Uvalde, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Uvalde
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
City
|
||
|
Uvalde City Hall
Fountain on the Leona River in Uvalde Memorial Park
Janey Slaughter Briscoe Grand Opera House
Uvalde County Courthouse
|
||
|
||
| Nickname(s):
City of Trees
|
||
 |
||
 Uvalde
Location in Texas
Uvalde
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country | United States | |
| State | Texas | |
| County | Uvalde | |
| Named for | Juan de Ugalde | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Mayor–council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 7.67 sq mi (19.87 km2) | |
| • Land | 7.66 sq mi (19.85 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) | |
| Elevation | 909 ft (277 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 15,217 | |
| • Estimate
(2021)
|
15,312 | |
| • Density | 1,983.96/sq mi (766.6/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | |
| ZIP Codes |
78801–78802
|
|
| Area code(s) | 830 | |
| FIPS code | 48-74588 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1370541 | |
.png)
Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,217 at the 2020 census. Uvalde is located in the Texas Hill Country, 80 miles (130 km) west of downtown San Antonio and 54 miles (87 km) east of the Mexico–United States border.
Contents
Name
Uvalde was founded in 1853 as the town of Encina, but was renamed in 1856 as Uvalde. Its name is a misspelling of the Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalusia, 1729–1816). Ugalde is a name of Basque origin, meaning water-side or river.
Pronunciations of the name of the town vary. One common pronunciation is the fully Anglicized version (
i/juːˈvældi/ yoo-VAL-dee). A fully Spanish version is also in common use, which is often approximated by English speakers as /uːˈvɑːldɛ/ oo-VAHL-deh. There are also pronunciations that combine the English and Spanish versions. The chosen pronunciation often shows how strong a person's connection with the Hispanic community is or general knowledge of its pronunciation.
History
Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde after Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalusia, 1729–1816) and was chosen as county seat. It is the southern limit of the Texas Hill Country and is part of South Texas. Uvalde is known for its production, dating back to the 1870s, of huajillo honey (also spelled guajillo), a mild, light-colored honey.
Robb Elementary massacre
On May 24, 2022, 19 children and two adults were murdered, and 18 others were injured in the Robb Elementary School shooting.
Geography
Uvalde is located at the crossroads of U.S. Hwy 90 and U.S. Hwy 83.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.8 km2), all land.
Climate
The climate in this region is characterized by hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Uvalde has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa (inclining toward Cwa), on climate maps.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 794 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,265 | 59.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,889 | 49.3% | |
| 1910 | 3,998 | 111.6% | |
| 1920 | 3,885 | −2.8% | |
| 1930 | 5,286 | 36.1% | |
| 1940 | 6,679 | 26.4% | |
| 1950 | 8,674 | 29.9% | |
| 1960 | 10,293 | 18.7% | |
| 1970 | 10,764 | 4.6% | |
| 1980 | 14,178 | 31.7% | |
| 1990 | 14,729 | 3.9% | |
| 2000 | 14,929 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 15,751 | 5.5% | |
| 2020 | 15,217 | −3.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 15,312 | −2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census Texas Almanac: 1850–2000 2020 Census |
|||
2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,217 people, 5,217 households, and 3,663 families residing in the city.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 11,939 | 78.46% |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,917 | 19.17% |
| Multiracial | 128 | 0.84% |
| Asian | 125 | 0.82% |
| Black or African American | 50 | 0.33% |
| Some other race | 39 | 0.26% |
| Native American or Alaska Native | 16 | 0.11% |
| Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.02% |
| Total | 15,217 | 100% |
2010 census
At the 2010 United States census, the population was 15,751.
Education
Uvalde is within the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, which operates Uvalde High School. Southwest Texas Junior College has a campus next to Uvalde on the site of Garner Field. The Garner Field facility also houses a campus of Sul Ross State University.
Arts and culture
The John Nance Garner House in Uvalde, which was home to John Nance Garner for 30 years, chronicles his life. Garner served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1931 to 1933, and as Franklin D. Roosevelt's Vice President from 1933 to 1941. Also in Uvalde are:
- The Aviation Museum at Garner Field has displays of World War II aircraft.
- The Briscoe Art and Antique Collection displays the collection of former Texas governor Dolph Briscoe.
- The Janey Slaughter Briscoe Grand Opera House hosts community theater and concerts.
Parks and recreation
Uvalde is known as one of the best locations for gliding in the United States. It was the site of the 1991 and 2012 World Gliding Championships. The Uvalde area of the Texas Hill Country is home to many native and exotic species of animals, which allow sportsmen almost year-round hunting opportunities.
Outdoor Life magazine named Uvalde County one of the best white-tailed deer hunting areas in the world.
Notable people
- Oscar Albarado, world champion boxer
- Bobby Bonner, former MLB shortstop
- Dolph Briscoe, former governor of Texas
- Pete Conrad, former astronaut, resident for 30 years
- Dale Evans, actress
- King Fisher, gunslinger, sheriff of Uvalde County 1881 and 1883, buried in Uvalde
- John Nance Garner, the 32nd Vice President of the United States
- Pat Garrett, Old West lawman, killer of Billy the Kid, one time resident of Uvalde
- Carlos Guevara, former MLB pitcher
- Harvey Hildebran, former Texas state representative
- Dave Hilton, former MLB third baseman
- Ben Kinchlow, former co-host of The 700 Club
- Matthew McConaughey, Oscar-winning actor
- Vann McElroy, former NFL star and Super Bowl winner
- Tom O'Folliard, American outlaw, friend of Billy the Kid
- Brooks Raley, MLB pitcher for the New York Mets
- Marshall Ashmun Upson, American journalist, ghostwriter of Pat Garrett's 1882 book The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid, buried in Uvalde
See also
In Spanish: Uvalde para niños
