Tarpley is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Bandera County,

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 ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. According to the

Handbook of Texas The ''Handbook of Texas'' is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). History The original ''Handbook'' was the brainchild of TSHA President Wal ...

, the community had a population of 30 in 2000. It 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= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

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 town, incorporate ...

History

A post office named Hondo Cañon opened in 1878 near Williams Creek. In 1899, it was moved further south and renamed Tarpley after the postmaster's son. In 1900, a store and

blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...

were attached to the post office and in 1902 a Baptist church opened. By 1925, the community had a population of 25, rising to 40 in 1984. In 1990 and 2000, Tarpley's population was 30. In recent years, Tarpley has become known as the site of the famous Mac & Ernie's Roadside Eatery. Although it is unincorporated, Tarpley has a post office, with the zip code 78883.

Geography

Tarpley is located at the junction of Farm to Market Roads 462 and 470 on Williams Creek, about 12 miles southwest of

Bandera Bandera - from a Spanish word meaning a ''flag'' - may refer to: Places * Bandera County, Texas ** Bandera, Texas, its county seat ** Bandera Creek, a river in Texas, with its source near Bandera Pass ** Bandera Pass, a mountain pass in Bandera C ...

in south-central Bandera County.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Tarpley has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Tarpley, Texas
/ref>

Education

Tarpley's school opened in 1902. The

Bandera Independent School District Bandera Independent School District is a public school district based in Bandera, Texas (USA). In addition to Bandera, the district also serves the communities of Lakehills, Bandera Falls, Pipe Creek, and Tarpley. Finances As of the 2010- ...

serves area students.

References

Unincorporated communities in Texas Unincorporated communities in Bandera County, Texas Greater San Antonio {{BanderaCountyTX-geo-stub