Real County, Texas

History

• 1762–1771: Looking for protection from Comanches, Lipan Apache chief El Gran Cabezón persuades Franciscans and the Spanish military to establish San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission on the Nueces River. The mission was abandoned in 1771
• 1856: John and Nancy Leakey settle in Frio Canyon.
• 1857: The original Camp Wood is established on the Nueces River near the site of the former San Lorenzo mission.
• 1864: Lipan Apaches attack the family of George Schwander in the abandoned ruins of the San Lorenzo mission.
• 1868: Theophilus Watkins, F. Smith and Newman Patterson construct a gravity flow irrigation canal from the Frio River that operates for a century.
• 1879: Indians attack and kill Jennie Coalson, wife of Nic Coalson, and two children at Half Moon Prairie.
• 1881: Lipan Apaches strike the McLauren home at Buzzard's Roost in the Frio Canyon. Last Indian raid in southwest Texas.
• 1910: Crop farming declines in the county, livestock ranching gains prominence, in particular angora goats.
• 1913: On April 3, the Texas state legislature establishes Real County from parts of Edwards, Bandera, and Kerr counties. Leakey is the county seat.
• 1920: Camp Wood township is founded and becomes a railroad terminus to transport heart cedar.
• 1924: Charles A. Lindbergh lands in Real County.
• 1948: Farm to Market Road 337 is completed.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 700.1 sqmi, of which 699 sqmi is land and 0.9 sqmi (0.1%) is water.

Major highways

• [[Image:US 83.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 83
• [[Image:Texas 41.svg|20px]] State Highway 41
• [[Image:Texas 55.svg|20px]] State Highway 55
• [[Image:Texas RM 337.svg|20px]] Ranch to Market Road 337

Adjacent counties

• Edwards County (west)
• Kerr County (northeast)
• Bandera County (east)
• Uvalde County (south)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1850–2010 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,758. The median age was 56.3 years, with 17.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 34.3% of residents 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 80.2% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.6% from some other race, and 11.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 25.1% of the population.

There were 1,164 households in the county, of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.8% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,656 housing units, of which 29.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.7% were owner-occupied and 19.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%.

Racial and ethnic composition

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 3,047 people, 1,245 households, and 869 families resided in the county. The population density was 4 /mi2. The 2,007 housing units averaged 3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 91.40% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.01% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were about 22.58% of the population.

Of the 1,245 households, 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were not families. About 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was distributed as 23.40% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 21.50% from 25 to 44, 28.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,118, and for a family was $29,839. Males had a median income of $21,076 versus $18,352 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,321. About 17.40% of families and 21.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.60% of those under age 18 and 15.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Camp Wood
• Leakey (county seat)

Unincorporated community

• Rio Frio

Politics

Education

School districts include:

• Leakey Independent School District
• Nueces Canyon Consolidated Independent School District
• Utopia Independent School District
• Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District

The designated community college is Southwest Texas Junior College.

References

References

1. "Real County, Texas".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Chipman, Donald E. "San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission". Texas State Historical Association.
4. "John Leakey". William Nienke, Sam Morrow.
5. Minton, John. "Original Camp Wood". Texas State Historical Association.
6. Michno, Gregory and Susan. (2007). "A Fate Worse Than Death: Indian Captivities in the West 1830-1885". Caxton Press.
7. Lewis, Sallie. "Theophilus Watkins". Texas State Historical Association.
8. Minton, John. "Rio Frio, Texas". Texas State Historical Association.
9. Minton, John. "Real County, Texas". Texas State Historical Association.
10. "Site of McLauren Massacre - Leakey, Real County, Texas". William Nienke, Sam Morrow.
11. [http://www.realcounty1913.com/history.html "The Formation of Real County"] {{webarchive. link. (December 7, 2013)
12. Minton, John. "Camp Wood Township". Texas State Historical Association.
13. Cox, Mike. "Lindbergh". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
14. "Charles A. Lindbergh in Texas - Camp Wood, Real County, Texas". William Nienke, Sam Morrow.
15. "FM337". Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC.
16. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
17. "Decennial Census by Decade". [[US Census Bureau]].
18. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac.
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
20. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
21. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
22. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Real County, Texas".
23. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Real County, Texas".
24. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Real County, Texas".
25. "Explore Census Data".
26. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
27. (November 5, 2024). "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)".
28. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Real County, TX". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
29. [https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]