Medina County, Texas

History

The county is named after the Medina River, which was named in 1689 after Spanish cartographer Pedro de Medina by Spanish explorer Alonso de Leon, the first European to encounter the river. Because Pedro de Medina derived his surname from the Andalusian city of Medina-Sidonia, the name Medina comes from the Arabic for city.

The Texas Legislature formed Medina County on February 12, 1848, and enlarged it on February 1, 1850, using land taken from Bexar County. Castroville was the county seat, and the county erected the first permanent courthouse there in 1854. The county seat moved to Hondo in 1892, and a new courthouse was completed there in 1893.

Texas-Indian Wars

The county was home to tribes such as the Lipan Apache, Coahuiltecan, and Tonkawa.

The county was subject to frequent Comanche and Kiowa raids during the early-late 1800s. Battles like the Battle of Seco Creek in 1838 highlight the conflicts with Native Americans in the county. In 1862, Comanches kidnapped 3 children 10 miles south of Bandera. Also, in 1866, Lipan Apaches killed and kidnapped 2 young settlers on Hondo Creek. On June 11, 1873, Comanches attacked four settlers on Verde Creek near modern day Hondo. By 1875, the Comanches were done raiding the county. Although the Comanche were gone, other tribes, like the Lipan Apaches and Kickapoos still were raiding the county. The last Indian raid in the county happened on April 22, 1877, when 19-year-old Joe Wilton was killed by Kickapoo Indians at Black Creek near Devine, marking the end of the American Indian Wars In Medina County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1335 sqmi, of which 9.2 sqmi (0.7%) are covered by water.

Major highways

• [[Image:I-35 (TX).svg|20px]] Interstate 35
• [[Image:US 90.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 90
• [[Image:Texas 16.svg|20px]] State Highway 16
• [[Image:Texas 132.svg|20px]] State Highway 132
• [[Image:Texas 173.svg|20px]] State Highway 173

Adjacent counties

• Bandera County (north)
• Bexar County (east)
• Atascosa County (southeast)
• Frio County (south)
• Uvalde County (west)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–2010 2010 2020

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 50,748. The median age was 40.8 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 105.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 62.8% White, 2.7% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 12.0% from some other race, and 21.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 50.2% of the population.

15.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 84.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 17,359 households in the county, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 56.3% were married-couple households, 16.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 19,594 housing units, of which 11.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.0% were owner-occupied and 19.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 39,304 people, 12,880 households, and 10,136 families were residing in the county. The population density was 30 /mi2. The 14,826 housing units had an average density of 11 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 79.38% White, 2.20% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 14.48% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races. About 45.47% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 12,880 households, 39.1% had children under 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.30% were not families. About 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the county, the age distribution was 29.0% under 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.60 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 104.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,063, and for a family was $40,288. Males had a median income of $27,045 versus $21,734 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,210. About 12.00% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.80% of those under age 18 and 15.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Castroville
• Devine
• Hondo (county seat)
• LaCoste
• Lytle (mostly in Atascosa County and a small part in Bexar County)
• Natalia
• San Antonio (mostly in Bexar County and a small part in Comal County)

Census-designated places

• D'Hanis
• Lake Medina Shores (partly in Bandera County)
• Yancey

Unincorporated communities

• Dunlay
• Mico
• Pearson
• Rio Medina

Ghost towns

• New Fountain
• Quihi

Education

School districts include:

• D'Hanis Independent School District
• Devine Independent School District
• Hondo Independent School District
• Lytle Independent School District
• Medina Valley Independent School District
• Natalia Independent School District
• Northside Independent School District
• Utopia Independent School District

The designated community college is Southwest Texas Junior College.

Gallery

Image:Hondo Creek, Medina County, TX IMG_3309.JPG|Hondo Creek is located south of Hondo. Image:Entrance to Hondo Creek Ranch, Medina County, TX IMG_3312.JPG|Entrance to Hondo Creek Ranch Image:Medina County, TX, Museum IMG_3302.JPG|The Medina County Museum is located off U.S. Route 90 in Hondo. Image:Medina County, TX, Jail IMG_3298.JPG|The Medina County Jail Image:Medina, TX, Electric Cooperative IMG_3299.JPG|Medina Electric Cooperative in Hondo Image:Scorched corn fields, Castroville, TX, 2011 IMG_3231.JPG|Scorched cornfield in Castroville Image:Medina Valley United Methodist Church, Castroville, TX IMG 3236.JPG|Medina Valley United Methodist Church in Castroville

Politics

References

References

1. "Medina County, Texas".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcm10 Ruben E. Ochoa, "Medina County"], ''Handbook of Texas Online'', accessed August 3, 2010
4. "GENERAL ALONSO DE LEÓN'S EXPEDITION DIARIES INTO TEXAS (1686-1690): A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE SPANISH MANUSCRIPTS WITH SEMIPALEOGRAPHIC TRANSCRIPTIONS AND ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS".
5. "Medina County". Texas State Historical Association.
6. "Home {{!}} UTA Libraries".
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8. "Last Person Killed by Indians in Medina County Historical Marker".
9. "Tells of an Indian Raid of Zavala County, Texas".
10. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Decennial Census by Decade". [[US Census Bureau]].
12. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac.
13. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Medina County, Texas".
14. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Medina County, Texas".
15. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Medina County, Texas".
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
18. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
19. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
20. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Medina County, TX". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
21. [https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
23. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".