Bandera County, Texas

The Bandera County is a county located in the state of Texas in the United States. The seat of the county government ( County Seat) is located in Bandera.

Geography

The County is located south of the center of Texas and has an area of 2066 square kilometers, of which 15 square kilometers are water surface. To the west of Sabinal River and east of the Medina River flows. The county is bordered clockwise to the following counties: Kerr County, Kendall County, Bexar County, Medina County, Uvalde County and Real County.

History

Bandera County was formed March 10, 1856 from parts of Bexar County. It was named after Bandera Pass, named after the Spanish word for flag or for a Spanish general named Bandera.

Archaeological findings confirm a first settlement of the area around 10,000 years ago. In the 18th century settled here the Apaches and later Comanches. In March 1854 a group of Mormons reached the County under the leadership of Lyman Wight. This group of 250 members moved to the place of the present Medina Lake. As Wight died before the completion of the colony, most Mormons moved on to Utah. In February 1855, the group of 16 Polish families reached this area and in the same year opened the first store and the first post office. The first two public schools were opened in 1857 and 1858 and 1860, the population had risen to 399 people. The population grew slowly and in 1870 there were already 649 people who lived here. The highest population was 5,332 inhabitants in 1900 to reach and fell steadily over the next 50 years.

As of 1900, the goats and sheep was the largest source of income. 1930 approximately 130,000 goats and 90,000 sheep and 7,700 cattle were only reported. In the same year 470,000 pounds of mohair wool, and 589,000 pounds of virgin wool were produced.

Demographic data

According to the census in 2000 lived in Bandera County 17,645 people in 7,010 households and 5,061 families. The population density was 9 people per square kilometer. The racial the population was made up of 94.02 percent White, 0.33 percent African American, 0.90 percent Native American, 0.28 percent Asian, 0.06 percent of residents from the Pacific Islander, and 2.55 percent from other races groups; 1.86 percent were descended from two or more races. 13.51 percent of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,010 households out of which 29.1 per cent of children or young people who lived with them. 60.8 percent were married couples living together, 7.3 percent were single mothers and 27.8 percent were non-families. 23.2 percent of all households and 9.9 percent had someone living alone at the age of 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.92.

24.7 percent of the population was under 18 years old, 5.8 percent between 18 to 24, 25.7 percent between 25 and 44, 27.6 percent between 45 and 64 and 16.2 percent were 65 years of age or older. The average age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99 males and 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

The median income for a household was $ 39,013, and the median income for a family was $ 45,906. Males have a median income of $ 31,733, women $ 24,451. The per capita income was $ 19,635. 7.7 percent of families and 10.8 percent of the population lived below the poverty line.

Places in County

Bandera
Lake Hills
Medina
Medina Lake
Pipe Creek
Tarpley
Vanderpool

Reserves and Parks

Bandera County Park
Bear Springs Blossom Nature Preserve
Hill Country State Natural Area

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