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 John Nance Garner House Uvalde County Courthouse
Seal
Nickname(s):  City of Trees
Uvalde Location in Texas Show map of Texas Uvalde Location in the United States Show map of 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	906 ft (276 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	2412138

Uvalde is a city in Uvalde County, Texas, United States. It is the main city in the Uvalde, Texas Micropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, the city had a population of 15,217 people. Uvalde is located in the Texas Hill Country. It is about 80 miles (129 km) west of San Antonio and 54 miles (87 km) east of the Mexico–United States border.

All About the Name Uvalde

The city of Uvalde was first started in 1853. It was called Encina back then. In 1856, the town was renamed Uvalde. Its name comes from a Spanish governor named Juan de Ugalde. He was born in Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain, in 1729 and died in 1816. The name Ugalde is from the Basque language. It means "water-side" or "river."

How to Say Uvalde

People say the name of the town in different ways. One common way is the English version: "yoo-VAL-dee." A Spanish way to say it is "oo-VAHL-deh." Some people even mix the English and Spanish sounds. How someone says the name can sometimes show their connection to the Hispanic community.

Uvalde's History and Beginnings

Reading Wood Black founded Uvalde in 1853. He named it Encina. In 1856, when the county was officially set up, the town was renamed Uvalde. It became the county seat, which means it's the main town for the county's government. Uvalde is at the southern edge of the Texas Hill Country. It is also part of South Texas.

Uvalde is famous for making a special kind of honey. This honey is called huajillo honey. It has been produced here since the 1870s. It is a mild, light-colored honey.

Uvalde's Location and Travel

Uvalde covers about 7.6 square miles (19.8 square kilometers) of land. It is located where two major roads meet. These are U.S. Highway 90 and U.S. Highway 83.

Getting Around Uvalde

U.S. Highway 90 goes east and west through the middle of Uvalde. It is known as Main Street in the city. This highway goes west to Brackettville and east to Sabinal. U.S. Highway 83 runs north and south through Uvalde. It follows Milam Street and part of S Getty Street. This road goes south to La Pryor and north to Leakey. Texas State Highway 55 also starts in Uvalde. It goes northeast to Camp Wood and Rocksprings.

If you need to fly, the closest airport with regular flights is Del Rio International Airport. It is about 72 miles (116 km) west of Uvalde. For more flight options, San Antonio International Airport is 88 miles (142 km) to the east.

Uvalde's Weather

Uvalde has a climate with hot, humid summers. The winters are usually mild and dry. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

Uvalde's Population Over Time

People Living in Uvalde (2020)

In 2020, there were 15,217 people living in Uvalde. There were 5,217 households and 3,663 families.

Schools and Learning in Uvalde

Uvalde is part of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. This district runs Uvalde High School. For higher education, Southwest Texas Junior College has a campus near Uvalde. This campus is located at Garner Field. Sul Ross State University also has a campus there.

Arts, Culture, and Fun in Uvalde

Uvalde has several interesting places to visit. These spots teach about history and offer entertainment.

• The John Nance Garner House shows the life of John Nance Garner. He lived in Uvalde for 30 years. He was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1931 to 1933. He also served as Franklin D. Roosevelt's Vice President from 1933 to 1941.
• The Aviation Museum at Garner Field has displays of airplanes from World War II.
• The Briscoe Art and Antique Collection displays art and antiques. These were collected by former Texas governor Dolph Briscoe.
• The Janey Slaughter Briscoe Grand Opera House hosts plays and music concerts.

Outdoor Activities and Recreation

Uvalde is known as a great place for gliding in the United States. Gliding is flying without an engine. The city hosted the World Gliding Championships in 1991 and 2012. The Uvalde area is also home to many different animals. This makes it a popular spot for hunting almost all year.

Outdoor Life magazine has called Uvalde County one of the best places in the world to hunt white-tailed deer.

Famous People from Uvalde

See also

In Spanish: Uvalde para niños