Palito Blanco, Texas facts for kids
Palito Blanco is a small community in Jim Wells County, Texas, United States. It is located about fifteen miles southwest of Alice. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live together, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town does.
History of Palito Blanco
The name "Palito Blanco" comes from Spanish, meaning "white stick." Local stories say the first settlers, who were Mexican ranchers, named the area after the hackberry trees that grew there.
The community started small. In 1891, about twenty-five people lived in Palito Blanco. A post office was first opened in 1916. It closed for a short time but then reopened in 1928.
By 1933, the community had about twenty people and five small businesses. In 1936, Palito Blanco had a school, two cemeteries, and four businesses. The number of people living there grew to 100 by 1943. However, by 1950, the population went down to forty.
Palito Blanco stayed about the same size through the 1950s and 1960s. By 1963, it had two schools and the San José church. In 1990, about 35 people lived in the community.
Education in Palito Blanco
Students in Palito Blanco attend schools that are part of the Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco ISD. An "ISD" stands for Independent School District. This means it's a special local government area that manages public schools.
Notable Person from Palito Blanco
- Sylvia Garcia is a well-known person from this area. She used to be a Texas State Senator. Now, she is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. This means she helps make laws for the entire country.
