Bandera, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bandera, Texas
City
Downtown Bandera
Flag Logo
Nickname(s):  "Cowboy Capital of the World"
Bandera, Texas Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Bandera
Area
• Total	1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2)
• Land	1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	1,247 ft (380 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	829
• Density	778.55/sq mi (300.49/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	78003
Area code(s)	830
FIPS code	48-05528
GNIS feature ID	2409781

Bandera is a small city in Bandera County, Texas, United States. Its name means "flag" in Spanish. Bandera is the main city of its county. It is located in the Texas Hill Country. This area is part of the Edwards Plateau.

Bandera is about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of San Antonio. It is also about 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Austin, the state capital. In 2020, about 829 people lived there.

Bandera is known as the "Cowboy Capital of the World". This nickname comes from its history. In the 1800s, it was a key place for cattle drives. These drives used the Great Western Cattle Trail.

History of Bandera, Texas

Bandera was started in 1855. It was founded by Polish Roman Catholic immigrants. They came from a region called Province of Silesia. These settlers built the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Many people living in Bandera today are their descendants.

The name Bandera means "flag" in Spanish. No one knows for sure how the town got its name. One idea is that it was named after Bandera Pass.

In the late 1800s, Bandera was an important stop. It was a staging area for the Great Western Cattle Trail. This trail was used to move large groups of cattle.

The Cabaret Dance Hall opened in 1936. Many famous musicians played there. These included Bob Wills and Ernest Tubb. The hall was later closed and torn down.

Bandera hosts a special event called Cowboy Mardi Gras. This three-day festival brings over 15,000 visitors. People come from all over the world to enjoy the cowboy fun.

Geography of Bandera

Bandera is located in the eastern part of Bandera County. It is about 47 miles (76 km) northwest of downtown San Antonio. The city sits along the Medina River.

The city covers a total area of about 1.16 square miles (3.0 km²). Most of this area is land. A very small part, about 0.008 square miles (0.02 km²), is water.

Population of Bandera

The population of Bandera has changed over the years. Here is how many people have lived there during different census years:

People in Bandera (2020 Census)

In 2020, there were 829 people living in Bandera. There were 240 households in the city. About 118 families lived there.

Most people in Bandera are White (not Hispanic). About 73% of the population is in this group. About 22% of the people are Hispanic or Latino. There are also smaller groups of other races.

Education in Bandera

Students in Bandera attend schools in the Bandera Independent School District. The city is home to Bandera High School. The sports teams at Bandera High are called the Bulldogs.

Fun Facts About Bandera

• The city is home to Arkey Blue's Silver Dollar. This is a famous honky-tonk music venue in the Hill Country.

Sister Cities

Bandera has two sister cities. These are cities that have a special partnership.

• Strzelce Opolskie, Poland
• Tysmenytsia, Ukraine

Images for kids

• 

  The First Baptist Church of Bandera

• 

  Entrance to the Frontier Times Museum in Bandera

• 

  Outdoor mural reflects the theme of Bandera as the "Cowboy Capital of the World"

• 

  Motorcyclists in Bandera

• 

  Bandera Courthouse

• 

  Old downtown store

• 

  Old bank on Main St. & older water tower

• 

  Cowboy statue

• 

  Historical marker for the town center

See also

In Spanish: Bandera (Texas) para niños