Real County, Texas

Real County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,758.[1] The county seat is Leakey.[2] The county is named for Julius Real (1860–1944), a former member of the Texas State Senate. The Alto Frio Baptist Encampment is located in an isolated area of Real County southeast of Leakey.

Real County
County
The Real County Courthouse in Leakey, built in 1918 from local limestone, and renovated in 1978
The Real County Courthouse in Leakey, built in 1918 from local limestone, and renovated in 1978
Map of Texas highlighting Real County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°50′N 99°49′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1913
Named forJulius Real
SeatLeakey
Largest cityCamp Wood
Area
 • Total700 sq mi (2,000 km2)
 • Land699 sq mi (1,810 km2)
 • Water0.9 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,758
 • Density3.9/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district21st
Websitewww.co.real.tx.us
Veterans Memorial at Real County courthouse
The Real County Historical Museum is located in a rustic building in Leakey.
Open gate to a grassy field in Real County

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[3]
  • 1856: John and Nancy Leakey settle in Frio Canyon.[4]
  • 1857: The original Camp Wood is established on the Nueces River near the site of the former San Lorenzo mission.[5]
  • 1864: Lipan Apaches attack the family of George Schwander in the abandoned ruins of the San Lorenzo mission.[6]
  • 1868: Theophilus Watkins, F. Smith and Newman Patterson construct a gravity flow irrigation canal from the Frio River that operates for a century.[7][8]
  • 1879: Indians attack and kill Jennie Coalson, wife of Nic Coalson, and two children at Half Moon Prairie.[9]
  • 1881: Lipan Apaches strike the McLauren home at Buzzard's Roost in the Frio Canyon. Last Indian raid in southwest Texas.[10]
  • 1910: Crop farming declines in the county, livestock ranching gains prominence, in particular angora goats.[9]
  • 1913: On April 3,[11] the Texas state legislature establishes Real County from parts of Edwards, Bandera, and Kerr counties. Leakey is the county seat.[9]
  • 1920: Camp Wood township is founded and becomes a railroad terminus to transport heart cedar.[12]
  • 1924: Charles A. Lindbergh lands in Real County.[13][14]
  • 1948: Farm to Market Road 337 is completed.[9][15]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 700 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 699 square miles (1,810 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.1%) is water.[16]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19201,461—
19302,19750.4%
19402,42010.2%
19502,4792.4%
19602,079−16.1%
19702,013−3.2%
19802,46922.7%
19902,412−2.3%
20003,04726.3%
20103,3098.6%
20202,758−16.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]
1850–2010[18] 2010[19] 2020[20]
Real County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[19] Pop 2020[20] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 2,398 1,940 72.47% 70.34%
Black or African American alone (NH) 20 22 0.60% 0.80%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 23 8 0.70% 0.29%
Asian alone (NH) 2 12 0.06% 0.44%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 12 3 0.36% 0.11%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 1 2 0.03% 0.07%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 39 79 1.18% 2.86%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 814 692 24.60% 25.09%
Total 3,309 2,758 100.00% 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[21] of 2000, 3,047 people, 1,245 households, and 869 families resided in the county. The population density was 4/sq mi (1.5/km2). The 2,007 housing units averaged 3/sq mi (1.2/km2). 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

Unincorporated community

Politics
United States presidential election results for Real County, Texas[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,643 82.90% 320 16.15% 19 0.96%
2016 1,382 82.21% 262 15.59% 37 2.20%
2012 1,236 80.52% 277 18.05% 22 1.43%
2008 1,238 76.04% 375 23.03% 15 0.92%
2004 1,314 79.88% 325 19.76% 6 0.36%
2000 1,146 76.91% 316 21.21% 28 1.88%
1996 845 58.40% 414 28.61% 188 12.99%
1992 787 47.99% 463 28.23% 390 23.78%
1988 795 61.58% 483 37.41% 13 1.01%
1984 1,004 73.34% 360 26.30% 5 0.37%
1980 832 57.26% 603 41.50% 18 1.24%
1976 448 46.23% 510 52.63% 11 1.14%
1972 483 75.23% 150 23.36% 9 1.40%
1968 290 41.25% 277 39.40% 136 19.35%
1964 255 34.32% 487 65.55% 1 0.13%
1960 377 57.73% 273 41.81% 3 0.46%
1956 350 64.70% 191 35.30% 0 0.00%
1952 450 59.76% 303 40.24% 0 0.00%
1948 156 25.32% 446 72.40% 14 2.27%
1944 163 29.69% 326 59.38% 60 10.93%
1940 126 21.76% 453 78.24% 0 0.00%
1936 55 20.75% 210 79.25% 0 0.00%
1932 89 20.99% 335 79.01% 0 0.00%
1928 479 83.02% 98 16.98% 0 0.00%
1924 300 60.24% 188 37.75% 10 2.01%
1920 111 35.92% 177 57.28% 21 6.80%
1916 14 4.93% 242 85.21% 28 9.86%

Education

School districts include:[23]

The designated community college is Southwest Texas Junior College.[24]

See also

References
  1. "Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Chipman, Donald E. "San Lorenzo de la Santa Cruz Mission". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  4. "John Leakey". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  5. Minton, John. "Original Camp Wood". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  6. Michno, Gregory and Susan (2007). A Fate Worse Than Death: Indian Captivities in the West 1830-1885. Caxton Press. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-87004-451-9.
  7. Lewis, Sallie. "Theophilus Watkins". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  8. Minton, John. "Rio Frio, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  9. Minton, John. "Real County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  10. "Site of McLauren Massacre - Leakey, Real County, Texas". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  11. "The Formation of Real County" Archived 2013-12-07 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Minton, John. "Camp Wood Township". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  13. Cox, Mike. "Lindbergh". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  14. "Charles A. Lindbergh in Texas - Camp Wood, Real County, Texas". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  15. "FM337". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  16. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  17. "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  18. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  19. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  20. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Real County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  21. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  23. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Real County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022. - Text list
  24. Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
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