Val Verde County, Texas
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History/Timeline
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| Bonfire Shelter, U of Tx. study |
- Val Verde County was formed and organized,1885 from Crockett, Kinney, Pecos counties.
Val Verde translates to "green valley".[1]
Val Verde County is a county located on the southern Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. The 2014 population is 51,047. Its county seat is Del Rio. In 1936, Val Verde County received the Texas Historic Landmark number 5625 to commemorate its founding.[2]
Val Verde, which means "green valley", was named for a battle of the American Civil War. In 1862, soldiers of Sibley's Brigade took part in the Texas invasion of New Mexico Territory, where they captured several artillery pieces at the Battle of Val Verde. The battle is memorialized both in the name of the county and a small settlement in Milam County.[2]
- 6000-10,000 years ago people lived in rock shelters and caves of the Lower Pecos Canyon District near the site of Comstock, leaving traces of caches of seeds, implements, bits of clothing, burial sites, and cave art. [3]
- 1535 Spaniard Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca crossed the Devils River. Lipan Apaches, Coahuiltecans, Jumanos, and Tamaulipans lived there. Later, Comanches drifted into the area. [3]
- 1590 Gaspar Castaño de Sosa led European people through Castaño on a mining expedition from Mexico, to N New Mexico pueblo of Santo Domingo. The party of 170 men, women, children with 2 brass cannon for protection and 2-wheeled carts of provisions. [3]
- 1673 - Juan Larios opened a mission school between Del Rio and Eagle Pass to teach agriculture to the natives, closing soon. [3]
- 1736 Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón led 100 soldiers along the Devils River in pursuit of Apaches. :1767 Marqués de Rubí came to Del Rio on tour of Texas. [3]
- 1808 -- The first settlement was in 1808 by a Mexican Priest.
- 1834 - Settlement - San Felipe Creek by James Grant, John Charles Beales, Indian drought ended it..
- 1849 Camp Blake was situated on the Military Road.[3]
- 1850 - bases set up in SE Val Verde County to protect settlers and travelers against Indian attack.
- 1857 - Camp Hudson was founded, with Camp San Felipe as outpost of Fort Clark. [3]
- 1862-65 - Civil War military camps and forts were abandoned, leaving the frontier open for Indian attacks. [3]
- the 6,000 to 10,000-year-old cave art in the area was covered by the lake. [3]
- 1866 and 1868 Fort Clark and the other Camps were reclaimed by the army, and other troops returned. :1869 through 1882 -Black Seminole Scouts, a unit of 50 men under John L Bullis, defended the Texas border against Indian attack. [3][2]
- 1868 -San Felipe community of San Felipe was settled on San Felipe Creek (San Felipe Del Rio for its proximity to the Rio Grande) to distinguish it from the San Felipe of Austin's colony.[3]
- 1872 and 74 post office, named Del Rio, was opened in 1872 and first school was built (15 students). 1870s Judge Kratz taught the school.. [3]
- 1884- Episcopal church was built, then was blown away by a tornado.[3]
- 1883 Railroads arrived (Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway) [3]
- 1884, 1886, 1888, 1889 New communities -- Langtry , Juno and Devils River, Comstock, and Norris. [3]
- 1883 Qualia established Val Verde Winery, where his grandson continued to make wine in the 1990s. [3]:1880s Large ranches, sheep and cattle such as D. Hart Investments,had a large block of land and the watering places on both sides of Rio Grande and Pecos River with 80,000 sheep, 500 horses, and a number of cattle . [3]
- 1885 - Val Verde County was organized from Crockett, Kinney, and Pecos countie. Its name, which is Spanish for "green valley," came from a Civil War battle. Del Rio became the county seat.[3]
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| Judge Roy Bean. |
- 1885 -- election Roy Bean of Langtry was elected JP . Judge Bean became known as the Law West of the Pecos, and he measured out justice from his Jersey Lily Saloon. [3]
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| Jersey Lily Saloon & Judge Roy Bean |
- 1900 new communities had post offices: Flato, 1891, Sotol,1894, Moorhead,1898, Pumpville, 1899, Shumia, 1906, Pandale, 1909, Vinegarone, 1926., 5,263 inhabitants, 152 ranches/ farms on 1.8 million acres mostly operated by managers. Value of livestock was over $1 million. [3]
- 1910 -Farming - 191,000 pounds of grapes, produced 5,372 gallons of wine.[3]
