Rocksprings, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rocksprings, Texas
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town
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Historic Rocksprings Hotel
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Location of Rocksprings, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Edwards |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.22 sq mi (3.15 km2) |
| • Land | 1.22 sq mi (3.15 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,402 ft (732 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 874 |
| • Density | 716/sq mi (277.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
78880
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| Area code(s) | 830 |
| FIPS code | 48-62816 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1345423 |
Rocksprings is a town in and the county seat of Edwards County, Texas, United States. At the 2020 census, the town population was 874, down from 1,182 at the 2010 census and 1,285 at the 2000 census. The town received its name from natural springs associated with the porous limestone rocks in the area.
Contents
History
J. R. Sweeten sited Rocksprings in 1891 because of the springs nearby. Also in 1891, the town acquired a post office and was made county seat. The original courthouse built in the town burned in 1897. By 1914, Rocksprings had a population around 500.
During the early 1900s, hostilities between Anglos and Mexicans along the "Brown Belt" were common. In Rocksprings, Antonio Rodriguez, a twenty-year-old Mexican, was burned at the stake by a white mob for allegedly killing a white woman, Effie Greer Henderson. This event was widely publicized and protests against the treatment of Mexicans in the U.S. erupted within the interior of Mexico, namely in Guadalajara and Mexico City. This was part of a series of racist killings known as La Matanza.
On April 12, 1927, the town was hit by an F5 tornado that destroyed 235 of the 247 buildings in the town. The tornado killed 74 townspeople and injured 205, almost a third of the population at the time.
Geography
Rocksprings is located northeast of the center of Edwards County at 30°0′58″N 100°12′32″W / 30.01611°N 100.20889°W (30.016161, –100.209023). Rocksprings sits on top of the Edwards Plateau. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 sq mi (3.1 km2), all land.
U.S. Route 377 passes through the center of the town, leading northeast 46 miles (74 km) to Junction and southwest 76 miles (122 km) to Del Rio. Texas State Highway 55 joins US 377 as Main Street through Rocksprings, but leads northwest 55 miles (89 km) to Sonora and south 68 miles (109 km) to Uvalde.
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, Rocksprings has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.
| Climate data for Rocksprings, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1894–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 99 (37) |
96 (36) |
98 (37) |
100 (38) |
104 (40) |
109 (43) |
107 (42) |
108 (42) |
106 (41) |
100 (38) |
93 (34) |
87 (31) |
109 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 75.9 (24.4) |
80.0 (26.7) |
85.0 (29.4) |
91.0 (32.8) |
94.2 (34.6) |
96.9 (36.1) |
98.4 (36.9) |
98.0 (36.7) |
93.4 (34.1) |
88.9 (31.6) |
79.9 (26.6) |
74.6 (23.7) |
100.6 (38.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.5 (14.7) |
62.5 (16.9) |
69.5 (20.8) |
76.9 (24.9) |
82.8 (28.2) |
88.3 (31.3) |
90.8 (32.7) |
91.3 (32.9) |
84.9 (29.4) |
76.7 (24.8) |
66.0 (18.9) |
59.3 (15.2) |
75.6 (24.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.8 (8.8) |
51.7 (10.9) |
58.1 (14.5) |
65.3 (18.5) |
72.2 (22.3) |
77.9 (25.5) |
80.1 (26.7) |
80.5 (26.9) |
74.9 (23.8) |
66.5 (19.2) |
56.0 (13.3) |
48.9 (9.4) |
65.0 (18.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37.2 (2.9) |
40.8 (4.9) |
46.7 (8.2) |
53.7 (12.1) |
61.5 (16.4) |
67.5 (19.7) |
69.5 (20.8) |
69.7 (20.9) |
64.8 (18.2) |
56.3 (13.5) |
46.1 (7.8) |
38.4 (3.6) |
54.4 (12.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 23.4 (−4.8) |
26.8 (−2.9) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
38.5 (3.6) |
49.7 (9.8) |
61.2 (16.2) |
65.7 (18.7) |
64.7 (18.2) |
53.4 (11.9) |
40.7 (4.8) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
25.1 (−3.8) |
19.8 (−6.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 5 (−15) |
3 (−16) |
10 (−12) |
20 (−7) |
30 (−1) |
45 (7) |
58 (14) |
53 (12) |
38 (3) |
19 (−7) |
14 (−10) |
5 (−15) |
3 (−16) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.03 (26) |
0.93 (24) |
1.81 (46) |
1.66 (42) |
3.35 (85) |
2.50 (64) |
1.95 (50) |
3.10 (79) |
3.38 (86) |
3.05 (77) |
1.66 (42) |
1.62 (41) |
26.04 (662) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.7 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 4.5 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 4.5 | 64.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Economy
The economy of Rocksprings is centered on the wool and mohair industry, and the town is recognized as the Angora goat capital of the world. Tourism has become a growing part of the economy, with the opening of Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area, located approximately 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Rocksprings.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 998 | — | |
| 1940 | 1,339 | 34.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,436 | 7.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,182 | −17.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,221 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,317 | 7.9% | |
| 1990 | 1,339 | 1.7% | |
| 2000 | 1,285 | −4.0% | |
| 2010 | 1,182 | −8.0% | |
| 2020 | 874 | −26.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 214 | 24.49% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 2 | 0.23% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 5 | 0.57% |
| Asian (NH) | 4 | 0.46% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.11% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 2 | 0.23% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 12 | 1.37% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 634 | 72.54% |
| Total | 874 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 874 people, 559 households, and 340 families residing in the town.
Education
The town is served by the Rocksprings Independent School District and home to the Rocksprings High School Angoras. The school mascot is Rocko, the fighting Angora billy.
In Pop Culture
The town of Rocksprings was the location of the Texas State Penitentiary, Spring Valley Unit, in two episodes in season three of the television show Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Photo gallery
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Entrance sign to Rocksprings, burn ban in effect in 2011
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Rocksprings Visitor Center arranges tours of the nearby Devil's Sinkhole State Natural Area.
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Rocksprings City Hall
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Edwards County Courthouse
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First Methodist Church in Rocksprings
See also
In Spanish: Rocksprings (Texas) para niños
