View source for Val Verde County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Val Verde County
 | state                = Texas 
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1885 
 | seat wl              = Del Rio 
 | largest city wl      = Del Rio 
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 3233 
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 3145 
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 88 
 | area percentage      = 2.7 
 | census yr            = 2020 
 | pop                  = 47586 
 | density_sq_mi        = auto 
 | ex image             = Val Verde County Courthouse in Del Rio, TX DSCN1423.JPG 
 | ex image size        = 250px 
 | ex image cap         = County courthouse 
 | web                  = www.valverdecounty.texas.gov
 | time zone            = Central
 | named for            = [[Battle of Valverde]]
 | district             = 23rd
}}
[[File:Val Verde County Judicial Center, Del Rio, TX DSCN0905.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Val Verde County Judicial Center at 100 E. Broadway St. in Del Rio]]

[[File:Del Rio Bank and Trust Co., Del Rio, TX DSCN0910.JPG|200px|right|thumb|Del Rio Bank and Trust Company was organized in 1910. The bank is hence a year older than the Del Rio city government and has served Val Verde County for more than a century. The photo is the facility at 1200 Veterans Blvd.; another location is 22411 N Bedell Ave.]]

'''Val Verde County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located on the southern [[Edwards Plateau]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. The 2020 population is 47,586.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Val Verde County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48465|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Del Rio, Texas|Del Rio]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>  The Del Rio  [[micropolitan statistical area]] includes all of Val Verde County.

Val Verde, which means "green valley",<ref>In Old Spanish or Modern [[Galician language|Galician]]; Spanish nowadays would say ''Valle Verde'', and Modern [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] ''Vale Verde''. Although ''verde'' is the same in masculine or feminine, ''val((l)e)'' used to be feminine, masculine nowadays.</ref> was named for a battle of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. In 1862, soldiers of [[Henry Hopkins Sibley|Sibley]]'s Brigade took part in the Texas invasion of [[New Mexico Territory]], where they captured several artillery pieces at the Battle of Val Verde. The battle is memorialized both in the name of the county and a small settlement in [[Milam County, Texas|Milam County]].

==History==

=== Early history ===
The first inhabitants of what is now known as Val Verde County lived there some 6,000–10,000 years ago. Their descendants include such Native American peoples as the [[Lipan Apache people|Lipan Apache]], [[Coahuiltecan]], [[Suma-Jumano|Jumano]], Tamaulipan and [[Comanche]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Foster|first=William C|title=Historic Native Peoples of Texas|year=2008|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-71793-0|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historicnativepe00fost/page/137 137–168]|author2=Thoms, Alston V|chapter=The Texas Trans-Pecos, Study Area V|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/historicnativepe00fost/page/137}}</ref><ref name="Val Verde County">{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Val Verde County|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcv01|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

=== Colonial rule ===
In 1590, Spanish explorer [[Gaspar Castaño de Sosa]] led a mining expedition of 170 who passed through Devils Draw. He referred to a stream by the name of Laxas, which is believed to be Devils River.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tarpley|first=Fred|title=1001 Texas Place Names|url=https://archive.org/details/1001texasplacena0000tarp|url-access=registration|year=1980|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-76016-5|page=[https://archive.org/details/1001texasplacena0000tarp/page/61 61]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Devil's Draw|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbdbv|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Chipman|first=Donald E|title=Gaspar Castaño de Sosa|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fca87|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1673, Juan Larios opened a mission school at a location between Del Rio and Eagle Pass.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref name="The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799">{{cite book|last=Wade|first=Maria F|title=The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799|year=2002|publisher=University of Texas Press|isbn=978-0-292-79156-5|pages=24–54|author2=Wade, Don E |author3=Hester, Thomas R |chapter=The Bosque-Larios Expedition}}</ref>

In 1675, traveling Franciscan priests celebrated Mass at [[San Felipe Springs]].<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref name="The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau, 1582-1799"/>

In 1736, Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón<ref>{{cite web|last=Garcia|first=Clotilde P|title=Miguel de la Garza Falcón|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fga95|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> led 100 soldiers along the [[Devils River (Texas)|Devils River]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Devils River|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/htd12|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> in pursuit of Apache natives.

