Lopeño, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lopeño, Texas
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Location of Lopeño, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Zapata |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2) |
| • Land | 0.8 sq mi (2.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 390 ft (119 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 70 |
| • Density | 88/sq mi (35/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78564
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| Area code(s) | 956 |
| FIPS code | 48-43960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1340548 |
Lopeño (pronounced loh-peh-nyo) is a small community in Zapata County, Texas, in the United States. It is known as a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area that the government counts for population, even though it's not an officially organized city or town. In 2020, about 70 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Lopeño?
Lopeño is located in southern Texas. Its exact location is at 26°42′36″N 99°6′34″W. The community covers a small area of about 0.8 square miles (2.0 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water.
Who Lives in Lopeño?
The number of people living in Lopeño has changed over the years.
- In 2000, there were 140 people.
- By 2010, the population grew to 174 people.
- In 2020, the population was 70 people.
Most families in Lopeño are married couples living together. Many households also have children under 18 living with them. The community is mostly made up of people who identify as Hispanic or Latino.
Schools in Lopeño
All students in Lopeño attend schools that are part of the Zapata County Independent School District. This district serves the entire county.
A Look at Lopeño's History
Lopeño has a long history that goes back to the 1700s.
Early Settlements
The area where Lopeño is today began to be settled around 1747. This was when Colonel José de Escandón started bringing people to create permanent communities along Mexico's northern border. The Spanish government gave pieces of land to these early settlers.
In 1767, a woman named Ysabel María Sánchez received more than 6,000 acres of land. She was the widow of an early settler and rancher named Joseph López. The village of Lopeño later grew on this land and was named after the López family.
Fort Lopeño
In the early 1800s, some of the López family's land was passed to the Ramírez family. The Ramírez family were the founders of a nearby village called Falcón. In 1821, Benito Ramírez built a special building that was a home, a fort, and a chapel all in one. This building became known as Fort Lopeño. For a short time in 1856, soldiers from the government used the fort to help calm down problems along the border.
Modern Development
In the early 1900s, Serafín Benavides opened a general store in Lopeño. This store was the only place in the area where people could buy supplies. A post office was set up in 1920, making it easier to send and receive mail. Later, in 1934, oil and gas were discovered and drilled in the area, which was an important development for the community.
See also
In Spanish: Lopeño para niños
