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Edwards County, Texas facts for kids

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Edwards County
County
Edwards County
The Edwards County Courthouse in Rocksprings
The Edwards County Courthouse in Rocksprings
Map of Texas highlighting Edwards 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 1883
Named for Haden Edwards
Seat Rocksprings
Largest town Rocksprings
Area
 • Total 2,120 sq mi (5,500 km2)
 • Land 2,118 sq mi (5,490 km2)
 • Water 2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.09%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,422
 • Density 0.6708/sq mi (0.2590/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 23rd
Edwards County, TX marker IMG 1850.JPG
Hill Country near Rocksprings, TX IMG 1335
Texas Hill Country in Edwards County south of Rocksprings
Wooden windmill in Real County, TX IMG 1851
Lone wooden windmill in eastern Edwards County

Edwards County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,422. The county seat is Rocksprings. The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1883. It is named for Haden Edwards, an early settler of Nacogdoches, Texas. The Edwards Aquifer and Edwards Plateau are named after the county by reason of their locations.

History

  • Early inhabitants are Lipan Apache, Comanche.
  • 1762 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.
  • 1825 Virginia born Haden Harrison Edwards joins forces with Stephen F. Austin and contracts with Coahuila y Tejas for the introduction 800 families into east Texas. The next year, Edwards declares the Republic of Fredonia near Nacogdoches, Texas, an early attempt to secede from Mexico. Stephen F. Austin joins forces with Mexico against Edwards. Haden Edwards flees in 1827 to Louisiana for his safety, later to return and spend the rest of his life in Nacogdoches.
  • 1858 Edwards County is formed from Bexar County.
  • 1871 Clint Smith, age 11, and brother Jeff Smith, age 9, kidnapped by Indians near Rocksprings.
  • 1882 W.J. Greer settles a sheep camp at Rocksprings.
  • 1883 Edwards County officially organized and named for Haden Harrison Edwards.
  • 1884 Francis Winan cattle and sheep ranch at Rocksprings.
  • 1885 A.O. Burr sets up farming at Rocksprings.
  • 1891 County seat becomes Rocksprings. County Courthouse is built by architects Ben Davey and Bruno Schort in the Romanesque Revival Style.
  • 1898 Rocksprings Telephone Company starts up.
  • 1913 Edwards loses land in its eastern section to Real County.
  • 1927 Tornado hits Rocksprings.
  • 1940 Rocksprings calls itself the "Top-o-the-World" in mohair production, which peaks that year.
  • 1946 Oil discovered in the county.
  • 1991 Kickapoo Cavern State Park, 6,400 acres (26 km2) in both Edwards and Kinney County, opens to the public.
  • 1992 Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area near Rocksprings, home to the largest single-chambered cavern and third-deepest in the state, opens to the public.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,120 square miles (5,500 km2), of which 2,118 square miles (5,490 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.09%) is water.

Major highways

  • US 277.svg U.S. Highway 277
  • US 377.svg U.S. Highway 377
  • Texas 41.svg State Highway 41
  • Texas 55.svg State Highway 55

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 266 —
1890 1,970 640.6%
1900 3,108 57.8%
1910 3,768 21.2%
1920 2,283 −39.4%
1930 2,764 21.1%
1940 2,933 6.1%
1950 2,908 −0.9%
1960 2,317 −20.3%
1970 2,107 −9.1%
1980 2,033 −3.5%
1990 2,266 11.5%
2000 2,162 −4.6%
2010 2,002 −7.4%
2020 1,422 −29.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

2020 census

Edwards County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 947 651 47.30% 45.78%
Black or African American alone (NH) 10 2 0.50% 0.14%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 11 5 0.55% 0.35%
Asian alone (NH) 3 11 0.15% 0.77%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.07%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 2 0.00% 0.14%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 4 32 0.20% 2.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1,027 718 51.30% 50.49%
Total 2,002 1,422 100.00% 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.

Communities

Wooden windmill in Real County, TX IMG 1851
Lone wooden windmill in eastern Edwards County

Town

Unincorporated communities

See also

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

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