of the poorest counties in the United States, yet the average income of the top 1% highest earners in the county was $6,021,357, one of the highest in the United States.


Education

Most of La Salle County is served by the
Cotulla Independent School District Cotulla Independent School District is a public school district based in Cotulla, Texas, USA. In addition to Cotulla, the district serves most of La Salle County, including the city of Encinal and the community of Fowlerton. In 2009, the scho ...
. The
Dilley Independent School District Dilley Independent School District is a public school district based in Dilley, Texas ( USA). Located in Frio County, a portion of the district extends into La Salle County. In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable" by ...
serves a small portion of northwestern La Salle County. The designated community college is
Southwest Texas Junior College Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) is a Public college, public community college with four campuses serving 11 counties in southwest Texas: unincorporated area, unincorporated Uvalde County, Texas, Uvalde County (next to Uvalde, Texas, Uvalde ...
.


Communities


Cities

*
Cotulla Cotulla ( ) is a city in and the county seat of La Salle County, Texas, United States. Its population was 3,718 as of the 2020 census. History Immigrant Joseph Cotulla, who was reared in Silesia, then a part of Prussia, migrated to the Unite ...
(county seat) * Encinal


Census-designated place

* Fowlerton


Unincorporated communities

* Artesia Wells *
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
* Millett


Ghost town

*
Dull Dull may refer to: __NOTOC__ Places * Dull, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, United Kingdom, a village * Dull, Ohio, United States, an unincorporated community * Dull, Texas, United States, a ghost town People * Jack Dull (1930–1995), American prof ...


Notable people

O. Henry, the famous short-story writer, lived and worked on a sheep ranch in La Salle County from 1882 to 1884 before settling in Austin as a pharmacist and bank teller. Ray Keck, the fifth and current president of
Texas A&M International University Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) is a public university in Laredo, Texas. It is part of the Texas A&M University System and home to over 8,500 students each academic semester. TAMIU offers over 70 undergraduate and graduate degrees in f ...
in Laredo, was born in San Antonio and reared in Cotulla, where his father, Ray Keck, Jr., was president of Stockmen's National Bank.


Politics

La Salle County is a solid Democratic stronghold like most of South Texas. Since 1904, the county voted for 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 ...
twice. First in the 1972 Nixon landslide and again in 2020 when
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 ...
flipped the county, claiming 55% of the vote.


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places in La Salle County, Texas This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in La Salle County, Texas. This is intended to be a complete list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in La Salle County, Texas. There ...
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in La Salle County *
Winter Garden Region The Winter Garden Region is an agricultural area in South Texas (USA) located north of Laredo and southwest of San Antonio. The region is centered on four "core" counties - Dimmit, Frio, La Salle, and Zavala, but also includes parts of Atasco ...


References


External links

*
"La Salle County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties
{{Authority control 1880 establishments in Texas Populated places established in 1880 Majority-minority counties in Texas Hispanic and Latino American culture in Texas