Editing Kendleton, Texas

{{Redirect|Kendleton|the Kendleton meteorite of 1939|meteorite falls}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{update|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Kendleton, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = KendletonWatertower.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = [[Water tower]]
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = FortBend County Kendleton.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Kendleton, 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  = [[Fort Bend County, Texas|Fort Bend]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 2.86
| area_land_km2      = 2.85
| area_water_km2     = 0.01
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.10
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.10
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.01

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 343
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 29
| elevation_ft       = 95
| coordinates        = {{coord|29|26|52|N|95|59|59|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 77451
| area_code          = [[Area code 979|979]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-38848<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1339029<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| website            = http://www.kendletontx.net/
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Kendleton''' is a city in western [[Fort Bend County, Texas|Fort Bend County]], [[Texas]], United States, located southwest of [[Sugar Land, Texas|Sugar Land]]. It was established by emancipated slaves after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. The population was 343 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. As of 2011, Darryl Humphrey was the mayor of the city.

==History==
What is now Kendleton was a part of William E. Kendall's [[plantations in the American South|plantation]]. In the 1860s Kendall divided his property into various small farms and sold the plots to [[African Americans]] who were former [[slavery in the United States|slaves]]. The community of the farms became known as Kendleton.

In 1882, the [[New York, Texas and Mexican Railway Company]] established a railroad track between [[Rosenberg, Texas|Rosenberg]] and [[Victoria, Texas|Victoria]], which passed through Kendleton. In 1884, a post office opened. In 1890, Kendleton had 25 inhabitants and a [[general store]]. In 1896, the community had two additional general stores and two churches; one was [[Baptists|Baptist]] and one was [[Methodism|Methodist]]. In 1900, 116 people lived in Kendleton. In 1933, Kendleton had 36 residents. By the late 1940s, Kendleton had approximately 100 residents. In the 1960s and 1970s, the population fluctuated between 150 and 200 people. In 1973, voters approved the incorporation of Kendleton as a city. After incorporation, the population increased to over 600. In 1990, Kendleton had 496 residents. In 2000, Kendleton had 466 residents. According to the ''[[Handbook of Texas]]'', area residents estimated that about 2,200 people lived in Kendleton and surrounding areas.<ref name="Handbook">"[https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlk05 Kendleton, Texas]." [[Handbook of Texas]]. Retrieved on July 23, 2011.</ref>

==Geography==

[[File:KendletonTXMap.gif|thumb|left|Map of Kendleton]]
Kendleton is located in western Fort Bend County at {{Coord|29|26|52|N|95|59|59|W|type:city}} (29.447872, –95.999806).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> Its western boundary is the [[San Bernard River]], the Fort Bend/[[Wharton County, Texas|Wharton County]] line.

<!--[[Interstate 69]]/-->[[U.S. Route 59]], a four-lane divided highway, runs through the city, closely bypassing the original town center which is now served by [[Texas State Highway Loop 541]]. [[Farm to Market Road 2919]] runs north from Kendleton to [[East Bernard, Texas|East Bernard]]. Via <!--I-69/-->US 59 the city is {{convert|15|mi}} southwest of [[Rosenberg, Texas|Rosenberg]] and {{convert|6|mi|0}} northeast of [[Hungerford, Texas|Hungerford]].<ref>[https://maps.google.com Google Maps highway directions]</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city of Kendleton has a total area of {{convert|2.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.01|sqkm|order=flip|3}}, or 0.45%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web |title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Kendleton city, Texas |url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4838848 |access-date=August 29, 2016 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1980 = 606
| 1990 = 496
| 2000 = 466
| 2010 = 380
| 2020 = 343
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Kendleton, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Kendleton%20city,%20Texas |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2024}}</ref>
}}
[[File:KendletonTXCityhall.jpg|thumb|left|City hall]]

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Kendleton city, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kendleton city, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4838848&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kendleton city, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4838848&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|15
|13
|3.95%
|3.79%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|314
|219
|82.63%
|63.85%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|0
|1
|0.00%
|0.29%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|0
|10
|0.00%
|2.92%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race or Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|5
|5
|1.32%
|1.46%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|46
|95
|12.11%
|27.70%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''380'''
|'''343'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}

===2000 census===
At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2" /> there were 466 people, 178 households and 116 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|437.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 209 housing units at an average density of {{convert|196.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 12.45% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 78.97% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 5.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.22% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 15.24% of the population.

There were 178 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 21.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62, The average family size was 3.27.

Age distribution was 29.4% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.3 males.

