Summary
Victoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 91,319.[1] Its county seat is also named Victoria.[2] Victoria County is included in the Victoria metropolitan statistical area, and comprises the entirety of the Victoria media market in Texas.
Victoria County | |
|---|---|
 The Victoria County Courthouse of Romanesque revival design in Victoria | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
 Texas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 28°48′N 96°58′W / 28.8°N 96.97°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1836 |
| Named for | Guadalupe Victoria |
| Seat | Victoria |
| Largest city | Victoria |
| Area | |
• Total | 889 sq mi (2,300 km2) |
| • Land | 882 sq mi (2,280 km2) |
| • Water | 6.7 sq mi (17 km2) 0.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 91,319 |
| • Density | 100/sq mi (40/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 27th |
| Website | www |
History
editThrough colonial times
editPaleo-Indian hunter-gatherers, and later Tonkawa, Aranamas, Tamiques, and Karankawa, inhabited the area before the time of European contact. Tawakoni, Lipan Apache, and Comanche were later inhabitants of modern-day Victoria County.[3]
In 1685, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle established Fort St. Louis.[4]
In 1689, Alonso de Leon named the Guadalupe River in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.[5]
In 1722, Nuestra Señora de Loreto Presidio[6] and Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga became the first Spanish settlement in Victoria County.[7]
In 1824, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de Jesús Victoria (the future city of Victoria) was established by Martín De León, who started his colony with 5,000 branded cattle and established the county's claim as the "Cradle of the Texas Cattle Industry." It was the only primarily Mexican colony in Texas.[8]
In 1835, Victoria's settlers supported the revolution against Antonio López de Santa Anna, but were ostracized by new incoming Americans, many of whom were adventurous soldiers or fortune hunters, who wrongly profiled them as Mexican sympathizers and forced them to flee after the revolution in 1836.[9] Anglo-Americans resettled the area.[10]
In 1836, Victory County was formed by the Republic of Texas. It is named after Guadalupe Victoria, the first President of Mexico.[3] About 3000 troops of the Texas Army encamped near Spring Creek, Victoria County, under the command of Gen. Thomas J. Rusk, as the main defense against a threatened attack by Mexican General José de Urrea.[11]
In 1842, Rafael Vásquez and Adrián Woll led Mexican forces in an invasion into the county.[12]
After the Revolution through the Civil War
editIn 1850, Coletoville was established by German immigrant Carl Steiner.[13] The next year, Victoria County's first toll bridge was erected across the river, built by Richard Owens and Sylvester Sutton.[14]
As of 1860, 1,413 slaves were in the county.[3] In 1861m county residents voted 318–88 in favor of secession from the Union. Victoria County sent 300 men to fight for the Confederate States Army.[3] Confederate General John B. Magruder destroyed the railroad from Port Lavaca to Victoria in 1863 to keep it out of Union hands. He also sank trees and boats into the Guadalupe River.[3]
From 1867-1869, the county was occupied by federal troops. Mob violence by those same troops resulted in the axing death and corpse mutilation of local official Benjamin F. Hill, who at the time was incarcerated for an alleged self-defense killing of a discharged Union soldier.[15]
The Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway connect Victoria with Cuero and the coast in 1873.[3] The New York, Texas and Mexican Railway provided the first cross-country route to Rosenberg Junction in Fort Bend County in 1882.[3]
That next year, the Texas Continental Meat Company was erected in the county and was the largest meat packing plant in Texas.[3] Bray's Ferry was established in 1886 at the San Antonio River by G. B. Amery and John Bray.[3] Twenty years later, the Guadalupe River Navigation Company was established.[3]
By 1930, when oil was discovered at the McFaddin Oil Field, Victoria County held more cattle than any other county in Texas.[3] Foster Air Force Base was established as Victoria Army Air Field as a training air field in 1941.[16] The Victoria Barge Canal was completed in 1967, connecting Victoria County with the Intracoastal Waterway.[3]
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 2,019 | — | |
| 1860 | 4,171 | 106.6% | |
| 1870 | 4,860 | 16.5% | |
| 1880 | 6,289 | 29.4% | |
| 1890 | 8,737 | 38.9% | |
| 1900 | 13,678 | 56.6% | |
| 1910 | 14,990 | 9.6% | |
| 1920 | 18,271 | 21.9% | |
| 1930 | 20,048 | 9.7% | |
| 1940 | 23,741 | 18.4% | |
| 1950 | 31,241 | 31.6% | |
| 1960 | 46,475 | 48.8% | |
| 1970 | 53,766 | 15.7% | |
| 1980 | 68,807 | 28.0% | |
| 1990 | 74,361 | 8.1% | |
| 2000 | 84,088 | 13.1% | |
| 2010 | 86,793 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 91,319 | 5.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] 1850–2010[18] 2010–2014[19] | |||
2020 census
edit| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[20] | Pop 2010[21] | Pop 2020[22] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 44,490 | 41,564 | 39,330 | 52.91% | 47.89% | 43.07% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,137 | 5,190 | 5,230 | 6.11% | 5.98% | 5.73% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 197 | 199 | 425 | 0.23% | 0.23% | 0.23% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 635 | 860 | 2,404 | 0.76% | 0.99% | 1.52% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 9 | 16 | 46 | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 39 | 109 | 698 | 0.05% | 0.13% | 0.25% |
| Mixed or multiracial alone (NH) | 622 | 742 | 7,961 | 0.74% | 0.85% | 2.14% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 32,959 | 38,113 | 42,931 | 39.20% | 43.91% | 47.01% |
| Total | 84,088 | 86,793 | 91,319 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, 91,319 people, 32,520 households, and 22,172 families resided in the county.
