Riviera, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Riviera, Texas
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 Riviera, Texas
Location in Texas
Riviera, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Kleberg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.59 km2 (3.70 sq mi) |
| • Land | 9.55 km2 (3.69 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.04 km2 (0.02 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 11 m (37 ft) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 689 |
| • Density | 72.1/km2 (187/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CST |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT |
| ZIP code |
78379
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| Area code(s) | 361 |
| FIPS code | 48-62468 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1345283 |
Riviera is a small community in Kleberg County, Texas, United States. It is a census-designated place, which means it's a special area defined by the government for counting people. In 2010, about 689 people lived there.
Riviera is located about 15 miles (24 km) south of Kingsville. You can find it along U.S. Route 77, which will become Interstate 69E in the future. It's also about 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Falfurrias on Texas State Highway 285.
A Look Back at Riviera's History
Riviera was started in 1906 by a man named Theodore Fredrick Koch. He was a "land promoter," meaning he bought large areas of land to sell to people who wanted to move there. He bought land from the famous King Ranch.
Koch built the town next to the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway train tracks. He named the town after the beautiful French Riviera. To get more people to move to Riviera, Koch even ran a train from Chicago twice a month!
The town grew quickly at first. But then, in 1915, a big drought hit the area, making it hard for crops to grow. The next year, in 1916, a terrible hurricane caused a lot of damage.
Things started to get better when U.S. Highway 77 was built. This highway helped the local economy (how people make money) get back on track. Today, Riviera's economy mostly depends on farming. It's also a popular stop for travelers heading south, as it's the last place with gas stations and restaurants for about 60 miles (97 km) until Raymondville.
Learning in Riviera
Students in Riviera attend schools that are part of the Riviera Independent School District.
The schools in Riviera are:
- Nanny Elementary School: For students in grades Pre-Kindergarten (PK) through 6th grade.
- Kaufer High School: For students in grades 7th through 12th grade.
After high school, students who live in the Riviera Independent School District area can attend Del Mar College under Texas law.
