Medina County, Texas
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Medina County is a
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located 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: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,748. 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
Hondo Hondo may refer to: Places * Rio Hondo (disambiguation), the name of several locations, derived from the Spanish word for "deep" Canada * Hondo, Alberta, an unincorporated community United States * Hondo, New Mexico, an unincorporated co ...
. The county is named for the
Medina River The Medina River is located in south central Texas, United States, in the Medina Valley. It was also known as the Rio Mariano, Rio San Jose, or Rio de Bagres (Catfish river). Its source is in springs in the Edwards Plateau in northwest Bander ...
. The extreme northern part of the county lies within the Edwards Plateau, which elevates into the Texas Hill Country. The Medina Dam, the fourth largest in the nation when completed in 1913, is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. The
irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
project, creating Medina Lake, was built by 1500 skilled workers who worked in shifts operating 24 hours a day to complete the dam in two years. Medina County is part of the
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= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...
, TX
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
.


History

The county is named after the Medina River, which was named in 1689 after the Spanish cartographer
Pedro de Medina Pedro de Medina (1493 – Seville, 1567) was a Spanish cartographer and author of navigational texts. His well-known ''Arte de navegar'' ("The Art of Navigation", 1545) was the first work published in Spain dealing exclusively with navigational ...
by the Spanish explorer Alonso de Leon, the first European to encounter the river. Because Pedro de Medina derived his surname from the Andalusian city of
Medina-Sidonia Medina Sidonia is a city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, southern Spain. Considered by some to be the oldest city in Europe, it is used as a military defence location because of its elevation. ...
, the name Medina comes from the
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
for city. The
Texas Legislature The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful ar ...
formed Medina county on February 12, 1848, and enlarged it on February 1, 1850, using land taken from
Bexar County Bexar County ( or ; es, Béxar ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,009,324. Bexar County is included in the San Antonio–New Brau ...
. Castroville was the county seat, and the county erected the first permanent courthouse there in 1854. The county seat moved to Hondo in 1892, and a new courthouse was completed there in 1893.


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 (0.7%) is water.


Major highways

*
Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
* U.S. Highway 90 * State Highway 16 * State Highway 132 * State Highway 173


Adjacent counties

* Bandera County (north) *
Bexar County Bexar County ( or ; es, Béxar ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,009,324. Bexar County is included in the San Antonio–New Brau ...
(east) * Atascosa County (southeast) * Frio County (south) * Uvalde County (west)


Demographics

''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.'' 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 in ...
of 2000, there were 39,304 people, 12,880 households, and 10,136 families residing in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...
was 30 people per square mile (11/km2). There were 14,826 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.38%
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 o ...
, 2.20%
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 ...
, 0.68% Native American, 0.33%
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 ...
, 0.05%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 14.48% 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 2.88% from two or more races. 45.47% 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 12,880 households, out of which 39.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.30% were non-families. 18.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.30. In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.00% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,063, and the median income for a family was $40,288. Males had a median income of $27,045 versus $21,734 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 $15,210. About 12.00% of families and 15.40% 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 19.80% of those under age 18 and 15.60% of those age 65 or over.


Communities


Cities

* Castroville * Devine *
Hondo Hondo may refer to: Places * Rio Hondo (disambiguation), the name of several locations, derived from the Spanish word for "deep" Canada * Hondo, Alberta, an unincorporated community United States * Hondo, New Mexico, an unincorporated co ...
(county seat) *
LaCoste Lacoste S.A. is a French company, founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste, and entrepreneur Mangkha. It sells clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels and watches. The company can be recognised by its gree ...
* Lytle (mostly in Atascosa County and a small part in
Bexar County Bexar County ( or ; es, Béxar ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,009,324. Bexar County is included in the San Antonio–New Brau ...
) * Natalia *
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 ...
(mostly in
Bexar County Bexar County ( or ; es, Béxar ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is San Antonio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,009,324. Bexar County is included in the San Antonio–New Brau ...
and a small part in
Comal County Comal County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 161,501. Comal County is known for its rich German-Texan and European history. Its county seat is New Braunfels. ...
)


