Gillespie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 20,814. It is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Gillespie is named for Robert Addison Gillespie, who came to Texas in 1837. He was a Texas Ranger, an Indian fighter, a merchant and a soldier in the Mexican-American War. The seat of the county is Fredericksburg.
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Notable residents
President Lyndon Baines Johnson was born in Stonewall, in the eastern part of the county. The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, which includes much of the former president's LBJ Ranch, is located just outside of Stonewall.
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was born in a house that still stands on Main Street in Fredericksburg. Nimitz, who grew up in Fredericksburg and in nearby Kerrville, graduated from the United States Naval Academy, rose to the rank of Fleet Admiral and commanded the Pacific War during World War II.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,061 square miles (2,749 km²), virtually all of which is land.
Adjacent Counties
- Mason County - northwest
- Llano County - northeast
- Blanco County - east
- Kendall County - south
- Kerr County - southwest
- Kimble County - west
Major Highways
- Interstate 10
- U.S. Highway 87
- U.S. Highway 290
- State Highway 16
- Farm to Market Road 783
National protected area
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 20,814 people in the county, organized into 8,521 households, and 6,083 families. The population density is 20 people per square mile (8/km²). There are 9,902 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county is 92.82% White, 0.33% Native American, 0.21% Black or African American, 0.18% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 5.27% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 15.90% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 1990 there were approximately 3,000 speakers of Texas German in Gillespie and Kendall counties, but this is believed to have declined in the last two decades.[1]
There are 8,521 households out of which 25.90% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.10% are married couples living together, 7.00% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% are non-families. 25.80% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.20% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.84.
In the county, the population is spread out with 21.60% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 21.20% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 25.50% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 46 years. For every 100 females there are 89.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $38,109, and the median income for a family is $45,315. Males have a median income of $26,675 versus $20,918 for females. The per capita income for the county is $20,423. 10.20% of the population and 7.10% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 13.40% of those under the age of 18 and 9.90% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Politics
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2008 | John McCain |
| 2004 | George W. Bush |
| 2000 | George W. Bush |
| 1996 | Bob Dole |
| 1992 | George Bush |
| 1988 | George Bush |
| 1984 | Ronald Reagan |
| 1980 | Ronald Reagan |
| 1976 | Gerald Ford |
| 1972 | Richard Nixon |
| 1968 | Richard Nixon |
| 1964 | Lyndon Johnson |
| 1960 | Richard Nixon |
| 1956 | Dwight Eisenhower |
| 1952 | Dwight Eisenhower |
| 1948 | Thomas E. Dewey |
| 1944 | Thomas E. Dewey |
| 1940 | Wendell Willkie |
| 1936 | Alf Landon |
| 1932 | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| 1928 | Herbert Hoover |
Gillespie County is somewhat of an aberration in that it is a historically Republican county in a state that was overwhelmingly Democratic up until recent decades. This is largely due to the heavily German American heritage of the county (German Americans tended to be historically Republican-leaning). Gillespie County has been won by Republicans in every election since 1896 with only a handful of exceptions. Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party won the county in 1912 (but carried no other counties in the state). In 1924, it was one of only two Texas counties won by Progressive candidate Robert M. LaFollette.[2] Gillespie County only backed the Democratic nominee in 1932 and 1964, both of which were landslide victories for the party, and has yet to do so again. In the last five Presidential elections no Democratic candidate has received more than 21% of the county's vote.[3]
As part of Texas's 11th congressional district it is currently represented by Republican Mike Conaway. In the 26 yeas prior the 11th district had been represented by Democrats Marvin Leath and Chet Edwards. On a local level it is part of Texas Senate, District 24 and is represented by Republican Troy Fraser. It is also part of the 73rd district of the Texas House of Representatives and is represented by Republican Nathan Macias.
Cities and towns
The Gillespie County Courthouse in Fredericksburg| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gillespie County, Texas |
References
- ^ The Death of Texas German in Gillespie County
- ^ [1]
- ^ The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on Texas)
External links
- Gillespie County from the Handbook of Texas Online
| Mason County | Llano County |
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| Kimble County | Blanco County | ||||||
| Gillespie County, Texas | |||||||
| Kerr County | Kendall County |
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Coordinates: 30°19′N 98°57′W / 30.31°N 98.95°W
Categories: Texas counties | Gillespie County, Texas
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Blanco County News
After the July 4th Racing Festival, the season continues with the Fredericksburg Texas Fest Race Meet on July 18-19, the Gillespie County Race Meet on ...
