Uvalde County, Texas

Uvalde County is located in Southwest Texas midway between San Antonio and the United States-Mexico border. Its area covers 1,588 square miles. Uvalde County is bordered by Kinney and Edwards Counties to the west and northwest, Real County to the north, Bandera and Medina Counties to the northeast and east and Zavala County on the south.

Cities, Towns & Communities

Cline | Concan | Knippa (Chatfield) | Montell | Reagan Wells | Sabinal | Utopia | Uvalde (Encina) – county seat | Uvalde Estates

Courthouses

Uvalde County’s first courthouse was completed in May 1857. Housing the courthouse and jail, first floor of the building had ceilings 9′ tall. The second floor, used for county offices had ceilings that were 5′ tall at the eves.

1870 courthouse was a frame building make of cypress wood. County officials were concerned about the safety of the records contained in this building, that a newer, more secure courthouse was built in 1877. In 1890 a Second Empire style courthouse designed by Architect Benjamin Franklin Trestor (Trister) was erected. The ornate building was topped with a clock tower and lightning rods. In 1927, the construction began on the current courthouse, a brick and concrete structure.

Current Uvalde County Courthouse. Completed in 1928, this structure replaced Uvalde County’s 1890 Courthouse. The Commissioner’s Court hired architect Henry T. Phelps, who had designed several other Texas courthouses, and prominent local builder M. H. Ryland to manage the construction project. The neo-classical style courthouse is the fifth for Uvalde County, which was created in 1856. Outstanding features include its cast stone segmental arches and Ionic porticoes at the entrances. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1983. Historical Marker text, 1983.

‍Inventory of the county archives of Texas : Uvalde County, no. 232, 1941. Historical Records Survey. Inventory of records housed in the Uvalde County Courthouse as of 1936-1937.

History

Uvalde County was created 8 February 1850 from Bexar county, and organized in February 1856. The county seat, Encina, renamed Uvalde in 1856.

Uvalde County. Created 1850. Named for canyon which in turn had been named for the Spanish Army Captain Juan de Ugalde, who fought and routed Indians here in 1790. Over the years, “Ugalde” became “Uvalde”. Many cattle, sheep, goats are raised; and Uvalde honey is famous for its flavor. Noted for fine hunting and scenic drives. Historic sites marked include 3 old forts, 2 Spanish missions, a Ranger camp. Home of Southwest Texas Junior College, Garner State Park and home (now museum and library) of John Nance Garner, first Texan elected Vice-President of United States. Historical Marker text, 1965

Oldtimers: Frontier Days in the Uvalde Section of Southwest Texas, 1939, by Florence Fenley.

A Proud Heritage: A History of Uvalde County, 1975.

Location

Uvalde, TX 29° 12′ 34.8624″ N, 99° 47′ 10.2048″ W

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