- 1920s 2 dams were built on the lower Devils River to store water for power generation and recreation. They were Devils Lake/Lake Hamilton, and Lake Walk. [3]
- July 2, 1942, Laughlin Field opened 8 miles E of Del Rio to train World War II pilots, closed in 1945,
- 1969 Amistad Reservoir with earth fill and concrete was completed 12 miles NW of Del Rio, which inundated the above earlier created lakes.Both were inundated by Amistad Reservoir.[3]
- Amistad Dam and Reservoir are owned by the United States and Mexico. The project is operated by the International Boundary and Water Commission. The lake, which covers 89,000 acres and has a capacity of 5,658,600 acre-feet of water, was built for flood control, conservation, irrigation, power, and recreation. [3]
- the 6,000 to 10,000-year-old cave art in the area was covered by the lake. [3]
- 1980s Val Verde County had 25 churches. The largest denominations were Catholic, Southern Baptist, and United Methodist. [3]
- 1950s and 1980s Rebuilt as Laughlin Air Force Base during the Cold War and was home for a secret U-2 unit. In the 1980s it was devoted to the training of air force pilots. [3]
Government Offices
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| 1887 Val Verde county courthouse |
- This courthouse built in 1887 is the only courthouse Val Verde County has ever had. This city has gotten its money’s worth out of these fine buildings.[4]
- 1885 - Originally in Val Verde county used offices in a commercial building. [4]
- First a Limestone jail was built on the corner of the public square. The jail provided office space while the courthouse was being built. It was 3 story limestone with classical revival detailing, octagonal corner turrets. As the population grew, the building was renovated. [4]
- 1887 - Val Verde county courthouse was built 1887 in Del Rio, Tx, A 3 story annex was added later.[4]
As population and years increased, the buildings were renovated, modified to provide for services.[4]
- 1915 - After a 3rd floor was added, the original clock tower cupola in the center was remodeled and a silver dome was placed instead.[4]
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| Detail of remodel. |
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| 1915 Remodel of 1887 courthouse. |
- 1956 Finally a separate building for the Sheriff’s office and prisoners was built. [4]
- 1980 The old jail was remodeled for use by other departments.[4]
Val Verde County government is led by a four-member Board of County Commissioners, each commissioner representing one of four districts. The county commission appoints a county administrator as chief administrative officer of the county.
The chief law enforcement authority of Val Verde is the Val Verde County Sheriff's Office. Joe Frank Martinez,Sheriff Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office
The fire protection arm of the Val Verde is the Val Verde County Fire Rescue. Jerry Rust,Fire Chief Val Verde County Fire Rescue
County commissioners
Val Verde County is divided into four precincts. One county commissioner is elected from each district to serve a four-year term. Commissioners are chosen in partisan elections by voters from the districts in which they live. The board appoints a county judge to be chief administrative officer of the county, responsible to the commission for the orderly operations of matters within the board’s jurisdiction.
- Val Verde County Judge : Honorable Judge Efrain Valdez
- Val Verde County Precinct 1 : Ramiro Ramon
- Val Verde County Precinct 2 : Lewis Owens
- Val Verde County Precinct 3 : Robert Beau Nettleton
- Val Verde County Precinct 4 : Gustavo Flores
- Val Verde County Secretary : Gonzalez, Mary Ann
- Commissioners - Val Verde County
Geography
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01
- Val Verde County is in SW Texas on the Mexican border.
- Location- Part is W of Pecos River, 2/3 or more is in the Edwards Plateau.
- County Seat - Del Rio is 154 miles W of San Antonio.
- Center is at 29°58' north latitude and 101°09' west longitude.
- Size: 3,150 sq. mi. of sharply dissected massive limestone, which underlies flat terrain.
Topography - on a plateau cut by arroyos and canyons, giving deep relief to the topography.
- Soil dark, calcareous stony clays and clay loams.
- Aquifer -- Fresh water is supplied from an aquifer in limestone formations, which receive their recharge from northern countie. Early years springs flowed in the area. Heavy well pumping has decreased the underlying level of the aquefer.
