Atascosa, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Atascosa, Texas
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 Atascosa, Texas
Location in Texas
Atascosa, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Bexar |
| Area | |
| • Total | 41.97 sq mi (108.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 650 ft (200 m) |
| • Density | 208/sq mi (80/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78002
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| Area code(s) | 210 & 726 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1379369 |
Atascosa (say it: AT-əs-KOH-sə) is a small place in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's not an official city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county. In 2000, about 300 people lived there. Atascosa is also part of the bigger San Antonio area.
Contents
History of Atascosa
The name "Atascosa" comes from the Spanish word for "boggy." This means the land might have been marshy or muddy. People first started settling here after the American Civil War.
In 1872, Atascosa got its own post office. By 1885, the community had a church, a general store, and places where blacksmiths worked. About 180 people lived there then.
Around 1900, a coal mine and a place that made pottery opened. In the mid-1930s, Atascosa had a church, a lodge, and several stores. The population stayed around 300 people. By the early 1990s, there were four businesses. In 2000, the number of businesses grew to 47, and the population remained the same.
Where is Atascosa?
Atascosa is located about 14 miles southwest of downtown San Antonio. You can find it between two other towns, Von Ormy and Lytle. It's near I-35, on Old Pearsall Road at Jarratt Road.
People of Atascosa
In 2010, about 8,735 people lived in the Atascosa area. Most of the people living here are Hispanic, making up about 82% of the population. The rest of the population includes people who identify as White, African American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander.
Schools in Atascosa
Students in Atascosa go to schools in the Southwest ISD. McNair Middle School and Elm Creek Elementary are both located in Atascosa. For high school, students attend Southwest High School in San Antonio. Atascosa has had schools since at least 1885.
Farming and Animals
Atascosa has a lot of farms. In 2007, there were over 70 farms growing crops. Some of these farms were quite large. There were also more than 125 farms raising animals. Many people in the area raise animals like cattle, horses, goats, pigs, peacocks, and other kinds of poultry.
Utilities and Services
CPS Energy provides electricity to the homes and businesses in Atascosa. The water for the area comes from the Atascosa Rural Water Supply. This water supply is located near Jarratt Road and Pearsall.
Notable Person
- Augustus McCloskey was a former U.S. Representative. He went to school in Atascosa when he was younger.
