San Saba County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Saba County
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The San Saba County Courthouse in San Saba with emblem "From the People to the People."
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1856 |
| Named for | San Saba River |
| Seat | San Saba |
| Largest town | San Saba |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,138 sq mi (2,950 km2) |
| • Land | 1,135 sq mi (2,940 km2) |
| • Water | 3.1 sq mi (8 km2) 0.3% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,730 |
| • Density | 5.035/sq mi (1.9441/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 11th |
San Saba County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in western Central Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 5,730. Its county seat is San Saba. The county is named after the San Saba River, which flows through the county.
Contents
History
United Confederate Veterans organized a chapter known as the "William P. Rogers Camp" in San Saba County after the death in 1889 of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Rogers, a hero of the Battle of Corinth in Mississippi, was a native of Georgia. He did not live in San Saba, but his daughter, Fannie, married one of Rogers' officers, George Harris, who moved there in 1880. A former county judge, Harris served as a commander of Rogers Camp, named for his father-in-law. The veterans' organization lasted until the early 1930s.
Timeline
- Early Native American inhabitants included Tonkawa, Caddo, Apache, and Comanche.
- 1732 - Governor of Spanish Texas, Juan Antonio Bustillo y Ceballos, arrived on the feast day of sixth-century monk St. Sabbas, and named the river Río de San Sabá de las Nueces.
- 1757 - Santa Cruz de San Sabá Mission was established.
- 1788 - José Mares led an expedition from San Antonio to Santa Fe.
- 1828 - Twenty-eight people from Stephen F. Austin's group passed through. A portion of the county was included in Austin’s grants from the Mexican government.
- 1842 - The Fisher-Miller Land Grant contains most of later land deeds.
- 1847 - The Meusebach–Comanche Treaty was signed in San Saba County.
- 1854 - The Harkey family settled at Wallace and Richland Creeks. The David Matsler family moved from Burnet County to Cherokee Creek.
- 1856 - San Saba County was organized from Bexar County and named for the San Saba River. San Saba was selected as the county seat.
- 1858 - The Seventh Texas Legislature confirmed the boundaries of the county.
- 1860 - The population was 913, which included 98 slaves.
- 1867 - The County was divided into 10 school districts.
- 1874 - Edmund E. Risen devoted his work to improving local nuts, in particular the pecan. San Saba eventually billed itself as the Pecan Capital of the World.
- 1882 - The San Saba Male and Female Academy was founded.
- 1889 - United Confederate Veterans William P. Rogers Camp No. 322 was established, named for Col. William P. Rogers.
- 1895 - West Texas Normal and Business College was organized by Francis Marion Behrns.
- 1896 - The parallel-wire suspension Beveridge Bridge was built across the San Saba River by Flinn, Moyer Bridge Co.
- 1911 - The Lometa-Eden branch of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built through San Saba County. San Saba County brick and sandstone courthouse is erected. Architect Chamberlin & Co.
- 1930 - Half of the county farms were tenant farmed. Uncle Billy Gibbons gave the Boy Scouts of America a 99-year lease to campgrounds along Brady Creek on his ranch.
- 1938 - San Saba River floods caused county-wide devastation. One-third of the town of San Saba was under water.
- 1940 - The Town of San Saba was incorporated.
- 1953-56 - Prolonged drought brought hardship to the county agricultural economy.
- 1960 - The San Saba County News merged with the San Saba Star.
- 1965 - A historical marker was erected to honor pioneer doctor Edward D. Doss.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,138 square miles (2,950 km2), of which 1,135 square miles (2,940 km2) is land and 3.1 square miles (8.0 km2) (0.3%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 190
State Highway 16
Farm to Market Road 45
Adjacent counties
- Mills County (north)
- Lampasas County (east)
- Burnet County (southeast)
- Llano County (south)
- Mason County (southwest)
- McCulloch County (west)
- Brown County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 913 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,425 | 56.1% | |
| 1880 | 5,324 | 273.6% | |
| 1890 | 6,641 | 24.7% | |
| 1900 | 7,569 | 14.0% | |
| 1920 | 10,045 | — | |
| 1930 | 10,273 | 2.3% | |
| 1940 | 11,012 | 7.2% | |
| 1950 | 8,666 | −21.3% | |
| 1960 | 6,381 | −26.4% | |
| 1970 | 5,540 | −13.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,693 | 2.8% | |
| 1990 | 5,401 | −5.1% | |
| 2000 | 6,186 | 14.5% | |
| 2010 | 6,131 | −0.9% | |
| 2020 | 5,730 | −6.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 4,622 | 4,135 | 3,690 | 74.72% | 67.44% | 64.40% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 160 | 194 | 106 | 2.59% | 3.16% | 1.85% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 26 | 28 | 29 | 0.42% | 0.46% | 0.51% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 5 | 13 | 16 | 0.08% | 0.21% | 0.28% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| Other Race alone (NH) | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0.10% | 0.02% | 0.17% |
| Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH) | 34 | 45 | 129 | 0.55% | 0.73% | 2.25% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,333 | 1,715 | 1,749 | 21.55% | 27.97% | 30.52% |
| Total | 6,186 | 6,131 | 5,730 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census of 2010, 6,131 people, 2,289 households, and 1,616 families resided in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km2). The 2,951 housing units averaged 3 units per square mile (1.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.50% White, 2.73% Black or African American, 1.07% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 10.52% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. About 21.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 2,289 households, 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were not families. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was distributed as 27.90% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 20.80% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,104, and for a family was $35,255. Males had a median income of $25,334 versus $20,111 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,309. About 13.30% of families and 16.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.50% of those under age 18 and 11.60% of those age 65 or over.
Attractions
San Saba County is home to the only suspension bridge open to traffic in the state; the Regency Bridge spanning the Colorado River, located off FM 500 in the northern part of the county, was built in 1939.
The Beveridge Bridge, built in 1896 spanning the San Saba River, was the only other suspension bridge in Texas open to traffic until 2004, when it was replaced by a concrete bridge. The Beveridge Bridge, since restored and open as a pedestrian bridge, is located on the northwest edge of the city of San Saba, on China Creek Road, just north of the Wedding Oak.
San Saba County has produced more Texas six-man football state championships than any other county in Texas. The towns of Richland Springs (Richland Springs Coyotes) and Cherokee (Cherokee Indians) have won a total of 11 state championships. Richland Springs has appeared in a total of 9 state championship games and has won eight of them (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016). Cherokee has appeared in a total of four state championship games and has won three of them (1973, 1975, 1978).
Communities
Towns
- Richland Springs
- San Saba (county seat)
Unincorporated Communities
- Bend (partly in Lampasas County)
- Bowser
- Cherokee
Notable people
Actor Tommy Lee Jones was born in San Saba and owns a ranch outside of town. Aaron Behrens, front man for Austin-based music group Ghostland Observatory.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de San Saba para niños