As of the census[23] of 2000, 84,088 people, 30,071 households, and 22,192 families lived in the county. The population density was 95 people per square mile (37 people/km2). The 32,945 housing units had an average density of 37 units per square mile (14 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.22% White, 6.30% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 15.92% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. About 39.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race; 16.2% were of German, 6.2% American, and 5.6% English ancestry according to Census 2000, and 73.3% spoke English and 25.5% Spanish as their first language.
Uf the 30,071 households, 37.2% had children under 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were not families. Around 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the county, the age distribution was 29.1% under 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,732, and for a family was $44,443. Males had a median income of $35,484 versus $21,231 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,379. About 10.50% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under 18 and 11.70% of those 65 or over.
Geography
editAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 889 square miles (2,300 km2), of which 6.7 square miles (17 km2) (0.8%) are covered by water.[24]
Major highways
edit
U.S. Highway 59
Interstate 69 is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places northeast of Victoria.
Interstate 69W is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places southwest of Victoria.
U.S. Highway 77
Interstate 69E is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 77 in most places southwest of Victoria.
U.S. Highway 87
Farm to Market Road 444
Farm to Market Road 616
Farm to Market Road 622
Adjacent counties
edit- Lavaca County (north)
- Jackson County (northeast)
- Calhoun County (southeast)
- Refugio County (south)
- Goliad County (southwest)
- DeWitt County (northwest)
Politics
editCounty government
editVictoria County elected officials
edit| Position | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| County Judge | Ben Zeller | Republican | |
| Commissioner, Precinct 1 | Danny Garcia | Democratic | |
| Commissioner, Precinct 2 | Kevin M. Janak | Republican | |
| Commissioner, Precinct 3 | Gary Burns | Republican | |
| Commissioner, Precinct 4 | Clint Ives | Republican | |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 25,010 | 70.84% | 9,998 | 28.32% | 297 | 0.84% |
| 2020 | 23,358 | 68.25% | 10,380 | 30.33% | 488 | 1.43% |
| 2016 | 21,275 | 67.92% | 8,866 | 28.30% | 1,183 | 3.78% |
| 2012 | 19,692 | 68.25% | 8,802 | 30.51% | 359 | 1.24% |
| 2008 | 19,878 | 66.22% | 9,832 | 32.75% | 310 | 1.03% |
| 2004 | 20,875 | 70.52% | 8,553 | 28.89% | 174 | 0.59% |
| 2000 | 18,787 | 68.55% | 8,176 | 29.83% | 445 | 1.62% |
| 1996 | 14,457 | 59.94% | 8,238 | 34.16% | 1,424 | 5.90% |
| 1992 | 13,086 | 50.26% | 7,604 | 29.20% | 5,347 | 20.54% |
| 1988 | 15,056 | 62.08% | 8,923 | 36.79% | 274 | 1.13% |
| 1984 | 18,787 | 72.41% | 7,037 | 27.12% | 121 | 0.47% |
| 1980 | 13,392 | 62.96% | 7,382 | 34.71% | 495 | 2.33% |
| 1976 | 9,594 | 56.34% | 7,326 | 43.02% | 108 | 0.63% |
| 1972 | 11,246 | 72.56% | 4,226 | 27.27% | 26 | 0.17% |
| 1968 | 6,352 | 43.12% | 6,042 | 41.02% | 2,336 | 15.86% |
| 1964 | 4,201 | 33.97% | 8,141 | 65.83% | 25 | 0.20% |
| 1960 | 4,591 | 44.16% | 5,779 | 55.58% | 27 | 0.26% |
| 1956 | 5,596 | 62.85% | 3,280 | 36.84% | 28 | 0.31% |
| 1952 | 4,306 | 57.89% | 3,128 | 42.05% | 4 | 0.05% |
| 1948 | 1,262 | 31.22% | 2,435 | 60.24% | 345 | 8.54% |
| 1944 | 936 | 25.41% | 2,331 | 63.27% | 417 | 11.32% |
| 1940 | 956 | 27.70% | 2,493 | 72.24% | 2 | 0.06% |
| 1936 | 352 | 14.46% | 2,081 | 85.46% | 2 | 0.08% |
