Val Verde County, Texas

Val Verde County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008, estimated population was 55,000. Its county seat is Del Rio.^[1]

Val Verde, which means "green valley", was named for a Civil War battle. In 1862, soldiers of Sibley's Brigade took part in the Texas invasion of New Mexico Territory, where they captured several artillery pieces at the Battle of Val Verde. The battle is memorialized both in the name of the county and a small settlement in Milam County.

The Del Rio Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Val Verde County.

Judge Roy Bean (1825•1903) operated a general store and saloon west of the Pecos River in Langtry, where the original Bean building is displayed at a Texas Tourist Bureau station. Bean and his son are interred on the grounds of the Whitehead Memorial Museum in Del Rio. Bean is the subject of the 1956 syndicated television series Judge Roy Bean, starring Edgar Buchanan, and the 1972 film, The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, with Paul Newman in the featured role.

History Timeline

• First inhabitants were 6,000•10,000 years ago and later came to include Lipan Apache, Coahuiltecan, Jumanos, Tamaulipans and Comanches.^[2]

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

• 1535 Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca Explorations for Spain.

• 1590 Spanish explorer Gaspar Castaño de Sosa leads a mining expedition of 170 who pass through Devils Draw.

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

• 1673 Juan Larios opens a mission school at between Del Rio and Eagle Pass.

• 1675 Traveling Franciscan priests celebrate Mass at San Felipe.

• 1690-1821 Spanish missions and settlements flourish in Texas.

• 1736 Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón leads100 soldiers along the Devils River in pursuit of Apaches.

• 1767 Spanish nobleman Cayetano Pignatelli, 3rd Marquis of Rubí makes an inspection tour of Texas.

• 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

• 1834 James Grant and John Charles Beales establish settlement on San Felipe Creek, which becomes undesirable due to Indian attacks.

• 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.

• 1849 Whiting and Smith expedition surveys Texas for the United States.

• 1850’s Military bases to protect against Indian attacks include Camp Blake, Camp Hudson and Camp San Felipe.

• 1860 Population of 2,874, includes 108 blacks and 1,103 foreign-born.

• 1861

February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union

March 2 - Texas joins the Confederate States of America

• 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation. ^[6]

• 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. ^[7]

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

• 1868 San Felipe community is established.

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

• 1869 through 1882 Seminole Negro Indian Scouts (mixed heritage Seminoles with African blood) under John Lapham Bullis, namesake of Camp Bullis ^[8], defend the Texas border against Indian attack.^[9]

• 1883

Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway is completed.^[10]

Frank Qualia establishes Val Verde winery.

• 1884 Langtry community established

• 1885

Val Verde County is organized from Crockett, Kinney, and Pecos counties.

Roy Bean elected justice of the peace in Langtry, operating out of the Jersey Lily Saloon and becoming renowned as “the Law West of the Pecos”.

• 1886 Juno and Devils River communities established

• 1888 Comstock community established

• 1889 Norris community established

• 1928 Lake Hamilton Dam complete

• 1929 Lake Walk Dam complete

• 1942, July 2 - Laughlin Field/Laughin Army Air Field opens to train World War II pilots.

• 1945, October - Laughlin Field closes.

• 1952, May 1 - Laughlin Field reopens as Laughlin Air Force Base, and serves as a secret U2 unit. Major Rudolph Anderson, a U-2 pilot from Laughlin, is the only casualty of the Cuban Missile Crisis.^[11][12]

• 1969 Armistad Dam and Reservoir complete

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,232 square miles (8,372 km²), of which, 3,170 square miles (8,211 km²) of it is land and 62 square miles (161 km²) of it (1.92%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 90
• U.S. Highway 277
• U.S. Highway 377
• State Highway 163
• State Loop 79 is currently under construction in Val Verde County & Del Rio. It will connect with U.S. Highway 90, U.S. Highway 277 and U.S. Highway 377. The Loop is expected to create an economic boom that will bring in well known National name brand Hotels, retail stores and restaurant establishments to the area.

Adjacent counties and municipios

• Crockett County (north)
• Sutton County (northeast)
• Edwards County (east)
• Kinney County (east)
• Terrell County (west)
• Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico (south)
• Jiménez, Coahuila, Mexico (south)

National protected areas

• Amistad National Recreation Area
• Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River (part)

Demographics

As of the census^[13] of 2000, there were 44,856 people, 14,151 households, and 11,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 16,288 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 76.36% White, 1.54% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 18.22% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. 75.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,151 households out of which 42.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.00% were non-families. 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.55.

In the county, the population was spread out with 32.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.

Economy

The median income for a household in the county was $28,376, and the median income for a family was $31,434. Males had a median income of $26,485 versus $18,039 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,096. About 22.10% of families and 26.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 26.40% of them age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Education

The Val Verde County Library in Del Rio serves the county.^[14]

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ Handbook of Texas, Val Verde County [1]
3. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas [2]
4. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero [3]
5. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence [4]
6. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation [5]
7. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth [6]
8. ^ Handbook of Texas, Camp Bullis [7]
9. ^ Texas Escapes, John Bullis [8]
10. ^ Texas Transportation Museum [9]
11. ^ Laughlin Air Force Base [10]
12. ^ Handbook of Texas, Laughlin Air Force Base [11]
13. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
14. ^ Home page. Val Verde County Library. Retrieved on March 26, 2010.

External links

• Val Verde County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Texas Beyond History, Hinds Cave
• Texas Beyond History, Lower Pecos Canyonlands

Coordinates: 29°53′N 101°09′W / 29.89°N 101.15°W

Categories: Texas counties | Val Verde County, Texas | United States counties with Hispanic majority populations >