Editing Sonora, Texas

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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Sonora, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = "Home of the Caverns of Sonora"
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 76950
| area_code          = [[Area code 325]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-68756<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        = 1368606<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>
| footnotes          = 
| website            = [http://www.sonora-texas.com/ City of Sonora]
| image_skyline      = Sonora, TX, welcome sign IMG_1381.JPG
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Sonora entrance sign
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-Sonora.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in the state of [[Texas]]
| image_map1         = Sutton County Sonora.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = 
| 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  = [[Sutton County, Texas|Sutton]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Wanda Shurley]]
| area_land_km2      = 5.75
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 2.22
| area_land_sq_mi    = 2.22
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
| area_water_percent = 
| established_date   = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 5.75
| elevation_m        = 649
| elevation_ft       = 2129
| coordinates        = {{coord|30|34|5|N|100|38|39|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_total   = 2502
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_density_km2 = auto
| timezone           = [[Central Standard Time Zone|CST]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = [[North American Central Time Zone|CDT]]
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| 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>
}}
[[Image:Sonora Bank, TX DSCN0931.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Sonora Bank at 102 E. Main St. in Sonora]]

[[Image:First Methodist Church, Sonora, TX IMG 1371.JPG|200px|right|thumb|First [[Methodist]] Church of Sonora]]

[[Image:Presbyterian Church, Sonora, TX IMG 1374.JPG|200px|right|thumb|[[Presbyterian]] Church of the Good Shepherd in Sonora]]

[[Image:First Baptist Church, Sonora, TX IMG 1378.JPG|right|thumb|200px|First [[Baptist]] Church Fellowship Hall in Sonora is named for J. C. Hancock, the pastor there from 1968 to 1983.]]

'''Sonora''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Sutton County, Texas|Sutton County]], [[Texas]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>  The population was 2,502 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name=":0" />

==Geography and climate==
[[Image:Sutton County courthouse May 2020.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The Sutton County Courthouse is perched on a hill overlooking Sonora.]]

[[Image:Sonora, TX, City Hall IMG 1361.JPG|200px|left|thumb|Sonora City Hall]]

[[Image:Downtown Sonora, TX IMG 1376.JPG|200px|left|thumb|A glimpse of the eastern side of downtown Sonora]]

Sonora is located at {{coord|30|34|5|N|100|38|39|W|type:city}} (30.568166, –100.644163).<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>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 2.0&nbsp;square miles (5.1&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), all  land.

The area lies in west Texas, bordering the Texas Hill Country on the east. It is a region of limestone outcrops and rolling terrain dotted with areas of mostly smaller, clump-forming or mottes of live oaks (''[[Quercus fusiformis]]'') and juniper (''[[Juniperus ashei]]''), as an open savanna grading into a closed savanna or woodland to the east, alternating with a blend of various grasses, shrubs, and cacti.

Sonora's climate is semi-arid, warm temperate but humid continental, though periods of long drought are not uncommon due to the influence of deserts to the west. The upland location allows some of the periodic [[Gulf of Mexico]] moisture to interact with frontal systems and elevated terrain, to create more clouds and precipitation than locations in the brush country to the south, or drier areas to the west and northwest. Thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are most frequent during spring and fall months, though some lighter, steady precipitation and low clouds can occur during the winter, due in large part to frontal systems originating on the plains and prairies to the north.

Summers are long and hot, often with higher humidity, though a breeze often moderates the heat. Fall through spring months are often pleasant, though winter can experience brief periods of cold or cloudy weather.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1920 = 1009
| 1930 = 1942
| 1940 = 2528
| 1950 = 2633
| 1960 = 2619
| 1970 = 2149
| 1980 = 3856
| 1990 = 2751
| 2000 = 2924
| 2010 = 3027
| 2020 = 2502
| 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>
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Sonora racial composition'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4868756&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (''NH = Non-Hispanic''){{efn|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 can be of any race.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|789
|31.53%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|6
|0.24%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|2
|0.08%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|4
|0.16%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|12
|0.48%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|31
|1.24%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|1,658
|66.27%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''2,502'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,502 people, 1,085 households, and 799 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 2,924 people, 1,043 households, and 808 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,488.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,264 housing units at an average density of {{convert|643.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 74.18% White, 0.34% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 23.36% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 53.35% of the population.