During 1834, James Grant<ref>{{cite web|last=Blake|first=Robert Bruce|title=James Grant|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fgr12|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> and John Charles Beales<ref>{{cite web|last=Estep|first=Raymond|title=John Charles Beales|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbe03|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> established a settlement on [[San Felipe Creek (Texas)|San Felipe Creek]],<ref>{{cite web|title=San Felipe Creek|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rbs44|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> which became hazardous due to Indian attacks.

=== Aftermath of Mexican–American War ===
During the 1850s, military bases established to protect against Indian attacks included Camp Blake,<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Camp Blake|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qcc02|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> Camp Hudson<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Julia Cauble|title=Camp Hudson|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbc16|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref> and Camp San Felipe.<ref>{{cite web|last=Seale|first=Axcie|title=Camp San Felipe|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbc25|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

As of 1860, the county had a population of 2,874, including 108 blacks and 1,103 foreign-born.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

=== Post–Civil War ===
During 1868, the San Felipe Del Rio community is established on San Felipe Creek, next to Camp San Felipe.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

From 1869 through 1882, [[Black Seminoles|Seminole Negro Indian Scouts]] (mixed heritage Seminoles with African blood) under John Lapham Bullis, namesake of [[Camp Bullis]], defend the Texas border against Indian attacks.<ref>{{cite book|last=Glasrud|first=Bruce A|title=Buffalo Soldiers in the West: A Black Soldiers Anthology|year=2007|publisher=TAMU Press|isbn=978-1-58544-620-9|pages=143–152|author2=Searles, Michael N |chapter=The Black Seminole Indian Scouts in the Big Bend}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Eckhardt|first=C F|title=THE WHIRLWIND Lt. John Lapham Bullis and the Seminole Negro Scouts |url=http://www.texasescapes.com/CFEckhardt/Whirlwind-Lt-John-Lapham-Bullis-and-the-Seminole-Negro-Scouts.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1883, the Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway was completed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Galveston Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway|url=http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/Sunset.htm|publisher=Texas Transportation Museum|access-date=November 29, 2010|archive-date=September 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930190318/http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/Sunset.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> Italian immigrant Frank Qualia established Val Verde winery.<ref>{{cite book|last=Braudaway|first=Douglas Lee|title=Val Verde County (Images of America: Texas) |year=1999|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-0128-4|author2=Valverde County Historical Commission |page=93}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Overfelt|first=Robert C|title=Val Verde Winery|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/div01|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Val Verde Winery|url=http://www.valverdewinery.com/|publisher=Val Verde Winery|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1884, the [[Langtry, Texas|Langtry]] community was established, named after George Langtry (an engineer and foreman). It has mistakenly been attributed to being named after British entertainer [[Lillie Langtry]] by [[Judge Roy Bean]].<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Langtry, Texas|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Texas_ghost_towns/Langtry_Texas/Langtry_Texas.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1885, Val Verde County was organized from [[Crockett County, Texas|Crockett]], [[Kinney County, Texas|Kinney]], and [[Pecos County, Texas|Pecos]] counties. [[Roy Bean]] was elected justice of the peace in Langtry, operating out of the Jersey Lily Saloon and becoming renowned as "the Law West of the Pecos".<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

In 1886, the Juno and Devils River communities were established.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

In 1888, the Comstock community was established.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Comstock, Texas|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/Comstock_Texas/Comstock.htm|work=Texas Escapes|publisher=Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>

In 1889, the community of Norris was established.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>

