Editing La Salle County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = La Salle County
 | state                = Texas
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1880
 | named for            = [[René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle]]<ref name="leffler"/>
 | seat wl              = Cotulla
 | largest city wl      = Cotulla
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1494
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1487
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.5
 | area percentage      = 0.5%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 6664
 | density_sq_mi        = 4.5
 | ex image             = La Salle County Courthouse (1 of 1).jpg
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = The La Salle County Courthouse in Cotulla has undergone extensive renovation (2018).
 | web                  = lasallecountytx.com
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 23rd
}}

'''La Salle County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in [[Texas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 6,664.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: La Salle County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48283|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 10, 2021}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Cotulla, Texas|Cotulla]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was created in 1858 and later organized in 1880.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Texas: Individual County Chronologies|work=Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=[[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]]|date=2008|access-date=May 25, 2015|archive-date=April 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412140748/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=leffler>{{cite web|last=Leffler|first=John|title=La Salle County - Handbook of Texas Online|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcl04|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=May 24, 2011|date=June 15, 2010}}</ref> It is named for [[René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle]], a 17th-century [[France|French]] [[explorer]].<ref name="leffler"/>

==History==

===Early history===
The area of present-day La Salle County was occupied by the [[Coahuiltecan]] Indians until the 18th century, when they were squeezed out by the Spanish from the south and the [[Apache]] from the north. After the [[Mexican War of Independence]], the Mexican government used land grants to encourage settlement, but very few settled in the area. By 1836, the area was entirely populated by Indians.<ref name="leffler"/>

Between the [[Texas Revolution]] and the [[Mexican–American War|Mexican War]], the area of present-day La Salle County lay in the disputed area between the [[Rio Grande]] and the [[Nueces River]]. Desperadoes ruled the area, as neither the Mexican government nor the [[Republic of Texas]] could gain control. The [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]] assigned the [[Nueces Strip]] to Texas in 1848, but outlaws and hostile Indians delayed settlement of the area.<ref name="leffler"/>

La Salle County was officially formed in 1858 from the [[Bexar County, Texas|Bexar District]]. The first settlements were established on the road from [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]] to [[San Antonio]]. In 1852, the Army established Fort Ewell near present-day [[Artesia Wells, Texas|Artesia Wells]], where the road crossed the Nueces River, to protect travelers on the road. The fort was abandoned in 1854, and the remaining inhabitants moved to the settlement of Guajoco, located one and a half miles from the fort. By 1871, around 60 people lived in Guajoco, mostly of Mexican descent.<ref name="leffler"/>

In 1856, William A. Waugh of [[Ohio]] established a ranch where the San Antonio–Laredo road crossed Cibolo Creek. His ranch headquarters became a stopping point for travelers, and in 1879, a post office was established there with the name Waugh's Rancho. Iuka, an early settlement located 8 miles west of present-day [[Cotulla, Texas|Cotulla]], was established in 1868 by several families and served as a stage stop and marketplace for cattle buyers. The settlement established a post office in 1880. In 1870, the population of La Salle County was 69, and by 1880, it was 789.<ref name="leffler"/>

La Salle County was formally organized in 1880 and Stuart's Rancho, near Guajoco, was designated the county seat. In the early 1880s, the [[International-Great Northern Railroad]] laid tracks to the county. Around this time, outlaws were gradually eliminated from the area, and the last Indian raid happened in 1878. These changes help bring stability to the county.<ref name="leffler"/>

With the arrival of the railroads, settlements such as Iuka and Guajoco were abandoned as inhabitants moved near the railroad tracks. Polish immigrant Joseph Cotulla arrived in La Salle County in 1868 and eventually established a large ranching operation. In 1881, Cotulla donated 120 acres of his land to the railroad for the townsite of Cotulla, and the railroad built a depot there in 1882. While Cotulla continued to develop his town, Iuka's postmaster, Jesse Laxton, developed a townsite just across the tracks named La Salle. La Salle was granted a post office in 1881, and in 1882, was designated the temporary county seat. However, Cotulla became the county seat by [[special election]] in 1883.<ref name="leffler"/>

==Geography==
[[Image:LaSalle County rest area near Cotulla, TX (revised) IMG 4472.JPG|300px|right|thumb|La Salle County highway visitor center on [[Interstate 35]] south of [[Cotulla, Texas|Cotulla]] (November 2014)]]

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1494|sqmi}}, of which  {{convert|7.5|sqmi}} (0.5%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 3, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* {{jct|state=TX|I|35}}
* {{jct|state=TX|BL|35|dab1=Cotulla}}
* {{jct|state=TX|BL|35|dab1=Encinal}}
* {{jct|state=TX|SH|44}}
* {{jct|state=TX|SH|97}}
* {{jct|state=TX|FM|133}}
* {{jct|state=TX|FM|468}}
* {{jct|state=TX|FM|469}}
* {{jct|state=TX|FM|624}}
* {{jct|state=TX|FM|1582}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Frio County, Texas|Frio County]] (north)
* [[Atascosa County, Texas|Atascosa County]] (northeast)
* [[McMullen County, Texas|McMullen County]] (east)
* [[Webb County, Texas|Webb County]] (south)
* [[Dimmit County, Texas|Dimmit County]] (west)
* [[Zavala County, Texas|Zavala County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 69
|1880= 789
|1890= 2139
|1900= 2303
|1910= 4747
|1920= 4821
|1930= 8228
|1940= 8003
|1950= 7485
|1960= 5972
|1970= 5014
|1980= 5514
|1990= 5254
|2000= 5866
|2010= 6886
|2020= 6664
|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 />1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 3, 2015}}</ref> 2010–2014<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48283.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018035346/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48283.html|archive-date=October 18, 2011}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''La Salle County, 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 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – La Salle County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US48283&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!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) – La Salle County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US48283&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|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) – La Salle County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US48283&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|1,114
|894
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,467
|18.99%
|12.98%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |22.01%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|192
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |221
|3.27%
|0.26%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.32%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|5
|25
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3
|0.09%
|0.36%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.05%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|18
|6
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|0.31%
|0.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.06%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|2
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5
|0.03%
|0.07%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|11
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |56
|0.19%
|0.26%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.84%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|4,524
|5,920
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,908
|77.12%
|85.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |73.65%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''5,866'''
|'''6,886'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''6,664'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 6,664 people, 2,142 households, and 1,659 families residing in the county.