Census-designated places

* D'Hanis * Lake Medina Shores (partly in Bandera County)


Unincorporated communities

* Dunlay *
Mico People * Mićo Janić (born 1979), Croatian sprint canoer * Mićo Ljubibratić (1839–1889), Serbian revolutionary * Mico Palanca (1978–2019), Filipino actor * Mićo Smiljanić (born 1974), Serbian/Montenegrin footballer * Mićo Stanišić (born ...
*
Pearson Pearson may refer to: Organizations Education *Lester B. Pearson College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada *Pearson College (UK), London, owned by Pearson PLC *Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation) Companies *Pearson PLC, a UK-based int ...
*
Rio Medina Rio Medina or Riomedina is an unincorporated community in Medina County, Texas, United States. It is located approximately six miles north of Castroville and is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2006–07 ...
* Yancey


Ghost towns

* New Fountain * Quihi


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. * D'Hanis Independent School District * Devine Independent School District * Hondo Independent School District * Lytle Independent School District *
Medina Valley Independent School District Medina Valley Independent School District is a public school district based in Castroville, Texas. In addition to LaCoste, the district also serves the city of Castroville and the surrounding area. Located in Medina County, a small portion of t ...
*
Natalia Independent School District Natalia Independent School District is a public school district based in Natalia, Texas ( USA). The district has four campuses - Natalia High (Grades 9-12), Natalia Junior High (Grades 6-8), Natalia Elementary (Grades 2-5), and Natalia Early Chi ...
*
Northside Independent School District Northside Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Leon Valley, Texas. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in the State of Texas. Northside serves of urban landscape, subur ...
*
Utopia Independent School District Utopia Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Utopia, Texas, US. Located in Uvalde County, the district extends into portions of Bandera, Real, and Medina counties. Utopia ISD has one school - Utopia ...
The designated community college is
Southwest Texas Junior College Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC) is a public community college with four campuses serving 11 counties in southwest Texas: unincorporated Uvalde County (next to Uvalde and on the site of Garner Field), Del Rio (northwest portion), next to ...
.Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
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Gallery

Image:Hondo Creek, Medina County, TX IMG_3309.JPG, Hondo Creek is located south of Hondo. Image:Entrance to Hondo Creek Ranch, Medina County, TX IMG_3312.JPG, Entrance to Hondo Creek Ranch Image:Medina County, TX, Museum IMG_3302.JPG, The Medina County Museum is located off
U.S. Route 90 U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...
in Hondo. Image:Medina County, TX, Jail IMG_3298.JPG, The Medina County Jail Image:Medina, TX, Electric Cooperative IMG_3299.JPG, Medina Electric Cooperative in Hondo Image:Scorched corn fields, Castroville, TX, 2011 IMG_3231.JPG, Scorched cornfield in Castroville Image:Medina Valley United Methodist Church, Castroville, TX IMG 3236.JPG, Medina Valley
United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
Church in Castroville


Politics


See also

*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Medina County, Texas This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Medina County, Texas. This is intended to be a complete list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Medina County, Texas. There are ...
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Medina County


References


Further reading

* Holt, Jr., C.L.R. (1959). ''Geology and ground-water resources of Medina County, Texas'' .S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1422 Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. * Castro Colonies Heritage Association, ''The History of Medina County, Texas'', Dallas, TX: National Share Graphics, 1983). * Houston B. Eggen, ''History of Public Education in Medina County, Texas, 1848–1928'' (M.A. thesis, University of Texas, 1950). * Cyril Matthew Kuehne, S.M., ''Ripples from Medina Lake'', San Antonio, TX: Naylor, 1966. * Bobby D. Weaver, ''Castro's Colony: Empresario Development in Texas, 1842–1865'', College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 1985.


External links


''Medina County Profile'' from the Texas Association of Counties
{{authority control 1848 establishments in Texas Populated places established in 1848 Greater San Antonio Majority-minority counties in Texas