Menard County, Texas

Menard County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,962.[1] The county seat is Menard.[2] The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1871.[3] It is named for Michel Branamour Menard, the founder of Galveston, Texas.[4]

Menard County
County
The Menard County Courthouse in Menard
The Menard County Courthouse in Menard
Map of Texas highlighting Menard County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°54′N 99°49′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1871
Named forMichel Branamour Menard
SeatMenard
Largest cityMenard
Area
 • Total902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Land902 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)  0.03%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total1,962
 • Density2.2/sq mi (0.84/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district11th
Websiteco.menard.tx.us
Historic Pioneer Rest Cemetery in Menard has graves dating to the 19th century.

History

Around 8000, early Native American inhabitants arrived. Later Native Americans included Comanche and Lipan Apache.[5] In 1757, Father Alonso Giraldo de Terreros founded Presidio San Luis de las Amarillas, as a support for Santa Cruz de San Sabá Mission, for the Apache Indians.[6] In the 1830s, James Bowie and Rezin P. Bowie, scoured the San Saba valley seeking a silver mine that the Spanish had believed to be in the area. They are unsuccessful, but the legend of the Lost Bowie Mine, also known as the Lost San Saba Mine or the Los Almagres Mine, fed the imagination of treasure-seekers for the next 150 years.[7][8]

Camp San Saba was established in 1852 to protect settlers from Indian attacks.[9][10] The state legislature formed Menard County from Bexar County in 1858. The county was named for Michel Branamour Menard, the founder of Galveston. Menardville, later known as Menard, became the county seat.[11]

By 1870, the county population was 667: 295 were white, and 372 were black, possibly due to the Buffalo Soldiers at Fort McKavett.[5][9] The next year, county residents elected their own officials.[5] The county had an immigrant influx from Mexico.[5] In 1911, the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railroad Company arrived.[5] Gas deposits were tapped in 1929, but plugged for lack of a market.[5] The local Parent-Teacher Association offered free lunches for needy children in 1931.[5]

In 1934, the Texas Relief Cannery was in operation. The Drought Relief Program bought cattle and sheep from area ranchers.[5][12] A gas well was redrilled in 1941, and produced about seven million cubic feet of gas.[5] In 1946, a small oilfield was discovered northeast of Fort McKavett, but was abandoned the following year.[5] By the 1960s, oil and gas production had an average annual yield more than 270,000 barrels (43,000 m3).[5] In the 1980s, of the county's 40 oilfields, about 20 were still active, producing 132,000 to 185,000 barrels (29,400 m3) annually.[5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 902 square miles (2,340 km2), of which 902 square miles (2,340 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.03%) is covered by water.[13]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870667—
18801,23985.8%
18901,215−1.9%
19002,01165.5%
19102,70734.6%
19203,16216.8%
19304,44740.6%
19404,5211.7%
19504,175−7.7%
19602,964−29.0%
19702,646−10.7%
19802,346−11.3%
19902,252−4.0%
20002,3604.8%
20102,242−5.0%
20201,962−12.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1850–2010[15] 2010[16] 2020[17]
Menard County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[16] Pop 2020[17] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 1,425 1,231 63.56% 62.74%
Black or African American alone (NH) 11 12 0.49% 0.61%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 6 7 0.27% 0.36%
Asian alone (NH) 3 5 0.13% 0.25%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 3 0.00% 0.15%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 1 8 0.04% 0.41%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 6 34 0.27% 1.73%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 790 662 35.24% 33.74%
Total 2,242 1,962 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

As of the census[18] of 2000, 2,360 people, 990 households, and 665 families resided in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km2). The 1,607 housing units averaged 2 units per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.54% White, 0.51% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.79% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. About 31.69% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 990 households, 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.00% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.80% were not families. Around 30.40% of all households was made up of individuals, and 17.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was distributed as 24.20% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 26.60% from 45 to 64, and 21.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,762, and for a family was $30,872. Males had a median income of $21,953 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,987. About 20.00% of families and 25.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.90% of those under age 18 and 19.10% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Politics
United States presidential election results for Menard County, Texas[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 823 80.06% 197 19.16% 8 0.78%
2016 682 78.94% 154 17.82% 28 3.24%
2012 665 78.33% 171 20.14% 13 1.53%
2008 712 69.94% 295 28.98% 11 1.08%
2004 761 68.99% 331 30.01% 11 1.00%
2000 642 64.85% 334 33.74% 14 1.41%
1996 443 42.47% 490 46.98% 110 10.55%
1992 354 27.72% 553 43.30% 370 28.97%
1988 552 47.14% 614 52.43% 5 0.43%
1984 725 64.44% 394 35.02% 6 0.53%
1980 548 52.19% 489 46.57% 13 1.24%
1976 441 44.10% 543 54.30% 16 1.60%
1972 644 69.92% 273 29.64% 4 0.43%
1968 491 50.57% 362 37.28% 118 12.15%
1964 397 40.30% 588 59.70% 0 0.00%
1960 608 55.32% 491 44.68% 0 0.00%
1956 614 65.88% 318 34.12% 0 0.00%
1952 843 67.87% 399 32.13% 0 0.00%
1948 283 28.41% 663 66.57% 50 5.02%
1944 96 8.56% 776 69.16% 250 22.28%
1940 246 17.57% 1,153 82.36% 1 0.07%
1936 115 13.48% 734 86.05% 4 0.47%
1932 150 14.25% 901 85.57% 2 0.19%
1928 589 71.57% 234 28.43% 0 0.00%
1924 247 42.73% 304 52.60% 27 4.67%
1920 203 47.65% 197 46.24% 26 6.10%
1916 44 12.83% 267 77.84% 32 9.33%
1912 15 7.50% 109 54.50% 76 38.00%

The 1968 movie Journey to Shiloh features a group known as the "Concho County Comanches," and mentions Menard County.

See also

References
  1. "Menard County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 205.
  5. Smyrl, Vivian Elizabeth. "Menard County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  6. Robinson III, Charles M (2003). The Plains Wars 1757-1900. Routledge. pp. 11–13. ISBN 978-0-415-96912-3.
  7. Graves, John; Wyman Meinzer (2002). Texas Rivers. University of Texas Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-0-292-70198-4.
  8. "The Lost San Saba Mines". Tex Files. Archived from the original on April 21, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  9. "Fort McKavett". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  10. Parent, Laurence (1997). Official Guide to Texas State Parks. University of Texas Press. pp. 71–72. ISBN 978-0-292-76575-7.
  11. "Menard, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  12. "Texas Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes - Article 2372e. Buildings For Canneries For Unemployment Relief". Texas Vernon. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  13. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  14. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  15. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  16. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Menard County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  17. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Menard County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  18. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 27, 2018.

30.90°N 99.82°W / 30.90; -99.82

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