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Caldwell County, Texas facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Caldwell, Texas.
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Caldwell County
U.S. county
The Caldwell County Courthouse in Lockhart
The Caldwell County Courthouse in Lockhart
Map of Texas highlighting Caldwell County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Founded 1848
Named for Mathew Caldwell
Seat Lockhart
Largest city San Marcos
Area
 • Total 547 sq mi (1,420 km2)
 • Land 545 sq mi (1,410 km2)
 • Water 1.9 sq mi (5 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 45,883
 • Density 83.88/sq mi (32.387/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 27th

Caldwell County is a special area in the state of Texas. In 2020, about 45,883 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Lockhart.

This county was created in 1848. It was named after Mathew Caldwell. He was a brave ranger captain who fought in important battles. He also helped sign the Texas Declaration of Independence. Caldwell County is also part of the larger Greater Austin area.

Discovering Caldwell County's Past

Caldwell County has a long and interesting history. Long ago, around 8000 BC, early people called Paleo-Indians lived here. They were hunter-gatherers, meaning they hunted animals and gathered plants for food. Later, Native American groups like the Tonkawa, Karankawa, and Comanche peoples made this area their home.

Early Settlements and Founding

In 1825, the Mexican government allowed Green DeWitt to start a colony in Texas. This was an important step for the area.

The first settler in the county's oldest town, Prairie Lea, was Edmund Bellinger in 1839. Sam Houston, a famous Texan leader, named the town. He named it after his future wife, Margaret Lea.

In March 1845, Caldwell County was officially formed. It was created from parts of Bastrop and Gonzales Counties. Lockhart was chosen as the county seat.

Growth and Changes in the 1800s

By 1860, the county's population grew to 2,871 people. The town of Fentress was started around this time. It was first called Riverside. Later, it was renamed to honor James Fentress, the town's first doctor.

During the American Civil War, many men from Caldwell County joined the fight. The county saw a lot of changes during this time.

In the 1870s, a new community called St. John Colony was formed. It was started by people who had been slaves. The town of Luling was also established in 1874. It was near an older farming area called Atlanta. People like John and James Merriwether built important mills there. These mills were later known as Zedler's Mills.

Connecting with Railroads

Railroads helped Caldwell County grow a lot.

  • In 1887, the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas railroad finished its tracks. These tracks connected Lockhart to San Marcos.
  • Two years later, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway linked Lockhart and Luling to Shiner.
  • By 1892, the Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad built tracks from Lockhart to Smithville.

These railroads made it easier to transport goods and people.

Farming and Oil Discoveries

From 1880 to 1900, farming was very important in Caldwell County. Many farms were run by tenant farmers. These farmers rented land to grow crops.

In 1922, something big happened: Edgar B. Davis found oil! This discovery created the Luling Oilfield. To help local families, Davis started the Luling Foundation in 1927. This foundation taught farmers new ways to grow different crops.

Parks and Celebrations

Caldwell County also has fun places and traditions.

  • The Lockhart State Park opened in 1948. It's a great place for outdoor activities.
  • In 1953, Luling started its yearly Watermelon Thump celebration. It's a fun festival all about watermelons!

Caldwell County's Location and Roads

Caldwell County covers about 547 square miles. Most of this area is land, with a small part covered by water.

Main Roads in Caldwell County

Several important highways run through Caldwell County. They help people travel and transport goods.

  • I-10 (TX)
    Interstate 10 sign
    Interstate 10
  • US 90
    U.S. Highway 90 sign
    U.S. Highway 90
  • US 183
    U.S. Highway 183 sign
    U.S. Highway 183
  • Texas 80
    Texas State Highway 80 sign
    State Highway 80
  • Toll Texas 130
    Texas State Highway 130 sign
    State Highway 130

Neighboring Counties

Caldwell County shares its borders with several other counties in Texas:

Who Lives in Caldwell County?

The number of people living in Caldwell County has changed over time.

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850 1,329 —
1860 4,481 237.2%
1870 6,572 46.7%
1880 11,757 78.9%
1890 15,769 34.1%
1900 21,765 38.0%
1910 24,237 11.4%
1920 25,160 3.8%
1930 31,397 24.8%
1940 24,893 −20.7%
1950 19,350 −22.3%
1960 17,222 −11.0%
1970 21,178 23.0%
1980 23,637 11.6%
1990 26,392 11.7%
2000 32,194 22.0%
2010 38,066 18.2%
2020 45,883 20.5%
2023 (est.) 49,859 31.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

Population Makeup

The people of Caldwell County come from many different backgrounds. The U.S. Census helps us understand this mix.

Caldwell County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 15,929 16,841 16,560 49.48% 44.24% 36.09%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,674 2,456 2,225 8.31% 6.45% 4.85%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 90 90 129 0.28% 0.24% 0.28%
Asian alone (NH) 102 344 227 0.32% 0.90% 0.49%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 8 8 4 0.02% 0.02% 0.01%
Other Race alone (NH) 30 54 178 0.09% 0.14% 0.39%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) 343 351 1,092 1.07% 0.92% 2.38%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13,018 17,922 25,468 40.44% 47.08% 55.51%
Total 32,194 38,066 45,883 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

In 2010, about 38,066 people lived in the county.

  • About 75.8% were White.
  • About 6.8% were African American.
  • About 0.9% were Asian.
  • About 0.8% were Native American.
  • About 13.1% were of some other race.
  • About 2.5% were of two or more races.
  • About 47.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, there were 32,194 people living in Caldwell County. The average number of people per square mile was about 59. There were also about 11,901 homes.

Many homes had children under 18 living there (37%). Most homes were married couples (56%). The average household had about 2.82 people.

The median age in the county was 34 years old. This means half the people were younger than 34, and half were older.

Towns and Communities

Caldwell County has several towns and smaller communities.

Cities in Caldwell County

  • Lockhart (This is the county seat, the main town for county government.)
  • Luling (A small part of Luling is in Guadalupe County.)
  • Martindale
  • Mustang Ridge (Most of this city is in Travis County, with a small part in Bastrop County.)
  • Niederwald (Most of this city is in Hays County.)
  • San Marcos (Most of this city is in Hays County, with small parts in Guadalupe and Comal Counties.)
  • Uhland (Most of this city is in Hays County.)

Smaller Communities

These are smaller, unincorporated communities in Caldwell County:

Old Ghost Town

  • Polonia is a ghost town. This means it was once a community but is now mostly abandoned.

Images for kids

  • Caldwell courthouse 2005

    The Caldwell County Courthouse in Lockhart

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Caldwell (Texas) para niños

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