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Kendall County, Texas

Coordinates: 29°57′N 98°42′W / 29.95°N 98.70°W / 29.95; -98.70
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Kendall County
County
The Kendall County Courthouse in Boerne.
The Kendall County Courthouse in Boerne.
Official seal of Kendall County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Kendall County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°57′N 98°42′W / 29.95°N 98.7°W / 29.95; -98.7
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1862
SeatBoerne
Area
 • Total663 sq mi (1,720 km2)
 • Land662 sq mi (1,710 km2)
 • Water1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.09%
Population
 (2008)
 • Total32,886
 • Density40/sq mi (14/km2)
Websitewww.co.kendall.tx.us

Kendall County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008 census, its population was 32,886. Its seat is BoerneTemplate:GR.

The county is named for George Wilkins Kendall, a journalist and Mexican-American War correspondent. Progressive Farmer rated Kendall County fifth in its list of the "Best Places to Live in Rural America" in 2006. It is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History Timeline

  • 1700’s Lipan Apaches discover Cascade Caverns.[2]
  • 1842
April 20 - Adelsverein [3] organized in Germany to promote emigration to Texas.
June 7 - Fisher-Miller Land Grant [4] sets aside three million acres to settle 600 families and single men of German, Dutch, Swiss, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian ancestry in Texas.
  • 1845
Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels secures title to 1,265 acres of the Veramendi grant, including the Comal Springs and River, for the Adelsverein.
February - Thousands of German immigrants are stranded at port of disembarkation Indianaola on Matagorda Bay. With no food or shelters, living in holes dug into the ground, an estimated 50% die from disease or starvation. The living begin to walk to their destinations hundreds of miles away.[5][6]
May - John O. Meusebach arrives in Galveston.[7]
December 20 - Henry Francis Fisher and Burchard Miller sell their rights in the land grant to Adelsverein.
December 29 - Texas Annexation by the United States
  • 1847
Meusebach–Comanche Treaty [8]
Sisterdale established.
  • 1854
John O. Meusebach receives an appointment as commissioner from Governor Elisha M. Pease [10] to issue land certificates to those immigrants of 1845 and 1846 who had been promised them by the Adelsverein.
May 14–15, San Antonio - The Texas State Convention of Germans adopt a political, social and religious platform, including: 1) Equal pay for equal work; 2) Direct election of the President of the United States; 3) Abolition of capital punishment; 4) “Slavery is an evil, the abolition of which is a requirement of democratic principles..”; 5) Free schools – including universities - supported by the state, without religious influence; and 6) Total separation of church and state.[11]
Comfort is founded by German immigrant Freethinkers and abolitionists.
  • 1860 Boerne Village Band is formed by Karl Dienger.[12]
  • 1861
Unionists from Kerr, Gillespie, and Kendall counties participate in the formation of the Union League, a secret organization to support President Abraham Lincoln’s policies.[13]
  • 1862
Kendall County is established from Kerr and Blanco counties, named for journalist George Wilkins Kendall. Boerne is the county seat.
The Union League forms companies to protect the frontier against Indians and their families against local Confederate forces. Conscientious objectors to the military draft are primarily among Tejanos and Germans .
May 30 – Confederate authorities impose martial law on Central Texas.
August 10 - Nueces massacre in Kinney County. Jacob Kuechler serves as a guide for 61 conscientious objectors attempting to flee to Mexico. Scottish born Confederate irregular James Duff [14] and his Duff’s Partisan Rangers pursue and overtake them at the Nueces River, 34 are killed, some executed after being taken prisoner. Jacob Kuechler survives the battle. The cruelty shocks the people of Gillespie County. 2,000 take to the hills to escape Duff's reign of terror.
Spring Creek Cemetery [15] near Harper in Gillespie County has a singular grave with the names Sebird Henderson, Hiram Nelson, Gus Tegener and Frank Scott. The inscription reads “Hanged and thrown in Spring Creek by Col. James Duff’s Confederate Regiment.”[16]
  • 1866, August 10 - Treüe der Union ("Loyalty to the Union") monument in Comfort dedicated to the German Texans slain at the Nueces massacre. It is the only monument to the Union outside of the National Cemeteries on Confederate territory. It is one of only six such sites allowed to fly the United States flag at half-mast in perpetuity.[17][18]
  • 1870
Original Kendall County limestone courthouse built. Italianate architecture. Architect Philip Zoeller and S. F. Stendeback.[19]
  • 1885
Austrian-born Andreas Engel founds Bergheim
Sisterdale cotton gin begins operations.[20]
  • 1887 San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad begins Boerne to San Antonio route.[21][22]
  • 1900 Kendall County has 542 farms. Area has risen from 153,921 acres (622.90 km2) in 1880 to 339,653 acres (1,374.53 km2). Stockraising is still the principal industry.
  • 1914 San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway connects Fredericksburg with the San Antonio and Aransas Pass track just east of Comfort.
  • 1918 Hygieostatic Bat Roost house built in Comfort to attract bats to eradicate mosquitoes and reduce the spread of malaria. Designed for former San Antonio Mayor Albert Steves Sr., by bat authority Dr. Charles A. R. Campbell.[24][25]
  • 1930’s
The Great Depression brings increase in tenant farming.
Commercial development of Cascade Caverns begins.
  • World War II - American Military bases in the San Antonio area provide jobs for Kendall County residents.
  • 1991 Texas legislature adopts a resolution recognizing the Boerne Village Band for "keeping alive German music as a part of our heritage."
  • 1998 Current Kendall County limestone, steel and concrete Courthouse built in Boerne, across the street from the original 1870 courthouse. Architect Rehler Vaughn & Koone, Inc

