Val Verde County Judicial Center at 100 E. Broadway St. in Del RioDel Rio Bank and Trust Company was organized in 1910. The bank is hence a year older than the Del Rio city government and has served Val Verde County for more than a century. The photo is the facility at 1200 Veterans Blvd.; another location is 22411 N Bedell Ave.
Val Verde, which means "green valley",[3] was named for a battle of theCivil War. In 1862, soldiers ofSibley's Brigade took part in the Texas invasion ofNew 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 inMilam County.
The first inhabitants of what is now known as Val Verde County lived there some 6,000–10,000 years ago. Their descendants include such Native American peoples as theLipan Apache,Coahuiltecan,Jumano, Tamaulipan andComanche.[4][5]
In 1590, Spanish explorerGaspar Castaño de Sosa led a mining expedition of 170 who passed through Devils Draw. He referred to a stream by the name of Laxas, which is believed to be Devils River.[6][7][8]
In 1673, Juan Larios opened a mission school at a location between Del Rio and Eagle Pass.[5][9]
In 1736, Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón[10] led 100 soldiers along theDevils River[11] in pursuit of Apache natives.
During 1834, James Grant[12] and John Charles Beales[13] established a settlement onSan Felipe Creek,[14] which became hazardous due to Indian attacks.
During 1868, the San Felipe Del Rio community is established on San Felipe Creek, next to Camp San Felipe.[5]
From 1869 through 1882,Seminole Negro Indian Scouts (mixed heritage Seminoles with African blood) under John Lapham Bullis, namesake ofCamp Bullis, defend the Texas border against Indian attacks.[18][19]
In 1883, the Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway was completed.[20] Italian immigrant Frank Qualia established Val Verde winery.[21][22][23]
In 1884, theLangtry community was established, named after George Langtry (an engineer and foreman). It has mistakenly been attributed to being named after British entertainerLillie Langtry byJudge Roy Bean.[5][24]
In 1885, Val Verde County was organized fromCrockett,Kinney, andPecos counties.Roy Bean was elected justice of the peace in Langtry, operating out of the Jersey Lily Saloon and becoming renowned as "the Law West of the Pecos".[5]
In 1886, the Juno and Devils River communities were established.[5]
In 1888, the Comstock community was established.[5][25]
In 1889, the community of Norris was established.[5]
By 1890, the last Indian raids had happened and were no longer considered a threat.[26]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,233 sq mi (8,370 km2), of which 3,145 sq mi (8,150 km2) are land and 88 sq mi (230 km2) (2.7%) are covered by water.[34]
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 47,586. The median age was 34.5 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.9 males age 18 and over.[39][40]
89.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 10.3% lived in rural areas.[41]
There were 15,796 households in the county, of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.9% were married-couple households, 17.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[39]
There were 18,455 housing units, of which 14.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 64.9% were owner-occupied and 35.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.6%.[39]
Val Verde County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the2000 census, 44,856 people, 14,151 households, and 11,320 families resided in the county. Thepopulation density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km2). The 16,288 housing units averaged 5 units per square mile (1.9 units/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 76.36% White, 4.54% 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. About 75.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.[43]
Of the 14,151 households, 42.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.00% were not families. About 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.55.
In the county, the population was distributed as 32.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,376, and for a family was $31,434. Males had a median income of $26,485 versus $18,039 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $12,096. About 22.10% of families and 26.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 26.40% of them age 65 or over.
Sometime prior to 1976 the Comstock district absorbed the Langtry and Pandale common school districts.[45] The formerJuno Common School District consolidated into Comstock ISD in 1992.[46] There was formerly a Star Route School on Miers Ranch. In 1964 the school had 13 students.[47]
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.Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office. The fire-protection arm of the Val Verde is the Val Verde County Fire Rescue.Val Verde County Fire Rescue.
One county commissioner is elected from each district to serve a 4-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. The current office holders are:
Val Verde County Judge: Honorable Judge Lewis Owens[50]
Val Verde County Precinct 1: Martin Wardlaw
Val Verde County Precinct 2: Juan Vazquez
Val Verde County Precinct 3: Robert Beau Nettleton
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. RetrievedJune 7, 2011.
^In Old Spanish or ModernGalician; Spanish nowadays would sayValle Verde, and ModernPortugueseVale Verde. Althoughverde is the same in masculine or feminine,val((l)e) used to be feminine, masculine nowadays.
^"Devil's Draw".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Chipman, Donald E."Gaspar Castaño de Sosa".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^abWade, Maria F; Wade, Don E; Hester, Thomas R (2002). "The Bosque-Larios Expedition".The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799. University of Texas Press. pp. 24–54.ISBN978-0-292-79156-5.
^Garcia, Clotilde P."Miguel de la Garza Falcón".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Smith, Julia Cauble."Devils River".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Blake, Robert Bruce."James Grant".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Estep, Raymond."John Charles Beales".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^"San Felipe Creek".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Smith, Julia Cauble."Camp Blake".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Smith, Julia Cauble."Camp Hudson".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Seale, Axcie."Camp San Felipe".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
^Glasrud, Bruce A; Searles, Michael N (2007). "The Black Seminole Indian Scouts in the Big Bend".Buffalo Soldiers in the West: A Black Soldiers Anthology. TAMU Press. pp. 143–152.ISBN978-1-58544-620-9.
^Braudaway, Douglas Lee; Valverde County Historical Commission (1999).Val Verde County (Images of America: Texas). Arcadia Publishing. p. 93.ISBN978-0-7385-0128-4.
^Overfelt, Robert C."Val Verde Winery".Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. RetrievedNovember 29, 2010.
