Editing Harper, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Harper, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place]]
| image_skyline      = Harper_Tx.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = 
| pushpin_map        = Texas#USA
| pushpin_label      = Harper
| pushpin_image      = Relief map of Texas.png
| pushpin_map_caption = Harper, Texas
| image_map          = 
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Location of Harper, Texas
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Gillespie County, Texas|Gillespie]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_total_km2     = 146.7
| area_land_km2      = 146.5
| area_water_km2     = 0.2
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_water_sq_mi   = 
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1332
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 2021
| coordinates        = {{coord|30|18|04|N|99|14|56|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 78631
| area_code          = [[Area code 830|830]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-32456<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2408352<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2408352}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Harper''' is an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] (CDP), located {{convert|23|mi}} west of [[Fredericksburg, Texas|Fredericksburg]] on [[U.S. Route 290|U.S. Highway 290]], in [[Gillespie County, Texas|Gillespie County]], in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. The population was 1,332 at the 2020 census.

==History==
On December 15, 1847, a petition was submitted to create Gillespie County. In 1848, the legislature formed Gillespie County from [[Bexar County, Texas|Bexar]] and [[Travis County, Texas|Travis]] Counties.  While the signers were overwhelmingly [[German Texan|German immigrants]], names also on the petition were Castillo, Pena, Munos, and a handful of Anglo names.

The first white settlers were the families of Eli McDonald and Matthew Taylor in 1863. A historical marker just south of [[U.S. Route 290|U.S. Highway 290]] commemorates the McDonald massacre of August 1864. This incident involved the killing of two family members and the kidnapping of five more by [[Kiowa]] Indians.

A post office was established in 1883 by George Franklin Harper, for whom the town was named. By 1985, the town served a large ranching area and had six churches, a fire department and ambulance services, a public school, and growing residential subdivisions. The population of the area exceeded 1,000 by 2000.<ref name="Texas Handbook">{{cite web | url = https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlh25 | title = Harper, Texas | format = | publisher = [[The Handbook of Texas]] online | date =  | accessdate = 2009-07-08}}</ref>

==Geography==
Harper is located in western Gillespie County, about {{convert|84|mi}} northwest of [[San Antonio]] and {{convert|101|mi}} west of [[Austin, Texas|Austin]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|146.7|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|146.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.2|sqkm|order=flip|1}}, or 0.14%, is covered by water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Harper CDP, Texas |url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4832456 |accessdate=March 14, 2017 |work=American Factfinder |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The headwaters of the [[Pedernales River]] flow through the community.

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, Harper has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=459314&cityname=Harper%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Harper, Texas]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 2000 = 1006
| 2010 = 1192
| 2020 = 1332
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 1850–1900<ref name=1900CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/49-population-tx.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tx-p1.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1920<ref name=1920CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-tx-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1930<ref name=1930CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch10.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch09.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br>
1950<ref name=1950CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-46.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/33255142v1p45ch02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00496492v1p45s1ch02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1980<ref name=1980CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1980/volume-1/texas/1980a_txab-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 2010<ref name=2010CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Harper, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Harper%20CDP,%20Texas |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=Jun 4, 2024}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000,  1,006 people, 417 households, and 293 families resided in the CDP. The [[population density]] was 17.8 people per square mile (6.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The 536 housing units averaged 9.5/sq&nbsp;mi (3.7/km<sup>2</sup>). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the CDP was 95.73% White, 0.10% African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 2.39% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.97% of the population.

Of the 417 households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were not families; 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the CDP, the population was distributed as 25.0% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,776, and for a family was $39,013. Males had a median income of $26,900 versus $23,421 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $15,318. About 10.8% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Harper is served by the [[Harper Independent School District]].

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hlh25|name=Harper}}

{{Gillespie County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Gillespie County, Texas]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Texas]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Gillespie County, Texas]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1863]]