Helotes, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helotes, Texas
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The historic Floore Country Store in Helotes
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Location of Helotes, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Bexar |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.93 sq mi (17.96 km2) |
| • Land | 6.93 sq mi (17.95 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,037 ft (316 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,030 |
| • Density | 1,437.58/sq mi (555.04/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
78023
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| Area code(s) | 210, 726 |
| FIPS code | 48-33146 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1337583 |
| ANSI Code | 2410736 |
Helotes (/həˈloʊtɪs/ hə-LOH-tis) is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. It's located on the far northwestern side of San Antonio. Helotes is part of the larger San Antonio metropolitan area. In 2020, about 9,030 people lived there.
Contents
History of Helotes
Early Inhabitants
For thousands of years, starting around 5,000 BCE, small groups of Native American tribes lived in the Helotes area. They moved around with the seasons, looking for food and animals to hunt. Later, in the late 1600s, the Lipan Apache tribe moved into the area. They stayed there through the 1700s. However, in the early 1820s, the Comanche Indians forced the Lipan Apache to leave.
Founding the Community
After the Texas Revolution in the late 1830s, a small community of farmers and ranchers began to grow in the area. These ranches sometimes faced attacks from the Comanches until the late 1870s. One of the last known attacks happened in 1878, when a local postmaster, Carl Mueller, was killed.
In 1858, a doctor from Scotland named George Marnoch bought the land where Helotes now stands. His home was once a stop for stagecoaches and a post office. Cowboys would stop there while moving their cattle from Bandera to sell them in San Antonio.
Later, in 1880, Dr. Marnoch's family sold some of their land to Arnold Gugger, an immigrant from Switzerland. Gugger built a home and a general store. The town of Helotes grew up around his store. In 1908, Gugger sold his property to Bert Hileman. Hileman opened the town's first dance hall. He also helped get the old Bandera Road paved and opened the first filling station (gas station). In 1919, he sold his property in downtown Helotes as the town's population got smaller.
Modern Helotes
In 1946, John T. Floore, who managed a theater in San Antonio, opened the famous John T. Floore Country Store. This place is actually a dance hall, also known as a "honky tonk". It has hosted many famous country music stars, including Willie Nelson, who still performs there sometimes. Floore also helped start the first annual Helotes Cornyval festival in the 1960s. This festival celebrated the opening of a new post office.
Corn was very important to the history of Helotes. The local Native Americans grew corn (maize) in the rich valleys. In the 1800s and early 1900s, feed corn was a major crop. The town's name comes from the Spanish word elote. This word can mean "ear of maize" or "corncob". Exactly how the town got its name is still a bit of a mystery.
As San Antonio grew bigger, its city limits started to reach Helotes in the 1970s. After ten years of planning, Helotes officially became an incorporated city in October 1981. Today, people in Helotes try to keep the town's country feel. At the same time, they allow new modern businesses and buildings to be built.
1953 Tornado Event
On April 28, 1953, a very strong F4 tornado hit Helotes. It was about 1 mile (1.6 km) wide. The tornado damaged or destroyed many buildings. Sadly, two people lost their lives, and 15 others were hurt.
About Helotes
When Helotes became a city in 1981, it was very small. Now, with over 9,000 people, Helotes is a popular place to live near San Antonio. The city has a newly updated area called Old Town Helotes. This downtown area was finished in 2011. Helotes is also home to the Oak Valley golf course.
The Cornyval Festival is a yearly tradition in Helotes. It brings together local sellers and thousands of people from the area. They celebrate the town's connection to corn.
Geography
Helotes is in the northwestern part of Bexar County. It sits in the valley of Helotes Creek, where the creek leaves the Texas Hill Country. The city is about 16 miles (26 km) northwest of downtown San Antonio. Texas State Highway 16 goes through Helotes. This highway leads northwest about 30 miles (48 km) to Bandera. The Charles W. Anderson Loop, which is a highway that goes around San Antonio, is about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of the center of Helotes.
The United States Census Bureau says that Helotes covers a total area of 6.93 square miles (17.96 km2). Only a tiny part of this, about 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), is water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 1,535 | — | |
| 2000 | 4,285 | 179.2% | |
| 2010 | 7,341 | 71.3% | |
| 2020 | 9,030 | 23.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (NH) | 4,302 | 47.64% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 291 | 3.22% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 17 | 0.19% |
| Asian (NH) | 399 | 4.42% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 3 | 0.03% |
| Some other race (NH) | 25 | 0.28% |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 340 | 3.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,653 | 40.45% |
| Total | 9,030 |
In 2020, Helotes had 9,030 people living in 2,837 households. About 2,467 of these were families. The population density was about 1,437.6 people per square mile (555.0 per km2). There were 1,525 housing units in total.
About 40.2% of households had children under 18. Most households (79.9%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.91 people, and the average family had 3.13 people.
The median age in Helotes was 39 years old. About 26.8% of the population was under 18. About 10.8% of people were 65 or older. The median income for a household was $76,951. For a family, it was $80,090.
Education
Students in Helotes attend schools in the Northside Independent School District.
Elementary Schools
- Charles L. Kuentz, Jr. Elementary School (Helotes)
- Helotes Elementary School (Helotes)
- Los Reyes Elementary School (Helotes)
- Randall H. Fields Elementary School (San Antonio)
Middle Schools
- Dr. Hector P. Garcia Middle School (San Antonio)
- Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School (San Antonio)
- Dr. John Folks Middle School (San Antonio)
High Schools
- Sandra Day O'Connor High School (Helotes)
- Louis Dembitz Brandeis High School (San Antonio)
- John Marshall Harlan High School (San Antonio)
Notable People
Some well-known people have lived in Helotes:
- Phil Gramm – A former U.S. Senator and U.S. Congressman for Texas.
- Will Hurd – A U.S. Congressman.
- Boone Logan – A former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB).
- Brucene Smith – She won Miss World USA 1971 and Miss International 1974.
- Carlos Uresti – A politician from San Antonio, Texas.
See also
In Spanish: Helotes (Texas) para niños