| 1932 | 190 | 6.39% | 2,777 | 93.44% | 5 | 0.17% |
| 1928 | 663 | 27.94% | 1,710 | 72.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 459 | 18.98% | 1,653 | 68.36% | 306 | 12.66% |
| 1920 | 782 | 41.62% | 686 | 36.51% | 411 | 21.87% |
| 1916 | 476 | 33.66% | 897 | 63.44% | 41 | 2.90% |
| 1912 | 100 | 9.90% | 687 | 68.02% | 223 | 22.08% |
Communities
editCity
edit- Victoria (county seat)
Census-designated places
editUnincorporated communities
editEducation
editSchool districts include:[26]
- Bloomington Independent School District
- Industrial Independent School District
- Meyersville Independent School District
- Nursery Independent School District
- Refugio Independent School District
- Victoria Independent School District
All of the county is in the service area of Victoria College.[27]
University of Houston-Victoria is in Victoria.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "QuickFacts: Victoria County, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Roell, Craig H. "Victoria County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
- ^ Harrigan, Stephen (January 1979). "In Search of La Salle". Texas Monthly: 88–90, 138, 141–147.
- ^ Bencke, Arthur C; Cushing, Colbert E (2005). Rivers of North America. Academic Press. pp. 192–194. ISBN 978-0-12-088253-3.
- ^ Heard, J Norman (1987). Handbook of the American Frontier, Volume I: The Southeastern Woodlands. The Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 272. ISBN 978-0-8108-1931-3.
- ^ Walter, Tamra Lynn (2007). Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga: A Frontier Mission in South Texas. University of Texas Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-292-71478-6.
- ^ Craig H. Roell, "DE LEON, MARTIN," Handbook of Texas Online [1] Archived March 17, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, accessed September 11, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ Craig H. Roell, "DE LEON'S COLONY," Handbook of Texas Online [2] Archived August 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, accessed September 11, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
- ^ Room, Adrian (2005). Placenames Of The World: Origins and Meanings of the Names for 6,600 Countries, Cities, Territories, Natural Features and Historic Sites. McFarland & Company. p. 395. ISBN 978-0-7864-2248-7.
- ^ De La Teja, Jesus F (2010). Tejano Leadership in Mexican and Revolutionary Texas. TAMU Press. p. 116. ISBN 978-1-60344-166-7.
- ^ Fowler, Will (2007). Santa Anna of Mexico. University of Nebraska Press. p. 226. ISBN 978-0-8032-1120-9.
- ^ "Coletoville, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
- ^ Blackburn, Edward A (2005). Wanted: Historic County Jails of Texas. TAMU Press. p. 339. ISBN 978-1-58544-308-6.
- ^ Roell, Craig H; Harsdoff-Lee, Linda. "Benjamin F Hill". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
- ^ "Victoria, Texas-Air Forces". Life. June 1942. pp. 56–59 61.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
- ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 18, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Victoria County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Victoria County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Victoria County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Victoria County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2024. - Text list
- ^ Texas Education Code Sec. 130.208. THE VICTORIA COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
External links
edit
- Victoria County government's website
- Victoria Economic Development Corporation economic development
- Victoria County from the Handbook of Texas Online
- "Victoria County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties
- Texas Beyond History, Morhiss Mound
28°48′N 96°58′W / 28.80°N 96.97°W