By 1890, the last Indian raids had happened and were no longer considered a threat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trevis |first=Michael |date=2020-12-17 |title=Val Verde County Historical Markers |url=https://www.forttours.com/pages/hmvalverde.asp |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=Fort Tours |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Twentieth century ===
* 1928 Lake Hamilton Dam complete.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>
* 1904 Lillie Langtry visits the community of Langtry.<ref>{{cite book|last=Crutchfield|first=James A|title=It Happened in Texas|year=2007|publisher=TwoDot|isbn=978-0-7627-4569-2|pages=104–107}}</ref>
* 1929 Lake Walk Dam complete.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Lake Walk Dam|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/rol83|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>
* 1936 Val Verde County received [[Recorded Texas Historic Landmark]] number 5625 to commemorate its founding.<ref>{{cite web |title=THC Val Verde County |url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/viewform.asp?atlas_num=5465005625&site_name=Val+Verde+County&class=5000 |access-date=February 19, 2011 |work=Recorded Texas Historic Landmark |publisher=Texas State Historical Association}}</ref> 
* 1942 Laughlin Field/Laughin Army Air Field opens to train World War II pilots.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Benton|first=Jeffrey C|title=Air Force Officer's Guide |year=2005|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=978-0-8117-3194-2|page=330}}</ref>
* 1945 Laughlin Field closes.<ref name="Val Verde County"/>
* 1952 Laughlin Field reopens as [[Laughlin Air Force Base]], and serves as a secret [[U2]] unit.  [[Rudolf Anderson|Major Rudolf Anderson]], a U-2 pilot based out of Laughlin, was the only casualty of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Laughlin AFB|url=https://www.laughlin.af.mil/|publisher=Laughlin AFB|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Leatherwood|first=Art|title=Laughlin Air Force Base|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qbl04|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|access-date=November 29, 2010}}</ref>
* 1969 [[Amistad Reservoir|Amistad Dam and Reservoir]] complete. The project cost $78 million.<ref name="Val Verde County"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Braudaway|first=Douglas|title=Del Rio: Queen City of the Rio Grande|year=2002|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-2387-3|page=125}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|3233|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|3145|sqmi|abbr=on}} are land and {{convert|88|sqmi|abbr=on}} (2.7%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 12, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[File:US 90.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 90 in Texas|U.S. Highway 90]]
* [[File:US 277.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 277 in Texas|U.S. Highway 277]]
* [[File:US 377.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 377 (Texas)|U.S. Highway 377]]
* [[File:Texas 163.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 163|State Highway 163]]
* [[File:Texas Loop 79.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway Loop 79|Loop 79]]

===Adjacent counties and'' municipios''===
* [[Crockett County, Texas|Crockett County]] (north)
* [[Sutton County, Texas|Sutton County]] (northeast)
* [[Edwards County, Texas|Edwards County]] (east)
* [[Kinney County, Texas|Kinney County]] (east)
* [[Terrell County, Texas|Terrell County]] (west)
* [[Acuña (municipality)|Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico]] (south)
* [[Jiménez (municipality of Coahuila)|Jiménez, Coahuila, Mexico]] (south)

===National protected areas===
* [[Amistad National Recreation Area]]
* [[Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 2874
|1900= 5263
|1910= 8613
|1920= 12706
|1930= 14924
|1940= 15453
|1950= 16635
|1960= 24461
|1970= 27471
|1980= 35910
|1990= 38721
|2000= 44856
|2010= 48879
|2020= 47586
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|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|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br />1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 12, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Val Verde County, 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 – Val Verde County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48465&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[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 – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Val Verde County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48465&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Val Verde County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48465&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|9,734
|8,548
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,836
|21.70%
|17.49%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |16.47%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|609
|563
|style='background: #ffffe6; |538
|1.36%
|1.15%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.13%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|129
|86
|style='background: #ffffe6; |57
|0.29%
|0.18%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|235
|207
|style='background: #ffffe6; |351
|0.52%
|0.42%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.74%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|12
|37
|style='background: #ffffe6; |35
|0.03%
|0.08%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.07%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|29
|29
|style='background: #ffffe6; |85
|0.06%
|0.06%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|259
|210
|style='background: #ffffe6; |477
|0.58%
|0.43%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.00%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|33,849
|39,199
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38,207
|75.46%
|80.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |80.29%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''44,856'''
|'''48,879'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''47,586'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, 44,856 people, 14,151 households, and 11,320 families resided in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|14|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The 16,288 housing units averaged {{convert|5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 76.36% White, 4.54% African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 18.22% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. About 75.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 14,151 households, 42.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% were married couples living together, 13.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.00% were not families. About 17.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.11 and the average family size was 3.55.