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 663 square miles (1,717 km²), of which 662 square miles (1,716 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) (0.09%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2008, there were 32,886 people, 8,613 households, and 6,692 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 9,609 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.86% White, 0.56% Native American, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.23% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.41% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. 17.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,613 households out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.20% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.30% were non-families. 19.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.20% under the age of 18, 6.10% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,521, and the median income for a family was $58,081. Males had a median income of $39,697 versus $28,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,619. About 7.90% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated place

Other communities

See also

References

  1. ^ Handbook of Texas, Kendall County
  2. ^ Cascade Caverns
  3. ^ Handbook of Texas, Adelsverein
  4. ^ Texas Almanac, The German Settlements in Central Texas
  5. ^ Texas Escapes, Indianaola
  6. ^ Texas Escapes, Death March to Comal County
  7. ^ Handbook of Texas, John O. Meusebach
  8. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Meusebach-Comanche Treaty
  9. ^ Find A Grave, Ludwig Boerne
  10. ^ Find A Grave, Elisha M. Pease
  11. ^ TSHA online, Texas State Convention of Germans
  12. ^ Handbook of Texas, Boerne Village Band
  13. ^ Handbook of Texas, The Union League
  14. ^ Handbook of Texas, James Duff
  15. ^ TexGenWeb, Spring Creek Cemetery
  16. ^ Find A Grave
  17. ^ Texas Escapes, Treüe der Union monument
  18. ^ TexGenWeb Treue Der Union Monument, with List of Names
  19. ^ Texas Escapes, Kendall County Courthouse
  20. ^ Texas Escapes, Sisterdale
  21. ^ Boerne Convention and Visitors Bureau
  22. ^ San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad
  23. ^ Find A Grave, John O. Meusebach
  24. ^ Texas Historical Markers, Bat Roost
  25. ^ Find A Grave, Dr. Campbell
  26. ^ TPWD Guadalupe River State Park
  27. ^ TexGenWeb Boerne Village Band
  28. ^ Cibolo Nature Center

External links

29°57′N 98°42′W / 29.95°N 98.70°W / 29.95; -98.70

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