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Hays County, Texas
Hays courthouse
Hays County Courthouse, built in 1908 using the eclectic style of architecture.
Map of Texas highlighting Hays County
Location in the state of Texas
Map of the U.S
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded 1848
Seat San Marcos
Largest city San Marcos
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

680 sq mi (1,761 km²)
678 sq mi (1,756 km²)
2 sq mi (5 km²), 0.3%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

241,067
231.7/sq mi (89/km²)
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website co.hays.tx.us
Hays County Annex Bldg

Hays County Annex Building across from the courthouse in San Marcos, Texas

Hays County, TX, Veterans Monument, San Marcos IMG 4122

Hays County Veterans Monument in San Marcos

Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its official population had reached 241,067.[1] The county seat is San Marcos.[2] It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican–American War officer.

History timeline[]

  • 6000 b.c. Paleo-Indians first inhabitants.[3]
  • 1200 a.d. Archeological evidence at Timmeron site indicates Tonkawa tribe involved in agriculture.[3]
  • 1709 Father Isidro Félix de Espinosa, Father Antonio de San Buenaventura y Olivares and Pedro de Aguirre expedition.[4]
  • 1714 French-Canadian explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis attacked by Comanches[5]
  • 1755 Mission San Francisco Xavier de los Dolores established among Apache tribe.[6]
  • 1831 Coahuila y Tejas[7] issues land grant to Juan Martín de Veramendi.[8]
  • 1832 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant to Juan Vicente Campos.[3]
  • 1834 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant to Thomas Jefferson Chambers.[3]
  • 1835 The Mexican government issues land grant to the first Anglo-American settler in the county, Thomas G. McGhee of Tennessee.[3]
  • 1848 March 1 - The legislature forms Hays County from Travis. The county is named for Tennessee transplant Captain John Coffee Hays of the Texas Rangers. San Marcos is named as the county seat.[9]
  • 1858 The legislature establishes Blanco from part of Hays, but incorporates part of Comal into Hays. Risher and Hall Stage Lines, controls 16 of 31 passenger and mail lines.in Texas.[3]
  • 1861 County favors secession from the Union.[3]
  • 1862 The legislature transfers more of Comal County to Hays.[3]
  • 1867 First cattle drive from Hays County to Kansas.[3]
  • 1880 International-Great Northern Railroad completed from Austin to San Marcos.[3]
  • 1896 Camp Ben McCulloch, named after Brigadier General, was organized for reunions of United Confederate Veterans.[10]
  • 1899 Teacher’s college Southwest Texas State Normal School is established in San Marcos.[11]
  • 1900 Wonder Cave opens to the public.[12]
  • 1908 Current Hays County Courthouse in San Marcos erected. Beaux-Arts style by Architect C.H. Page & Bros.[13]
  • 1928 Aquarena Springs tourist site opens in San Marcos.[14]
  • 1930 Lyndon Baines Johnson graduates from Southwest Texas State Teachers College.[15]
  • 1942 San Marcos Army Air Field begins construction.[16]
  • 1953 San Marcos Army Air Field is renamed Gary Air Force Base to honor Second Lieutenant Arthur Edward Gary, the first San Marcos resident killed in World War II.[16]
  • 1955 State legislature re-surveys the Hays and Travis county lines, adding 16,000 acres (65 km2) to Hays.[3]
  • 1964 U.S. President Lyndon Johnson announces establishment of a Job Corps center based at the deactivated Gary Air Force Base.[17]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 680 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 678 square miles (1,760 km2) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) (0.3%) is water.[18]

Major highways[]

  • I-35 Interstate 35
  • US 290 U.S. Highway 290
  • Texas 21 State Highway 21
  • Texas 80 State Highway 80

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1850 387
1860 2,126 449.4%
1870 4,088 92.3%
1880 7,555 84.8%
1890 11,352 50.3%
1900 14,142 24.6%
1910 15,518 9.7%
1920 15,920 2.6%
1930 14,915 −6.3%
1940 15,349 2.9%
1950 17,840 16.2%
1960 19,934 11.7%
1970 27,642 38.7%
1980 40,594 46.9%
1990 65,614 61.6%
2000 97,589 48.7%
2010 157,107 61.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]
1850-2010[20]

As of the census[21] of 2000, there were 97,589 people, 51,265 households, and 22,150 families residing in the county. The population density was 144 people per square mile (56/km²). There were 55,643 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.92% White, 3.68% Black or African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 13.36% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races. 29.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 33,410 households out of which 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.50% under the age of 18, 20.50% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 19.10% from 45 to 64, and 7.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 101.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,006, and the median income for a family was $56,287. Males had a median income of $35,209 versus $27,334 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,931. About 6.40% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.30% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Hays County was once strongly Democratic leaning in federal elections. However, like some other suburban counties in the state, the county began trending towards the Republican Party in the 1970s. The county has voted Democratic for governor (in 2018), Senate (in both 2018 and 2020), and President (in 2020).

Until 2020 when Joe Biden did both with 54.4% of the vote, the last Democrat to carry Hays County in a presidential election was Bill Clinton with a plurality of 39.8% of the vote in 1992 and the last Democrat to win a majority of the vote in the county was Jimmy Carter with 54.4% in 1976. Both which Lloyd Bentsen had been the last Democratic Senate candidate to carry the county, winning 69.2% of the vote in 1988, until 2018, when Beto O'Rourke carried the county with 57.1% of the vote.