The [[median household income]] was $21,563, and the median family income was $35,795. Males had a median income of $34,167 versus $21,964 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,196. About 14.6% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 28.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and infrastructure==
[[File:KendletonPO.jpg|thumb|Post office]]
The [[United States Postal Service]] 
A post office opened in Kendleton in 1884,<ref name="Handbook"/> shortly after Kendleton's founding.<ref name="POClose">Horswell, Cindy and Megan Ryan. "[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7670889.html South Texas post office closures 'heart breaking' for many]." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. July 26, 2011. Retrieved on July 27, 2011.</ref> Kendleton Post Office is located at 13635 Willie Melton Boulevard. [[Benjamin Franklin Williams|Benjamin F. Williams]] was the first postmaster<ref>"[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/37142?p=1&s=TX&service_name=post_office&z=Kendleton Post Office Location - KENDLETON] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120723000830/http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/37142?p=1&s=TX&service_name=post_office&z=Kendleton |date=2012-07-23 }}." ''[[United States Postal Service]]''. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.</ref> and also served in the state legislature. In July 2011 the USPS announced that the post office may close.<ref>"[http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/states/texas.htm Expanded Access study list] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925012630/http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/expandedaccess/states/texas.htm |date=2011-09-25 }}." [[United States Postal Service]]. Retrieved on July 24, 2011.</ref> The nearest available post office to Kendleton is over {{convert|10|mi|km}} from the city. Darryl Humphrey, the mayor of Kendleton, criticized the proposed closing. Cindy Horswell and Megan Ryan of the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' said that Humphrey "feels like his community will be erased from society if the post office is removed, too."<ref name="POClose"/>

Fort Bend County does not have a [[hospital district]]. [[OakBend Medical Center]] serves as the county's [[charity hospital]] which the county contracts with.<ref>{{cite web|last=Knipp|first=Bethany|url=https://communityimpact.com/news/2016/11/02/fort-bend-county-lacks-hospital-district/|title=Fort Bend County lacks hospital district|newspaper=[[Community Impact Newspaper]]|date=2016-11-02|accessdate=2021-10-18}}</ref>

==Education==

===Primary and secondary schools===

====Public schools====

Kendleton is served by the [[Lamar Consolidated Independent School District]] (LCISD).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48157_fort_bend/DC20SD_C48157.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Fort Bend County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-09-21}} - Compare with LCISD boundary maps.</ref> Students are zoned to Beasley Elementary School in [[Beasley, Texas|Beasley]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lcisd.org/docs/default-source/general-information/zoning/beasley-and-bowie-zoning/bowie-and-beasley-board-approved.pdf?sfvrsn=76eae7e0_2|title=Board Approved Attendance Zones In effect starting 2022-2023 School Year|publisher=[[Lamar Consolidated Independent School District]]|accessdate=2022-09-21}}</ref> Wright Junior High School (grades 6-8),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lcisd.org/docs/default-source/general-information/zoning/randle-wright-zoning/board-approved-0917/randle-wright-board-approved-attendance-boundary-zones-9-17-20.pdf?sfvrsn=4aae13e0_2|title=Randle-Wright Board Approved Zones 9-17-2020|publisher=[[Lamar Consolidated Independent School District]]|accessdate=2022-09-21}}</ref> and [[Randle High School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lcisd.org/docs/default-source/students-parents-documents/district-map/lamar-cisd-high-school-attendance-zones.pdf?sfvrsn=e8f453e0_8|title=High School Attendance Zones|publisher=[[Lamar Consolidated Independent School District]]|accessdate=2022-09-21}} - Compare with the Census map.</ref>

Historically the Kendleton area schools served Kendleton and surrounding communities. In 1903 the school system had 202 African-American students in three schools, and 12 White students in two schools.<ref name="Handbook"/> Previously primary school students attended the [[Kendleton Independent School District]] (KISD)'s Powell Point Elementary School, located [[Powell Point, Texas|Powell Point]], an unincorporated area north of Kendleton. In 1985 LCISD began serving secondary school students in the KISD territory, while primary school students went to Powell Point.<ref>"[https://secure.lcisd.org/Administration/BoardofTrustees/BoardBooks/images/2010April_Board_Book.pdf Regular Board Meeting Lamar Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees Thursday, April 15, 2010 7:00 PM]{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}." [[Lamar Consolidated Independent School District]]. Retrieved on May 25, 2018. p. 35 (PDF p. 35/89). "Lamar CISD has provided educational services to Kendleton students in grades 7-12 since 1985."</ref>

On March 25, 2010, [[Texas Education Agency]] (TEA) Commissioner Robert Scott announced that he was closing the Kendleton Independent School District. The closing is effective July 1, 2010. Kendleton ISD will be merged with Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. Commissioner Scott's statement was, "While it saddens me to close a school district, years of effort, including reconstituting its school, have failed to turn this district around. I believe students would be ill-served if Kendleton is allowed to continue to operate. The Texas Education Agency pledges to work with the citizens of Kendleton and Lamar Consolidated to make this transition as smooth as possible." As a result of the closure, students at Powell Point were rezoned to Beasley and Wessendorf. LCISD, for a two-year period, was to operate its head start program at Powell Point.<ref>Pollock, B.J. "[http://ultimatefortbend.com/stories/8143--it-ll-be-a-long-bus-ride-for-kendleton-pupils It'll be a long bus ride for Kendleton pupils] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128225417/http://ultimatefortbend.com/stories/8143--it-ll-be-a-long-bus-ride-for-kendleton-pupils |date=2011-11-28 }}." ''Ultimate Fort Bend'' (''[[Houston Chronicle]]''). July 27, 2010. Retrieved on October 16, 2011.</ref> In July 2011 mayor Darryl Humphrey said that his community was still recovering from the closing of Powell Point Elementary.<ref name="POClose"/>

