Luling is a city in
Caldwell and
Guadalupe
Guadalupe or Guadeloupe may refer to:
Places Bolivia
* Guadalupe, Potosí Brazil
* Guadalupe, Piauí, a municipality in the state of Piauí
* Guadalupe, Rio de Janeiro, a neighbourhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro Colombia
* Guadalupe, A ...
counties,
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, along the
San Marcos River.
[ The population as of the 2020 census was 5,599.]
History
The town was named after a New York banker, Charles Luling. He was a personal friend of Thomas Wentworth Pierce and provided the financing for the railroad as well the purchase of the land that became Luling.
Luling was founded in 1874 as a railroad town and became a rowdy center for the cattle drivers
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...
on the Chisholm Trail. Contempt of the law by the cowboys helped Luling become known as the "toughest town in Texas". After the great cattle drives ended in the late 1880s, Luling quieted down to a town of about 500 and cotton ruled the local economy. Perhaps due to arrival of immigrants, including a sizeable Jewish population, in the late-19th century, Luling began a long, slow, period of growth, and by 1925 the population reached 1,500.
One of the most significant events in Luling's history was the discovery of oil by Edgar B. Davis. Davis mortgaged everything he owned to finance drilling operations around Luling. On August 9, 1922, the Rafael Rios No. 1 well struck oil at , producing . To repay his loans, Davis contracted each to Atlantic Oil and Magnolia Oil at $.50 a barrel, plus another to Magnolia at $.75 per barrel.
Davis' discovery opened up an oilfield long and wide. The economy quickly moved from the railroad and agriculture to oil. The population of the town rapidly increased to over 5,000. By 1924, the Luling Oil Field was producing over of oil per year, and oil formed much of Luling's economy for the next 60 years.
As oil grew in importance in the 1930s and 1940s, the railroads that helped form the town declined and largely pulled out of Luling.
Geography
Luling is located in southern Caldwell County, south of Austin. The city limits extend south along Texas State Highway 80 across the San Marcos River into Guadalupe County, reaching as far as Interstate 10
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally ...
Exit 628. Via I-10, 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 ...
is to the west and Houston
Houston (; ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in Texas, the Southern United States#Major cities, most populous city in the Southern United States, the List of United States cities by population, fourth-most pop ...
is to the east.
According to the United States 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
An economy is an area of th ...
, Luling has a total area of . of it is land, and , or 0.67%, is water.
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, nota ...
system, Luling has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,599 people, 2,070 households, and 1,570 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 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 ...
, there were 5,411 people, 1,907 households, and 1,315 families residing in Luling. 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 991.6 people per square mile (382.8/km). There were 2,115 housing units at an average density of 391.7/sq mi (150.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 70.8% White
White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
, 8.5% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
, 0.4% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 16.7% some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 52.6% of the population.
There were 1,907 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were headed by 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, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75, and the average family size was 3.36.
In the city, 27.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.3% were from 20 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.
For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $39,157, and the median income for a family was $46,379. 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 city was $21,927. About 17.2% of families and 20.3% 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 ...
, including 30.3% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
The Luling Watermelon
Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 var ...
Thump is held each year during the last full weekend in June. It is a big celebration for the locals and draws many people from out of town as well. A favorite activity associated with the 'Thump' is the watermelon seed spitting contest.
Luling is also home to Night in Old Luling, held in October. It features games, food, booths, and a scarecrow contest.
Also, on the weekend before Halloween each year, Lulingbach is held. 2021 marked the fifth anniversary of this festive weekend featuring a hog roast and shooting competitions.
Some of the oil jacks along the main streets of Luling are decorated with whimsical characters, such as a girl eating a watermelon.
The Luling Dry Tri. is an annual event held in September. It is an athletic contest comprising three consecutive events: biking 12 miles, running 3.23 miles and paddling 6 miles. A no swim triathlon (Dry Tri) where anyone may participate either solo, as a two-person tag-team or three-person relay team. The event benefits several local groups, including the Luling Police and Fire Departments, and the Luling High School Cross Country Team.
Education
Notable people
* Emory Bellard, college football coach
* Bo Burris, NFL player
* Jennie Everton Clarke
Jennie Everton Clarke (July 20, 1862 – January 15, 1929) was an American woman who founded the Belle Haven Orphan home in Luling, Texas, in 1899. In addition to running the orphanage, she was also active in the temperance movement.
Biography
...
, founder of the Belle Haven Orphan home
* Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn (born December 9, 1952) is an American actor best known for his role as the Klingon Worf in the '' Star Trek'' franchise. He has appeared more times as a regular cast member than any other ''Star Trek'' actor in the franchise's hist ...
, actor
* Tamron Hall, journalist and television talk show host
* Obert Logan, NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
football player for the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
and New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
* Craig Mager
Craig Mager (born June 11, 1992) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Texas State. As a senior in 2014, Mager earned Second-team All-Sun Belt Conference. He attended Luling High School, where he played footb ...
, NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
football player for the Denver Broncos
* Marshall W. Mason, Broadway director
* Riley Odoms, NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
football player for the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
References
External links
*
City of Luling official website
Luling Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control
Cities in Caldwell County, Texas
Cities in Guadalupe County, Texas
Cities in Texas
Cities in Greater Austin
Populated places established in 1874
1874 establishments in Texas