Of the 1,043 households, 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were not families. About 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the city, the population was distributed as 31.1% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,272, and for a family was $38,106. Males had a median income of $31,728 versus $17,935 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,128. About 13.0% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Local government==

The city government of Sonora uses the aldermanic form of government. It is led by an elected mayor and four other council members.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.municode.com/library/tx/sonora/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTIICICO_DIV1GE_S2-41ADALFOGO|title = City of Sonora, Texas Code of Ordinances Division 1, Sections 2-41 and 2-42| access-date  = January 30, 2015}}</ref>

As of February 24, 2016 the mayor of Sonora was Wanda Shurley and the four council members were Doug Chandler, Todd Munn, Jeremy Dawson, and Terri Johnson.<ref>{{cite web
| url         = http://www.sonora-texas.com/index.php/city-council
| title       = City Council
| access-date  = January 30, 2015
}}</ref>
<!-- not relevant As of January 1, 2012, the sheriff for Sutton County is Joe Fincher, and had been for most of the previous decade. -->The Sonora police department is headed by Chief Matthew Routh.

==Education==
The City of Sonora is served by the [[Sonora Independent School District]]. Sonora exhibits a proud tradition of both academic and athletic success in its long history. The [[Sonora High School (Texas)|Sonora High School]] Broncos have won the most football state championships in their division (2A) with five, the most recent having been won in 2000 against the Blanco Panthers.

The latest championship team was coached by Jason Herring. 2000 was the first of two State Championships for him, his second coming in 2011 (beating the Broncos on the way there) with the Refugio Bobcats.

==History==
On the night of April 2, 1901, [[William Carver (Wild Bunch)|William Carver]], a member of [[Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch]], was shot and killed in Jack Owen's Bakery by Sheriff E.S. Briant and his deputies. Briant was trying to arrest Carver on suspicion of the murder of Oliver Thornton in Concho County.

==Notable people==

* [[Dan Blocker]], who portrayed "Hoss" on ''[[Bonanza]]'', was a high-school English and drama teacher in Sonora before he was cast in the [[NBC]] [[Western (genre)|western]] [[television series]]
* [[Bill Ratliff]], Former [[Texas State Senate|State Senator]] and [[Lieutenant Governor]] of [[Mt. Pleasant, Texas|Mount Pleasant]] was reared in Sonora and graduated from high school there
* Jack Taylor, a mayor of [[Mesa, Arizona|Mesa]], [[Arizona]], who served in both houses of the [[Arizona State Legislature]], was born in Sonora in 1907<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/4b6581184871b82fccb9096182e016a7|title=Jerald Jackson Taylor|publisher=apnewsarchive.com|date=April 3, 1995|access-date=July 31, 2015}}</ref>

==Attractions==
* [[Caverns of Sonora]]: approximately eight miles to the west
* Eaton Hill Nature Center: interpretive exhibits and over three miles of hiking trails.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Eaton Hill Nature Center|url = http://texaspecostrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/eaton-hill-nature-center|access-date = 2015-06-19|publisher = Texas Mountain Trail Region}}</ref>
* Miers House Museum: restored 1890s Victorian home.<ref>{{cite web|title=Miers Home Museum|url=http://texaspecostrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/miers-home-museum|publisher=Texas Mountain Trail Region|access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref>
* Old Sonora Ice House Ranch Museum, a museum focused on the legacy of Will Carver.<ref>{{cite web|title=Old Sonora Ice House Ranch Museum|url=http://texaspecostrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/old-sonora-ice-house-ranch-museum|publisher=Texas Mountain Trail Region|access-date=4 November 2014}}</ref>
<!-- * [[Historic Downtown Sonora]]
* [[Sonora Golf Course]]
-->

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sonora, Texas}}
* [https://www.sonoratexas.org/ Sonora Chamber of Commerce]
{{Sutton County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Sutton County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]