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, 5,866 people, 1,819 households, and 1,351 were families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. The 2,436 housing units averaged {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 81.47% White, 3.55% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 12.21% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. About 77.12% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,819 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were not families. About 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89, and the average family size was 3.45.

In the county, the age distribution was 29.4% under 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $21,857, and for a family was $25,494. Males had a median income of $20,856 versus $17,339 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $9,692. About 28.20% of families and 29.80% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 38.50% of those under age 18 and 24.80% of those age 65 or over. The county's [[Per capita income|''per capita'' income]] makes it one of the [[poorest places in the United States|poorest counties in the United States]], yet the average income of the top 1% highest earners in the county was $6,021,357, one of the highest in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=This Map Shows Where the 1% Lives|url=https://howmuch.net/articles/average-income-of-top-1-per-cent|website=howmuch.net|access-date=November 28, 2016}}</ref>

==Education==
Most of La Salle County is served by the [[Cotulla Independent School District]]. The [[Dilley Independent School District]] serves a small portion of northwestern La Salle County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48283_la_salle/DC20SD_C48283.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48283_la_salle/DC20SD_C48283.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: La Salle County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48283_la_salle/DC20SD_C48283_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

The designated community college is [[Southwest Texas Junior College]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Cotulla, Texas|Cotulla]] (county seat)
* [[Encinal, Texas|Encinal]]

===Census-designated place===
* [[Fowlerton, Texas|Fowlerton]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Artesia Wells, Texas|Artesia Wells]]
* [[Los Angeles, La Salle County, Texas|Los Angeles]]
* [[Millett, Texas|Millett]]

===Ghost town===
* [[Dull, Texas|Dull]]

==Notable people==
[[O. Henry]], the famous short-story writer, lived and worked on a sheep ranch in La Salle County from 1882 to 1884 before settling in Austin as a pharmacist and bank teller.

[[Ray Keck]], the fifth and current president of [[Texas A&M International University]] in [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], was born in San Antonio and reared in Cotulla, where his father, Ray Keck, Jr., was president of Stockmen's National Bank.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/75R/billtext/html/SR00058F.htm|title=Senate Resolution in Memory of Ray M. Keck, Jr.|publisher=legis.state.tx.us|author=Judith Zaffirini|author-link=Judith Zaffirini|date=January 27, 1997|access-date=October 23, 2015}}</ref>

==Politics==
For most of its history, La Salle County was a solid [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] stronghold like most of South Texas. Before 2020, the county 
had voted for the [[GOP|Republican]] candidate only once in over a hundred years, delivering 65% of the vote to [[Richard Nixon]] during his landslide victory in [[1972 United States presidential election|1972]]. In recent years, however, La Salle County has skewed significantly more Republican, as [[Donald Trump]] flipped the county in [[2020 United States presidential election|2020]] and further expanded his margin of victory in [[2024 United States presidential election|2024]]. This political realignment is consistent with shifting trends among Hispanic voters in South Texas.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Scherer |first1=Jasper |title=Trump's near sweep of Texas border counties shows a shift to the right for Latino voters |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/06/donald-trump-near-sweep-texas-border-counties/ |website=Texas Tribune |access-date=26 November 2024}}</ref>
{{PresHead|place=La Salle County, Texas|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 26, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|1,417|933|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,335|1,052|19|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|872|1,129|58|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|669|965|12|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|714|1,052|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|989|1,229|12|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|731|1,266|17|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|570|1,522|92|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|586|1,522|211|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|693|1,651|8|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|1,007|1,504|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|773|1,442|33|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|677|1,294|12|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,073|567|8|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|324|645|112|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|223|988|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|326|718|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|449|574|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|565|816|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|135|719|59|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|127|692|41|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|112|706|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|74|704|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|92|810|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|327|479|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|73|458|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|53|252|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|40|340|4|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|21|339|52|Texas}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places in La Salle County, Texas]]
* [[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Hunt-Martin)#La Salle County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in La Salle County]]
* [[Winter Garden Region]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcl04|name=La Salle County}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150918173601/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48283 "La Salle County Profile" from the Texas Association of Counties]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = La Salle County, Texas
|North     = [[Frio County, Texas|Frio County]]
|Northeast = [[Atascosa County, Texas|Atascosa County]]
|East      = [[McMullen County, Texas|McMullen County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Webb County, Texas|Webb County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Dimmit County, Texas|Dimmit County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{La Salle County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}

{{Coord|28.34|-99.10|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:La Salle County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1880 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1880]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Texas]]
[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American culture in Texas]]