Previously Kendleton was zoned to Wessendorff Middle School, Lamar Junior High School, and [[Lamar Consolidated High School]] of LCISD.<ref name=Mapin2011>"[http://beta.lcisd.org/Schools/DistrictMap.aspx Lamar CISD Attendance Zones] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812094046/http://beta.lcisd.org/Schools/DistrictMap.aspx |date=2011-08-12 }}." ([http://beta.lcisd.org/Files/DistrictMap/Lamar.swf Direct file link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812093856/http://beta.lcisd.org/Files/DistrictMap/Lamar.swf |date=2011-08-12 }}) [[Lamar Consolidated Independent School District]]. Retrieved on July 2, 2010. [https://www.lcisd.org/docs/default-source/general-information/zoning/randle-wright-zoning/20200615-meeting/randle-wright-current-zones.pdf?sfvrsn=afc116e0_2 Also see the high school attendance zones prior to the 2021 openings of Wright JHS and Randle HS]</ref><ref>[https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/GUBlock/st48_tx/place/p4838848_kendleton/DC10BLK_P4838848_001.pdf Block map of Kendleton] and [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st48_tx/c48157_fort_bend/DC10SD_C48157_001.pdf school district map] of the [[2010 U.S. Census]]. Note that [[Kendleton ISD]] existed previously [https://web.archive.org/web/20180525114938/https://secure.lcisd.org/Administration/BoardofTrustees/BoardBooks/images/2010April_Board_Book.pdf but sent secondary students to Lamar CISD (see page 35 of this document)]</ref> Wright and Randle opened in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|last=Washington|first=Chad|url=https://www.fbherald.com/news/randle-high-school-to-be-lions-wear-silver-and-black/article_9319656c-2b2d-11eb-8617-b32a5aec1dd9.html|title=Randle High School to be Lions, wear silver and black |newspaper=[[Fort Bend Herald]]|date=2020-11-19|accessdate=2022-09-21}}</ref>

===Colleges and universities===

The designated community college for LCISD is [[Wharton County Junior College]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code Sec. 130.211.  WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.] - Both the former Kendleton ISD and Lamar Consolidated ISD are in the Wharton College district.</ref>

[[Bay Ridge Christian College]] was located north of Kendleton in an unincorporated section of Fort Bend County.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bayridgecc.com/directions.htm |title=Bay Ridge Christian College |access-date=2008-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720010813/http://www.bayridgecc.com/directions.htm |archive-date=2008-07-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
Fort Bend County owns and operates the Bates M. Allen Park, located just outside the city limits of Kendleton. The {{convert|235|acre|km2|adj=on}} park includes a canoe ramp, a fishing pier, grills, a historical site, a lake, an observation deck, two pavilions, a play area, a sand volleyball court, tables, toilet facilities, walking trails and wetlands.<ref>[http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us/getSitePage.asp?sitePage=5720 "County Owned Parks"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412072717/http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us/getSitePage.asp?sitePage=5720 |date=April 12, 2009 }}. Fort Bend County. Retrieved on October 11, 2009.</ref>

In 2023 the county stated it would add a memorial to African-American settlements, which would mean much of the park would be revamped. The cost would be $4,000,000.<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Ashley|url=https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/2023/02/28/444867/fort-bend-county-to-invest-in-new-african-american-memorial-park-to-honor-one-of-first-freedmens-towns-in-texas/|title=Fort Bend County to invest in new African-American memorial park to honor one of first freedmen’s towns in Texas|publisher=[[KUHT|Houston Public Media]]|date=2023-02-28|accessdate=2023-03-01}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="300px" heights="225px">
File:Kendleton TX Vista.JPG|Church of God on FM 2919 in Kendleton
File:Kendleton TX Civil Rights Marker.JPG|Marker explains the US Supreme Court case Terry v. Adams
File:Kendleton TX Loop 541 at FM 2919.JPG|Union Pacific railroad crossing at Loop 541 and FM 2919
File:Kendleton TX Historic Marker.JPG|Marker on Loop 541 gives the history of Kendleton
File:Kendleton TX Loop 541.JPG|Loop 541 after the <!--I-69/-->US 59 exit to the northeast of Kendleton
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

{{Portal|Texas|United States}}
{{Commons category}}
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hlk05 Kendleton, Texas] – [[Handbook of Texas]]
{{Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA}}
{{Fort Bend County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Fort Bend County, Texas]]
[[Category:Greater Houston]]
[[Category:Populated places in Texas established by African Americans]]