View source for Comfort, Texas

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Comfort, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              =

<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Comfort17 (1 of 1).jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Historic downtown Comfort
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         =

<!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map        = Texas
| pushpin_image      = Relief map of Texas.png
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Texas
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| image_map          = 
| map_caption        = Location within Kendall county
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       =

<!-- Location -->
| 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  = [[Kendall County, Texas|Kendall]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   =

<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 8.38
| area_land_km2      = 8.36
| area_water_km2     = 0.02
| area_total_sq_mi   = 
| area_land_sq_mi    = 
| area_water_sq_mi   =

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 2211
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi =

<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name="GR3"/>
| elevation_m        = 435
| elevation_ft       = 
| coordinates        = {{coord|29|58|10|N|98|54|26|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 78013
| area_code          = [[Area code 830|830]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-16228<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        = 1333183<ref name="GR3">{{GNIS|1333183}}</ref>
| website            =
}}

'''Comfort''' is an [[Unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Kendall County, Texas|Kendall County]], [[Texas]], United States. As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], it had a population of 2,363.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4816228| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Comfort CDP, Texas| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| access-date=May 7, 2019| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213070854/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4816228| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> Comfort was founded by German emigrants on the western end of the Texas-German belt. Many residents of the town today are descendants of those same Germans. Comfort is known for its German Heritage and large ranches outside of town.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1997-10-01|title=Historical Friction|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/historical-friction/|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Texas Monthly|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The Comfort Chamber Of Commerce: Home|url=https://www.comfortchamber.com/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=The Comfort Chamber Of Commerce|language=en-US}}</ref>

It lies adjacent to the [[Guadalupe River (Texas)|Guadalupe River]], and the [[1987 Guadalupe River flood]] killed ten people being evacuated from a summer camp sited near Comfort, leaving 33 others missing for a time.

==History==
[[File:Comfort (TX) State Bank IMG 0355.JPG|thumb|Former Comfort State Bank, now the Comfort Heritage Foundation]]
[[File:Comfort, TX, Town Square at Christmas IMG 0353.JPG|thumb|The town square at Christmas]]
[[File:Gazebo for albert steves 2013.jpg|thumb|Gazebo for Albert Steves designed by [[Dionicio Rodriguez]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Details - Gazebo for Albert Steves - Atlas Number 2004001171 - Atlas: Texas Historical Commission |url=https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/Details/2004001171 |website=atlas.thc.state.tx.us |access-date=11 October 2022}}</ref>]]

Comfort was established in 1854 by [[Germany|German]] immigrants, who were [[Freethinkers]] and [[Abolitionism in the United States|abolitionists]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Friedenker|url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5259011673&site_name=Freidenker+%28Nineteenth+Century+Freethinkers%29&class=5000|publisher=Texas Historical Commission|access-date=11 January 2012}}</ref> Ernst Hermann Altgelt, at the age of 22, is credited with surveying and measuring the lots that would later be sold to the incoming German immigrants.<ref>{{cite web|last=Everett|first=Donald E|title=Altgelt, Ernst Hermann |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fal57|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=19 June 2019}}</ref> He stayed and married Emma (Murck) Altgelt, and they raised their nine children in the township of Comfort. Fritz and [[Betty Holekamp]] built the first house in Comfort, having started construction before Comfort's official founding on September 3, 1854.<ref>Stewart, Anne and Mike; ''Ernst Hermann Altgelt: Founder of Comfort, Texas''; 2010</ref> The first churches were not established in Comfort until 1892.<ref name="Comfort, Texas">{{cite web |last=Lich |first=Glen E. |title=Comfort, Texas |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjc16 |work=Handbook of Texas Online |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=17 November 2010}}</ref> After some controversy, a cenotaph honoring "the Founding Freethinkers" was dedicated on November 2, 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Comfort Freethought Cenotaph Dedication |url=http://ffrf.org/legacy/fttoday/2002/dec02/fisher.php |work=Freethought Today |publisher=Freedom from Religion Foundation, Inc. |access-date=10 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111226110317/http://www.ffrf.org/legacy/fttoday/2002/dec02/fisher.php |archive-date=26 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Comfort Historic District|downtown area]] is possibly one of the most well-preserved historic business districts in Texas. There are well over 100 structures in the area dating back to the 19th century, and seven of them were designed by the noted architect [[Alfred Giles (architect)|Alfred Giles]].<ref>{{cite web|last=George|first=Mary Carolyn Hollers|title=Giles, Alfred|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/giles-alfred}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=July 2025|reason=Source only says that he began purchasing land, without specifying the number of buildings}} Mr. Giles lived in San Antonio, and he would ride horses, the stagecoach, and later the train to check his building sites in Comfort.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cannon |first=Bill |title=Texas: Land of Legend and Lore |year=2004 |publisher=Republic of Texas |isbn=978-1-55622-949-7 |pages=27–29}}</ref> Most of the population today is composed of descendants of those original pioneer families of the 1850s and the 1860s.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sharpe|first=Patricia|title=The Perfect Texas Hill County Weekend|journal=Texas Monthly|page=117|date=June 1989}}</ref>

