UVALDE, TX

Uvalde is a city and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,217 at the 2020 census. Uvalde is located in the Texas Hill Country, west of downtown San Antonio and east of the Mexico–United States border.

Name

Uvalde was founded in 1853 as the town of Encina, but was renamed in 1856 as Uvalde. Its name is a mispelling of the Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalusia, 1729–1816).

Pronunciations of the name of the town vary. One common pronunciation is the fully English version , with the English long U, short A, and a silent E at the end. A fully Spanish version is also in common use, using Spanish vowels. There are also pronunciations that combine the English and Spanish versions, such as using the English pronunciation with a pronounced "e" rather than a silent one. The chosen pronunciation often represents a person's connection with the Latino community, with the fully English version sometimes viewed as symbol of historic discrimination against Hispanics.

History

Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde after Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalusia, 1729–1816) and was chosen as county seat. It is the southern limit of the Texas Hill Country and is part of South Texas. Uvalde is known for its production, dating back to the 1870s, of huajillo honey (also spelled guajillo), a mild, light-colored honey.

Uvalde, along with San Antonio, Carrizo Springs, Crystal City, and Corpus Christi, was a major stop on the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad, which operated from 1909 until it was merged into the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1956. From 1909 to 1912, the SAU&G was known as the Crystal City and Uvalde Railroad. The San Antonio-to-Corpus Christi freight route is now within the Union Pacific Railroad system.

On May 24, 2022, 19 children and three adults were killed, and 18 others were injured, in the Robb Elementary School shooting.

Geography

Uvalde is located at the crossroads of U.S. Hwy 90 and U.S. Hwy 83.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Climate

The climate in this region is characterized by hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Uvalde has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa (inclining toward Cwa), on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,217 people, 5,217 households, and 3,663 families residing in the city.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, the population was 15,751.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, 14,929 people, 4,796 households and 3,716 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,220.2 per square mile (857.8/km). The 5,313 housing units averaged 790.1 per square mile (305.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 78.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% White, 0.47% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0% from other races, and 2.97% from two or more races.

Of the 4,796 households, 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were not families; 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.

About 32.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The household median income was $25,259 and for a family was $27,897. Males had a median income of $25,600 compared with $15,674 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,735. About 24.2% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.1% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Uvalde is within the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, which operates Uvalde High School. Southwest Texas Junior College has a campus next to Uvalde on the site of Garner Field. The Garner Field facility also houses a campus of Sul Ross State University.

Arts and culture

The John Nance Garner Museum in Uvalde, which was home to John Nance Garner for 30 years, chronicles his life. Garner served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1931–1933 and as Franklin D. Roosevelt's Vice President from 1933 to 1941. Also in Uvalde are:

Parks and recreation

Uvalde is known as one of the best locations for gliding in the United States. It was the site of the 1991 and 2012 World Gliding Championships. The Uvalde area of the Texas Hill Country is home to many native and exotic species of animals, which allow sportsmen almost year-round hunting opportunities.

Outdoor Life magazine named Uvalde County one of the best white-tailed deer hunting areas in the world.

Notable people