United States presidential election results for Hays County, Texas[22]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 47,680 43.59% 59,524 54.41% 2,191 2.00%
2016 33,826 46.87% 33,224 46.04% 5,114 7.09%
2012 31,661 53.65% 25,537 43.27% 1,813 3.07%
2008 29,638 50.19% 28,431 48.15% 983 1.66%
2004 27,021 56.50% 20,110 42.05% 692 1.45%
2000 20,170 58.78% 11,387 33.18% 2,760 8.04%
1996 12,865 47.93% 11,580 43.14% 2,395 8.92%
1992 10,008 36.70% 10,842 39.76% 6,417 23.53%
1988 11,716 50.36% 11,187 48.09% 361 1.55%
1984 12,467 64.98% 6,663 34.73% 57 0.30%
1980 6,517 49.04% 6,013 45.25% 759 5.71%
1976 5,714 44.38% 7,005 54.41% 156 1.21%
1972 5,406 56.79% 4,068 42.74% 45 0.47%
1968 1,993 32.23% 3,546 57.35% 644 10.42%
1964 1,279 25.26% 3,780 74.64% 5 0.10%
1960 1,606 35.46% 2,916 64.39% 7 0.15%
1956 1,873 47.98% 2,017 51.66% 14 0.36%
1952 2,135 50.74% 2,070 49.19% 3 0.07%
1948 555 18.58% 2,239 74.96% 193 6.46%
1944 495 20.39% 1,690 69.60% 243 10.01%
1940 453 16.02% 2,371 83.84% 4 0.14%
1936 286 12.66% 1,964 86.94% 9 0.40%
1932 220 10.73% 1,822 88.88% 8 0.39%
1928 1,088 63.70% 620 36.30% 0 0.00%
1924 394 18.86% 1,616 77.36% 79 3.78%
1920 242 14.61% 1,075 64.92% 339 20.47%
1916 123 10.86% 995 87.82% 15 1.32%
1912 60 5.63% 939 88.17% 66 6.20%



Ann Richards was the last Democratic gubernatorial candidate to win the county with 56.6% of the vote in 1990, until Lupe Valdez won with a 49.6% plurality in 2018.[23]

Democratic voters mostly reside along the I-35 Corridor and communities East. Communities West of the I-35 Corridor lean Republican. San Marcos, home of Texas State University, and the city of Kyle generally vote Democratic. Buda, Dripping Springs, and Wimberley generally vote Republican.

Education[]

School districts in Hays county include the San Marcos Consolidated, Dripping Springs, Wimberley and Hays Consolidated. As of 2009, there are three high schools, five middle schools, and eleven elementary schools in the county.

Higher education in Hays County includes one four-year institution, Texas State University, which is located in San Marcos. There are three Distance Learning Centers that are operated by Austin Community College. These centers offer basic and Early College Start classes along with testing centers for online classes.

Communities[]

Gallery[]

See also[]

  • List of museums in Central Texas
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Hays County, Texas

References[]

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/48209.html. Retrieved December 17, 2013. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cecil, Paul F; Greene, Daniel P. "Hays County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hch11. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  4. ^ Foster, William C (1995). Spanish Expeditions into Texas, 1689-1768. University of Texas Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-292-72489-1. 
  5. ^ Weddle, Robert S (1991). The French Thorn: Rival Explorers in the Spanish Sea, 1682-1762. TAMU Press. p. 200. ISBN 978-0-89096-480-4. 
  6. ^ Arias, David (2009). The First Catholics of the United States. lulu.com. pp. 180–181. ISBN 978-0-557-07527-0. 
  7. ^ "Coahuila and Tejas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/usc01. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  8. ^ "Juan Martín de Veramendi". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fve06. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  9. ^ "San Marcos, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasHillCountryTowns/SanMarcosTexas/SanMarcosTexas.htm. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  10. ^ Winfrey, Dorman. "Camp Ben Mcculloch". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/voc01. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  11. ^ "San Marcos Campus". Texas State University. http://www.txstate.edu/about/index.html. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  12. ^ "Wonder World Park". http://www.wonderworldpark.com/. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  13. ^ "Hays County Courthouse". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasHillCountryTowns/SanMarcosTexas/HaysCountyCourthouseSanMarcosTexas.htm. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  14. ^ "Aquarena Springs". Texas State University. http://www.aquarena.txstate.edu/l. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  15. ^ Pietrusza, David (2008). 1960--LBJ vs. JFK vs. Nixon: The Epic Campaign That Forged Three Presidencies. Union Square Press. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-4027-6114-0. 
  16. ^ a b Ratisseau, Shirley. "Gary Air Force Base". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qcg02. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  17. ^ "Gary Job Corps Center". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/kdj01. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  18. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  19. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. Retrieved December 17, 2013. 
  20. ^ Texas Almanac: County Population History 1850-2010 Retrieved December 17, 2013
  21. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov. Retrieved 2011-05-14. 
  22. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  23. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named uselectionatlas.org
  24. ^ "City of Austin Full Purpose Jurisdiction". City of Austin. 2006-03-09. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/annexation/downloads/annex_by_decade.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 

Further reading[]

  • DeCook, K.J. (1963). Geology and ground-water resources of Hays County, Texas [U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1612]. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

External links[]

Coordinates: 30°04′N 98°02′W / 30.06, -98.03


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Hays County, Texas. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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