In the county, the population was distributed as 32.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,376, and for a family was $31,434. Males had a median income of $26,485 versus $18,039 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $12,096. About 22.10% of families and 26.10% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 26.40% of them age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[File:Val Verde County LIbrary, Del Rio, TX DSCN1416.JPG|200px|right|thumb|The Val Verde County Library is located at 300 Spring St. in Del Rio.]]
School districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48465_val_verde/DC20SD_C48465.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48465_val_verde/DC20SD_C48465.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Val Verde County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48465_val_verde/DC20SD_C48465_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Comstock Independent School District]]
* [[Rocksprings Independent School District]]
* [[San Felipe-Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District]]

Sometime prior to 1976 the Comstock district absorbed the Langtry and Pandale common school districts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bryant|first=Don|title=County School Superintendent's Job Diminishing|newspaper=[[Del Rio News Herald]]|place=[[Del Rio, Texas]]|date=November 24, 1976<!--Page says 24, even though online record says 23-->|page=4}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104909662/ Clipping] from [[Newspapers.com]].</ref> The former [[Juno Common School District]] consolidated into Comstock ISD in 1992.<ref>{{cite news|title=One-room school becomes history for Juno|newspaper=[[San Angelo Standard-Times]]|place=[[San Angelo, Texas]]|date=May 12, 1992|page=8A}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104908421/ Clipping] from [[Newspapers.com]].</ref> There was formerly a Star Route School on Miers Ranch. In 1964 the school had 13 students.<ref>{{cite news|title=Four County Schools Are Holding Classes|newspaper=[[Del Rio News Herald]]|place=[[Del Rio, Texas]]|date=September 8, 1964|page=3A}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104912775/ Clipping] from [[Newspapers.com]].</ref>

[[Southwest Texas Junior College]] is the designated [[community college]] for the county.<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code: Sec. 130.200. SOUTHWEST TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

The Val Verde County Library in Del Rio serves the county.<ref>[http://vvcl.lib.tx.us/ Home page] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611064212/http://vvcl.lib.tx.us/ |date=June 11, 2008 }}. Val Verde County Library. Retrieved on March 26, 2010.</ref>

==Government==
Val Verde County government is led by a four-member board of county commissioners, each commissioner representing one of four districts. The county commission appoints a county administrator as chief administrative officer of the county. The chief law-enforcement authority of Val Verde is the Val Verde County Sheriff's Office. <!-- '''Joe Frank Martinez, Sheriff'''
 -->[http://www.valverdecounty.texas.gov/184/Sheriffs-Office Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office]. The fire-protection arm of the Val Verde is the Val Verde County Fire Rescue. <!-- '''Jerry Rust, Fire Chief'''
 -->[http://www.valverdecounty.texas.gov/168/Fire-Rescue-Department Val Verde County Fire Rescue].