- Drainage - Dry creek beds, provide drainage during floods, emptying into the Pecos and Devils Rivers., The Pecos flows into the Rio Grande in SW Val Verde County, and the Devils flows into Amistad Reservoir, on the dammed Rio Grande north of Del Rio.
- Vegetation (W and central) -- desert shrub savanna. Eastern - has juniper, oak, mesquite savanna.
- Altitude 2,248-2925 ft above sea level.
- Temperature 35° F in January to 97° in July.
- Rainfall is 17 inches per year.
Growing season extends for 300 days. but low on rainfall.!! https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01
Adjacent counties
- Crockett
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- Edwards
- Kinney
- Sutton
- Terrell
Protected areas
- Mile Canyon - dry rockshelters to burned rock middens to upland “hearth” fields. The canyon is primarily recognized for Bonfire Shelter, Kelly Cave, Eagle Cave, and other natural shelters that were used by Native Americans up to 13,500 years ago. Bonfire Shelter contains a prehistoric bison jump, where wild herds of bison were driven off the cliff edge by Native American hunters and died below. The bison were then harvested for food, clothing. U of Texas is working on a study of the area called Lower Pecos Canyonlands or the "'Ancient Southwest Texas Project.[5]
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| Ancient Southwest Texas Project. |
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| Ancient Southwest Texas Project. |
Demographics
In 2000, there were 44,856 peopleb residing in the county with a population density of 14 people/sq. mi. The racial makeup of the county was 76.36% White, 4.54% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 18.22% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. 75.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.The median income for a household in the county was $28,376, and the median income for a family was $31,434. Males had a median income of $26,485 versus $18,039 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,096. About 22.10% of families and 26.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 26.40% of them age 65 or over.[6]
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| Methodist church |
The Del Rio, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Val Verde County.
- Del Rio News-Herald
- Politics - In presidential elections Val Verde County supported Democratic candidates from 1888 until 1948, except in 1924 and 1928. Thereafter county voters were less predictable, favoring Democrats in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1976, and 1992.[7]
Resources
Cities
- Del Rio (county seat) (The Del Rio, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Val Verde County.
Census Designated Places
- Amistad
- Box Canyon
- Cienegas Terrace
- Lake View
- Laughlin Air Force Base
- Val Verde Park
- Sharp
Unincorporated communities
- Bakers Crossing
- Comstock
- Juno
- Langtry
- Pandale
Formed From
- Kinney, Crockett, and Pecos Counties.
Census
- 1890 --- 2,874 —
- 1900 --- 5,263 83.1%
- 1910 --- 8,613 63.7%
- 1920 --- 12,706 47.5%
- 1930 --- 14,924 17.5%
- 1940 --- 15,453 3.5%
- 1950 --- 16,635 7.6%
- 1960 --- 24,461 47.0%
- 1970 --- 27,471 12.3%
- 1980 --- 35,910 30.7%
- 1990 --- 38,721 7.8%
- 2000 --- 44,856 15.8%
- 2010 --- 48,879 9.0%
- Est. 2015 --- 48,988
Notables
- Judge Roy Bean
An eccentric U.S. saloon-keeper and JP (Justice of the Peace) in Val Verde County, Texas. He called himself "The Law West of the Pecos". Legend says Judge Roy Bean held court in his saloon along the Rio Grande on a desolate stretch of the Chihuahuan Desert of SW Texas. Western films and legends referred to him as a hanging judge. He really only sentenced 2 men to hang, (1) of which escaped. [8]http://valverde.historictexas.net/people/judgeroybean.html http://www.texasoutside.com/roybeanp2.htm Judge Roy
Cemeteries
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- Val Verde county Cemeteries Gloria Mayfield
- FindaGrave Cemeteries
- Gen cemeteries, genealogy
- TxxGen2 Val Verde genealogy
Sources
- ↑ https://texasalmanac.com/topics/government/val-verde-county
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Verde_County,_Texas
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/DelRioTexas/DelRioTexasCourthouse2.htm
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile_Canyon
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Verde_County,_Texas
- ↑ https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Bean
- https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01
- http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/bonfire/index.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Verde_County,_Texas
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Bean
- Commissioners court
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