Bandera, Texas | |
|---|---|
City | |
.jpg) Downtown Bandera | |
 Flag  Logo | |
| Nickname: "Cowboy Capital of the World" | |
 Show Bandera Show Bandera County Show Texas Show the United States | |
  Bandera, Texas Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:29°43′32″N99°04′27″W / 29.72556°N 99.07417°W /29.72556; -99.07417 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Bandera |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Denise Griffin[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2) |
| • Land | 1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0039 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,247 ft (380 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 829 |
| • Density | 778.3/sq mi (300.49/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 78003 |
| Area code | 830 |
| FIPS code | 48-05528[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409781[3] |
| Website | www |
Bandera (Spanish: "flag",/bænˈdɛrə/ban-DERR-ə) is a city inBandera County, Texas, United States. It was founded by Polish Catholic settlers from Silesia in the 1850's.[5]Thecounty seat, it lies in theTexas Hill Country, a part of theEdwards Plateau located at the crossroads of the central, southern, and western parts of the state,[6] Its population was 829 at the2020 census.[7]
Bandera calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the World", a legacy dating to its days as a staging area for what is today known asGreat Western Cattle Trail for the last cattle drives of the 1800s.[8]
Bandera was founded in 1855 byPolishRoman Catholic immigrants from theProvince of Silesia.[9]: 22, 23 They built St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, and many local residents are descended from them.[9]: 27
Bandera is the Spanish word for flag. How the town acquired the name is unknown. One theory is that the town is named afterBandera Pass.[10]
Bandera was a staging area on theGreat Western Cattle Trail, during the late 19th century.[11]
The Cabaret Dance Hall opened in 1936.[12] Throughout its history, the dance hall hostedBob Wills,Doug Sahm,Ernest Tubb, and others.[13] In 2008, the hall was listed as endangered by Preservation Texas.[14] By at least 2013 the hall was closed.[12] By at least 2015, the hall was demolished.[15]
Bandera hosts a three-day Cowboy Mardi Gras that attracts over 15,000 people from all over the world to the town.[11][16]
Bandera is located in east-central Bandera County, 47 miles (76 km) northwest ofdowntown San Antonio, on theMedina River.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km2), of which 0.008 sq mi (0.02 km2) (about 5 acres or 0.55%) is covered by water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 372 | — | |
| 1900 | 419 | 12.6% | |
| 1920 | 700 | — | |
| 1930 | 580 | −17.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,250 | 115.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,325 | 6.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,065 | −19.6% | |
| 1970 | 891 | −16.3% | |
| 1980 | 947 | 6.3% | |
| 1990 | 877 | −7.4% | |
| 2000 | 957 | 9.1% | |
| 2010 | 857 | −10.4% | |
| 2020 | 829 | −3.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 607 | 73.22% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1 | 0.12% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 3 | 0.36% |
| Asian (NH) | 4 | 0.48% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 2 | 0.24% |
| Multiracial (NH) | 27 | 3.26% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 185 | 22.32% |
| Total | 829 |
As of the2020 United States census, 829 people, 240 households, and 118 families were residing in the city.
As of the 2000 census, 957 people, 408 households, and 239 families were residing in the city. The population density was 820.2/sq mi (316.7/km2). The 488 housing units averaged 418.2/sq mi (161.5/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 94.98% White, 0.21% African American, 0.52% Native American, 2.51% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 21.84% of the population.
Of the 408 households, 24.5% had children under 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were not families. About 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.22, and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, the age distribution was 21.5% under 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,089, and for a family was $36,500. Males had a median income of $27,604 versus $17,813 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,502. About 11.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over.
Bandera is served by theBandera Independent School District and home to theBandera High School Bulldogs.
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![Historical marker for the town center[23]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBandera_town_center_historic_sign.png)
Municipalities and communities ofBandera County, Texas,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This city also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