===County commissioners===
<!-- Val Verde County is divided into four precincts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.valverdecounty.texas.gov/Directory.aspx?did=27|title=Val Verde County, TX|website=www.valverdecounty.texas.gov|language=en|access-date=August 1, 2018}}</ref> -->One county commissioner is elected from each district to serve a 4-year term. Commissioners are chosen in partisan elections by voters from the districts in which they live. The board appoints a county judge to be chief administrative officer of the county, responsible to the commission for the orderly operations of matters within the board's jurisdiction. The current office holders are:
* Val Verde County Judge: Honorable Judge Lewis Owens<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://valverdecounty.texas.gov/176/Judges-Office|title=Judge's Office {{!}} Val Verde County, TX|website=valverdecounty.texas.gov|language=en|access-date=August 1, 2018}}</ref>
* Val Verde County Precinct 1: Martin Wardlaw 
* Val Verde County Precinct 2: Juan Vazquez
* Val Verde County Precinct 3: Robert Beau Nettleton        
* Val Verde County Precinct 4: Gustavo Flores
* Val Verde County Secretary: Elizabeth Ferrino

===Politics===
Val Verde County has been a longtime swing county, having voted for both [[GOP|Republicans]] and [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] throughout its history.

{{PresHead|place=Val Verde County, Texas|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=April 9, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|196|298|158|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|135|446|7|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|296|418|4|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|457|434|107|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|854|620|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|421|1,412|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|504|1,262|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|616|1,628|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|676|1,210|99|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|672|1,242|64|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,725|1,647|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,660|1,598|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,551|2,049|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,346|3,555|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|1,914|3,205|579|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|4,052|2,049|23|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|3,476|4,603|73|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,055|4,116|182|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,909|3,857|21|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,109|5,044|58|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|4,102|4,748|2,146|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|4,357|5,623|620|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|6,223|5,056|195|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,968|4,757|70|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|5,752|6,982|86|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,635|6,285|161|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|5,890|6,964|763|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|8,284|6,771|225|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|9,162|5,282|168|Texas}}
{{PresFoot}}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Val Verde County, Texas|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|8,071|5,782|440|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Del Rio, Texas|Del Rio]] (county seat)

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
* [[Amistad, Texas|Amistad]]
* [[Box Canyon, Texas|Box Canyon]]
* [[Cienegas Terrace, Texas|Cienegas Terrace]]
* [[Lake View, Texas|Lake View]]
* [[Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas (CDP)|Laughlin Air Force Base]]
* [[Val Verde Park, Texas|Val Verde Park]]
{{div col end}}

===Former census-designated places===
*[[Box Canyon-Amistad, Texas|Box Canyon-Amistad]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Comstock, Texas|Comstock]]
* [[Juno, Texas|Juno]]
* [[Langtry, Texas|Langtry]]
* [[Pandale, Texas|Pandale]]

===Ghost town===
* [[Pumpville, Texas|Pumpville]]<ref>[https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/pumpville-tx Pumpville] ([[Texas State Historical Association]])</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Judge Roy Bean]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[List of museums in Central Texas]]
* [[List of museums in West Texas]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Val Verde County, Texas]]
* [[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Trinity-Zavala)#Val Verde County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Val Verde County]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcv01|name=Val Verde County}}
* [http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/hinds/index.html Texas Beyond History, Hinds Cave]
* [http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/pecos/index.html Texas Beyond History, Lower Pecos Canyonlands]
* [http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48465 "Val Verde County Profile" by the Texas Association of Counties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609140454/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48465 |date=June 9, 2015 }}

{{Geographic location
|Centre    = Val Verde County, Texas
|North     = [[Crockett County, Texas|Crockett County]]
|Northeast = [[Sutton County, Texas|Sutton County]]
|East      = [[Edwards County, Texas|Edwards]] and [[Kinney County, Texas|Kinney]] Counties
|Southeast = [[Kinney County, Texas|Kinney County]]
|South     = [[Jiménez Municipality, Coahuila|Jiménez]] and [[Acuña Municipality|Acuña]] Municipalities, [[Coahuila]] {{flagicon|Mexico}}
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Terrell County, Texas|Terrell County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Val Verde County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|29.89|-101.15|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Val Verde County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1885 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1885]]
[[Category:Texas Hill Country]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Texas]]
[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American culture in Texas]]