Comfort is also known for a tragic event that took place during the [[American Civil War]]. The [[Treue der Union Monument]] ("Loyalty to the Union") was dedicated in honor of 35 men who died at the [[Battle of the Nueces]], which took place because they opposed the state's secession from the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]. The German settlers were killed on their way to [[Mexico]] during the Civil War. They were attacked by [[Confederate States of America|Confederate]] forces near [[Brackettville]] on August 10, 1862. The bodies were not buried, and the bones were retrieved and placed here in 1865. The monument was erected in 1866.<ref>{{cite web |title=Treue der Union Monument |url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasHistory/Treue-Der-Union-Loyalty-to-the-Union.htm |publisher=Blueprints for Travel, LLC |access-date=17 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=List of Dead-Treue Der Union Monument|url=http://www.txgenweb2.org/txkendall/treue.htm|publisher=Texas Gen Web|access-date=17 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226175800/http://www.txgenweb2.org/txkendall/treue.htm|archive-date=26 February 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 1918, Albert Steves erected a [[Hygieostatic Bat Roost]] on his family farm in Comfort. This roost was built to attract bats in an effort to control mosquito populations by natural means. It was originally researched and developed by Dr. Charles Agustus Rosenheimer Campbell of San Antonio. The idea was to use bats against [[malaria]]-carrying mosquitos. At one time, there were sixteen [[bat roost]]s built in the United States and Europe, of which only two sites now remain — one in Comfort and one in the [[Florida Keys]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Rosenzweig|first=Michael L|title=Win-Win Ecology: How the Earth's Species Can Survive in the Midst of Human Enterprise|year=2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-515604-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/winwinecologyhow00rose_0/page/80 80]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/winwinecologyhow00rose_0/page/80}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comfort-texas.com/HistoryCC.htm |title=Comfort History |access-date=2008-08-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20060531231950/http://www.comfort-texas.com/HistoryCC.htm |archive-date=2006-05-31 }}</ref>

===Darmstadt Society of Forty===
Some of the early settlers in Comfort migrated from the collapsed [[Fisher–Miller Land Grant]] experimental colonies of the Darmstadt Society of Forty.{{further|List of Darmstadt Society of Forty members}}

==Geography==
Comfort is bordered to the west by [[Kerr County, Texas|Kerr County]]. It is {{convert|18|mi}} southeast of [[Kerrville, Texas|Kerrville]], {{convert|16|mi}} northwest of [[Boerne, Texas|Boerne]], and {{convert|48|mi}} northwest of [[San Antonio]]. The town is at the interchange of [[Interstate 10 in Texas|I-10]] and [[U.S. Route 87 in Texas|US 87]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the Comfort CDP has a total area of {{convert|8.4|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.02|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.27%, are water. The community sits on the north side of Cypress Creek where it joins the [[Guadalupe River (Texas)|Guadalupe River]].

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Comfort has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=905014&cityname=Comfort%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Comfort, Texas]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1980= 1226
|1990= 1477
|2000= 2358
|2010= 2363
|2020= 2211
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 1850–1900<ref name=1900CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/49-population-tx.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tx-p1.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1920<ref name=1920CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-tx-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1930<ref name=1930CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch10.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch09.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br>
1950<ref name=1950CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-46.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/33255142v1p45ch02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00496492v1p45s1ch02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1980<ref name=1980CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1980/volume-1/texas/1980a_txab-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 2010<ref name=2010CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 
}}

Comfort was first listed as a [[census designated place]] in the [[1980 United States census]].<ref name=1980CensusTX/>

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Comfort CDP, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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 may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Comfort CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US4816228&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Comfort CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4816228&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Comfort CDP, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US4816228&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|1,263
|1,039
|style='background: #ffffe6; |972
|53.56%
|43.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |43.96%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|4
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|0.17%
|0.21%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.41%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|16
|15
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18
|0.68%
|0.63%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.81%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|2
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.08%
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.09%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|1
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.04%
|0.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|0
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |13
|0.00%
|0.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.59%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|11
|13
|style='background: #ffffe6; |54
|0.47%
|0.55%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.44%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|1,061
|1,286
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,143
|45.00%
|54.42%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |51.70%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''2,358'''
|'''2,363'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''2,211 '''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,211 people, 768 households, and 498 families residing in the CDP.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,358 people, 799 households, and 603 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|735.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 917 housing units at an average density of {{convert|286.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 76.34% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.51% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.19% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.13% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.21% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 18.70% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.93% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 45.00% of the population.

There were 799 households, out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $28,799, and the median income for a family was $29,295. Males had a median income of $20,972 versus $15,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $12,687. About 27.1% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 39.2% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Comfort is served by the [[Comfort Independent School District]].

==Notable people==
*[[Catherine Caradja]] (1893–1993), Romanian aristocrat and philanthropist who maintained a residence in Comfort.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lich|first=Glen E.|title="Caradja, Catherine Olympia" Handbook of Texas Online|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fcaca|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=13 December 2013}}</ref>
*[[Betty Holekamp]] (1826–1902), Texas pioneer, called the [[Betsy Ross]] of Texas.<ref name="Ransleben, Guido E. 1954, p. 191">Ransleben, Guido E. ''A Hundred Years of Comfort in Texas''. Press of The Naylor Company, 1954, p. 191.</ref>

==See also==
* [[July 2025 Central Texas floods]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://www.comfortchamber.com/ Comfort Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://www.angelfire.com/tx5/texasczech/Studies/Chronology.htm Chronology of Central European Colonization in Texas]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070729192510/http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/1998/april98/scharf.html Freethinkers of the Early Texas Hill Country] from the [[Freedom From Religion Foundation]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061002055706/http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/2002/dec02/fisher.php The Comfort Freethought Cenotaph Dedication] from the Freedom From Religion Foundation
* [https://www.exulanten.com/ansdrag.html Freethinkers and the Nueces Massacre]
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hjc16|name=Comfort}}

{{Greater San Antonio}}
{{Kendall County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Kendall County, Texas]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Texas]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Kendall County, Texas]]
[[Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas]]
[[Category:German-American culture in Texas]]
[[Category:Greater San Antonio]]
[[Category:Populated places on the Guadalupe River (Texas)]]
[[Category:1854 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1854]]