Santa Fe, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Santa Fe
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Santa Fe, Texas, Post Office
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Location of Santa Fe, Texas
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 Santa Fe, Texas
Location in Texas
Santa Fe, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Galveston |
| Area | |
| • Total | 17.08 sq mi (44.25 km2) |
| • Land | 16.89 sq mi (43.76 km2) |
| • Water | 0.19 sq mi (0.49 km2) |
| Elevation | 30 ft (9 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,735 |
| • Density | 745.61/sq mi (287.80/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
77510, 77517
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| Area code(s) | 409 |
| FIPS code | 48-65726 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1351043 |
Santa Fe (which means "Holy Faith" in English) is a city in Galveston County, Texas. It got its name from the Santa Fe Railroad, which runs through the town next to State Highway 6. In 2020, about 12,735 people lived in Santa Fe.
Contents
History of Santa Fe
Santa Fe's story began around 1877 when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built. This railway went through the western part of Galveston County. By the early 1900s, three small towns grew along the railway. These towns were Alta Loma, Arcadia, and Algoa. The Santa Fe Independent School District was created soon after. It was named after the railway and served all these areas.
Becoming a City
In the mid-1970s, the nearby city of Hitchcock wanted to add a part of Alta Loma called Morningview. Many people in Morningview did not want to become part of Hitchcock. So, they started a petition to create their own city. On January 21, 1978, people voted to make Alta Loma and parts of Arcadia into a new city. The vote passed easily, and the city of Santa Fe was born. Since then, Santa Fe has grown to include all of Arcadia and parts of Algoa. It is now even bigger than Hitchcock.
Important Events
On February 14, 1981, a group held an event in Santa Fe. They were protesting against Vietnamese shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico. During this event, a Vietnamese fishing boat was burned. This event and similar issues in other towns led to a court case. It was also the basis for the 1985 movie Alamo Bay.
On June 19, 2000, the Supreme Court made an important decision. They ruled that the Santa Fe Independent School District's policy was against the Constitution. This policy allowed student-led prayer at football games and other school events. The court said it went against the rule about not having a state religion.
On May 18, 2018, a sad event happened at Santa Fe High School. A 17-year-old student opened fire in an art classroom. Ten students and staff members were killed, and thirteen others were hurt. Students and staff left the building when a fire alarm went off. The student gave up after being injured in a shootout with school officers. He has been in a state mental hospital since November 2019.
Geography and Climate
Santa Fe is located at 29°22′50″N 95°6′15″W / 29.38056°N 95.10417°W. It sits on a low, flat area near the coast. This area is usually between 19 and 27 feet (5.8 and 8.2 meters) above sea level. The main waterways are Highland Bayou and Halls Bayou. Both flow southeast and empty into West Bay.
Because the area can have flash floods, it has many drainage ditches and canals. These help manage the water. The United States Census Bureau says Santa Fe covers about 17.3 square miles (44.9 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
Santa Fe is about 35 miles (56 km) south of downtown Houston. It is also about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Galveston. Even with these distances, Santa Fe still feels like a small town.
Weather in Santa Fe
Santa Fe has hot, humid summers and cool, mild winters. The average temperature each year is about 68.6 degrees Fahrenheit (20.3 degrees Celsius). It gets about 56.5 inches (143.5 cm) of rain annually. On average, Santa Fe has about 71.7 days a year where the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). Santa Fe's climate is known as a humid subtropical climate.
Population Information
2020 Census Details
The 2020 United States census counted 12,735 people living in Santa Fe. There were 4,744 households and 3,449 families in the city.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (NH) | 9,913 | 77.84% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 47 | 0.37% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 42 | 0.33% |
| Asian (NH) | 49 | 0.38% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 9 | 0.07% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 41 | 0.32% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 462 | 3.63% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,172 | 17.06% |
| Total | 12,735 |
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1980 | 6,172 | — | |
| 1990 | 8,429 | 36.6% | |
| 2000 | 9,548 | 13.3% | |
| 2010 | 12,222 | 28.0% | |
| 2020 | 12,735 | 4.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 12,222 people and 4,564 households in Santa Fe. The city had about 682.5 people per square mile (263.5 people per square kilometer). Most people in Santa Fe were White (93.8%). About 11.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average household had 2.67 people. The average family had 3.03 people. About 27.2% of the population was under 20 years old. About 14.3% of the population was 65 years or older. The average age in the city was 40.5 years.
Education in Santa Fe
Local Schools
The Santa Fe Independent School District serves the city. This district includes several schools:
- R.J. Wollam Elementary School (Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade)
- Dan J. Kubacak Elementary (Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade)
- Barnett Elementary (Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade; this is the newest school)
- Santa Fe Junior High School (6th through 8th grade)
- Santa Fe High School (9th through 12th grade)
Community Colleges
Students in Santa Fe can attend College of the Mainland. This public community college is about 8 miles (13 km) away in Texas City. Alvin Community College is also nearby, about 10 miles (16 km) away in Alvin.
Public Libraries
The Mae S. Bruce Library is located at 13302 6th Street. Mae S. Bruce gave this library building to the city. The Santa Fe Community Library first opened in 1975 inside an old World War II army building. By 2011, the library had grown too big for the old building.
A group of residents helped raise money for a new building. With help from grants and donations, they bought a 1,920 square foot (178 m2) portable building. This building was placed on land leased from the Santa Fe Independent School District. It was across from the old barracks, near Highway 6. As the library continued to grow, Mae S. Bruce gave the city a new 6,400 square foot (590 m2) brick building in 1987. The library moved there and was named after her.
Transportation
Several small airports are located near Santa Fe. These include Creasy Airport and Varnell Heliport. For commercial flights, people in Santa Fe use airports in Houston. These are William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Scholes International Airport in nearby Galveston is available for private planes and non-scheduled flights.
Culture
Santa Fe is known as a very traditional community.
Notable People
- D. L. Lang – An American poet who lived in Santa Fe when they were a child.
- Johnny Lee – A country music star famous for his 1980 song "Lookin' for Love". He grew up on a dairy farm in Santa Fe (when it was part of Alta Loma) and graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1964.
Images for kids
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Old High School. Now on the National Register of Historical Places.
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Hitchcock Depot–Santa Fe (Alta Loma)–a Recorded Texas Landmark.
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Santa Fe City Hall.
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Miller-Brautigam Home–a Recorded Texas Landmark.
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Reclining Buddha at Linh Son Buddhist Temple, Santa Fe, Texas.
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See also
In Spanish: Santa Fe (Texas) para niños
