Hays County, Texas

Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008, its population was 149,476. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos^[1].

History Timeline

• 6000 b.c. Paleo-Indians first inhabitants.^[2]

• 1200 a.d. Tonkawa tribe involved in agriculture.

• 1519-1685 Hernando Cortez and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda claim Texas for Spain.

• 1685-1690 France plants its flag on Texas soil, but departs after only five years.^[3]

• 1690 Alonso de León first to travel the Old San Antonio Road to establish missions for Spain.

• 1691 Domingo Terán de los Ríos expedition to establish additional missions.

• 1709 Father Isidro Félix de Espinosa, Father Antonio de San Buenaventura y Olivares and Pedro de Aguirre expedition.

• 1714 French-Canadian explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis attacked by Comanches

• 1755 Mission San Francisco Xavier de los Dolores established among Apache tribe.

• 1821 Mexico claims its independence from Spain. Anglos from the north settle in Texas and claim Mexican citizenship

• 1829, September 15 - Mexican President Vicente Ramon Guerrero, himself an ex-slave of Spanish, African and Native American descent, emancipates all slaves within the Republic of Mexico:^[4][5]

1st - Slavery is abolished in the republic.

2nd - Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free.

3rd - When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide. And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated.

Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829.

Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra

• 1831 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant to Juan Martín de Veramendi.

• 1832 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant to Juan Vicente Campos.

• 1834 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant to Thomas Jefferson Chambers ^[6] .

• 1835 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant to the first Anglo, Thomas G. McGhee of Tennessee.^[7] .

• 1836

March 2 - Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico establishes the Republic of Texas.

March 6 - The Alamo falls.

April 21•22 - Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.

May 14 - Santa Anna signs the Treaties of Velasco.

• 1845, December 29 - Texas Annexation by the United States

• 1846, May 13 - The United States Congress officially declares war on Mexico.

• 1848

February 2 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ends the Mexican-American War.

March 1 - The legislature forms Hays County from Travis. The county is named for Tennessee transplant Captain John Coffee Hays of the Texas Rangers. San Marcos is named as the county seat.

• 1858

The legislature establishes Blanco from part of Hays, but incorporates part of Comal into Hays.

Risher and Hall Stage Lines ^[8], controls 16 of 31 passenger and mail lines.in Texas.

• 1861

County favors secession from the Union.

February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union

March 2 - Texas joins the Confederate States of America

• 1862 The legislature transfers more of Comal County to Hays.

• 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation.^[9]

• 1865

April 9 • Robert E. Lee formally surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House.

April 15 • President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.

June 19 • Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of all slaves. It is the first time African Americans in Texas know of the Emancipation. The date becomes celebrated annually in Texas as Juneteenth, and later as an official state holiday known as Emancipation Day.^[10]

December 6 • The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits slavery.

• 1867 First cattle drive from Hays County to Kansas.

• 1870, March 30 - The United States Congress readmits Texas into the Union.

• 1880 International-Great Northern Railroad completed from Austin to San Marcos.

• 1896 Camp Ben McCulloch, named after Brigadier General, was organized for reunions of United Confederate Veterans.

• 1899 Teacher’s college Southwest Texas State Normal School is established in San Marcos.

• 1900 Wonder Cave opens to the public.

• 1908 Current Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos erected. Beaux-Arts style by Architect C.H. Page & Bros.^[11]

• 1928 Aquarena Springs tourist site opens in San Marcos.

• 1930 Lyndon Baines Johnson graduates from Southwest Texas State Teachers College.

• 1942 San Marcos Army Air Field begins construction.

• 1953 San Marcos Army Air Field is renamed Gary Air Force Base to honor Second Lieutenant Arthur Edward Gary, the first San Marcos resident killed in World War II.

• 1955 State legislature re-surveys the Hays and Travis county lines, adding 16,000 acres to Hays.

• 1964 U.S. President Lyndon Johnson announces establishment of a Job Corps center based at the deactivated Gary Air Force Base.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 680 square miles (1,761 km²), of which, 678 square miles (1,756 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) of it (0.28%) is water.

Major highways

• Interstate 35
• U.S. Highway 290
• State Highway 21
• State Highway 80

Adjacent counties

• Travis County (northeast)
• Caldwell County (southeast)
• Guadalupe County (south)
• Comal County (southwest)
• Blanco County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census^[12] of 2008, there were 149,476 people, 51,265 households, and 22,150 families residing in the county. The population density was 144 people per square mile (56/km²). There were 55,643 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.92% White, 3.68% Black or African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 13.36% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races. 29.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 33,410 households out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.50% under the age of 18, 20.50% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 19.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 101.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,006, and the median income for a family was $56,287. Males had a median income of $35,209 versus $27,334 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,931. About 6.40% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.30% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Austin (primarily in Travis County)^[13]
• Bear Creek
• Buda
• Driftwood (unincorporated)
• Dripping Springs
• Hays
• Kyle
• Mountain City
• San Marcos
• Wimberley
• Woodcreek

Education

In the eastern portion of the county, students in kindergarten through high school grade levels attend Hays Consolidated Independent School District (Hays CISD). The Hays CISD website can be found at hayscisd.net. As of 2009, there are three high schools, five middle schools, and eleven elementary schools.

In Hays CISD, there are 5 middle schools

• Barton Middle School, Home of the Bobcats, located in Kyle.
• Dahlstrom Middle School, Home of the Mustangs, located in Buda.
• Wallace Middle School, Home of the Rangers, located in Kyle.
• Chapa Middle School, Home of the Cougars, located in Kyle.
• Simon Middle School, Home of the Wolverines, located in kyle.

One of the high schools is Hays High School, located between Buda and Kyle. Enrollment for the 2004•2005 school year is approximately 2,000. School days are divided into seven 50 minute periods with 5 minute passing periods. Tardy students are sent to a "tardy room" for the period. The school has recently expanded, with a new building being added between the two older buildings.

Higher education in Hays County includes one four-year institution, Texas State University that is located in San Marcos. There are three Distance Learning Centers that are operated by Austin Community College. These centers offer basic and Early College Start classes along with testing centers for online classes.

Other school districts in Hays county include the San Marcos Consolidated, Dripping Springs and Wimberley ISDs.

Gallery

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ Handbook of Texas, Hays County
3. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas
4. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero
5. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence
6. ^ Handbook of Texas, Thomas Jefferson Chambers
7. ^ Handbook of Texas, Thomas G. McGehee
8. ^ Western State Coach Travel
9. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation
10. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth
11. ^ Texas Escapes, Hays County Courthouse
12. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
13. ^ "City of Austin Full Purpose Jurisdiction". City of Austin. 2006-03-09. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/annexation/downloads/annex_by_decade.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-01.

Further reading

• DeCook, K.J. (1963). Geology and ground-water resources of Hays County, Texas [U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1612]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

External links

• Hays County government's website
• Hays County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• HaysWeb - Hays County Information
• Hays County Historical Commission

Coordinates: 30°04′N 98°02′W / 30.06°N 98.03°W

Categories: Texas counties | Hays County, Texas | Austin • Round Rock metropolitan area