Our History
Uvalde County
Uvalde County, named for Spaniard Juan de Ugalde, is in Southwest Texas midway between San Antonio and the International Amistad Reservoir on the United States-Mexico border. On January 9, 1790, Juan de Ugalde, governor of Coahuila and commandant of the Provincias Internas, led 600 men to a decisive victory over the Apaches near the site of modern Utopia. Today, Uvalde County covers 1,588 square miles.
The Rivers
The Nueces, Leona, Sabinal, Dry Frio and Frio rivers flow through Uvalde County. The three river canyons (Concan/Frio River Canyon, Nueces River Canyon and Sabinal River Canyon) were home to many Native American tribes, Spanish missions and the lost Franciscan Silver mine. Old wagon tracks are visible in the rock of the Frio River bed, and fossils and footprints of prehistoric animals can be seen in the limestone near the Sabinal River. Today, a cave near the Frio River is home to over 10 million bats, the second largest bat population in the world that is open to the public. The Uvalde County Courthouse was built in 1928.
Fun Facts About Uvalde County
- The largest tree in Texas is located in the River Region, measuring nearly 100 ft. tall and 438” in circumference, with a crown spread of 112 feet.
- The Texas Hill Country River Region has the second largest bat population in the world open to the public.
- Historically, Uvalde has been known as the Honey Capital of the World for production of huajillo honey, a mild, light-colored honey discovered in the late 1800s.
- Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, actress Dale Evans and former Governor of Texas Dolph Briscoe (after whom the Post Office is named) were born in Uvalde. The Newton Brothers Gang was also from Uvalde County.
- Garner State Park, one of the most visited state parks in Texas, is named after John Nance Garner, Vice President to Franklin D. Roosevelt, who called Uvalde home.
- The Frio River is mentioned in George Strait's song “All My Ex's Live in Texas.”
