Kerrville, Texas

"Kerrville" redirects here. For the community in Missouri, see Kerrville, Missouri.

Kerrville, Texas
City
Kerrville City Hall
Motto:  Lose Your Heart to the Hills
Location of Kerrville, Texas
Coordinates: 30°00′14″N99°07′10″W / 30.00389°N 99.11944°W / 30.00389; -99.11944
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Kerr
Government
• Type	Council–manager
•  City Council	Mayor
Area [1]
• Total	22.35 sq mi (57.88 km2)
• Land	21.93 sq mi (56.80 km2)
• Water	0.42 sq mi (1.08 km2)
Elevation [2]	1,608 ft (490 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	24,278
• Density	1,083.22/sq mi (418.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	78028–78029
Area code	830
FIPS code	48-39040 [3]
GNIS feature ID	2411538 [2]
Website	kerrvilletx.gov

Kerrville c. 1900

Kerrville is a city in, and the county seat of Kerr County, Texas, United States. ^[4] The population of Kerrville was 24,278 at the 2020 census. ^[5] Kerrville is named after James Kerr, a major in the Texas Revolution, and friend of settler-founder Joshua Brown, who settled in the area to start a shingle-making camp. ^[6]

Being nestled in the hills of Texas Hill Country, Kerrville is best known for its beautiful parks that line the Guadalupe River, which runs directly through the city; other features include its nearby youth summer camps, hunting ranches, and RV parks. It is also the home of Texas' Official State Arts & Crafts Fair, the Kerrville Folk Festival, the Kerrville Triathlon (since 2011), and the Kerrville Renaissance Festival (since 2017), as well as Mooney Aviation Company, ^[7] James Avery Jewelry, and Schreiner University. The Museum of Western Art (founded 1983) features the work of living artists specializing in the themes of the American West.

History

Archeological evidence (including burned rock middens, lithic artifacts, and Caddoan pottery pieces) suggests that humans lived in the area known as Kerrville as early as 10,000 years ago. ^[8] The early modern residents were successful shinglemakers whose mercantile business became a hub that served the middle and upper Hill Country area in the late 1840s. One of the earliest shinglemakers was Joshua D. Brown. With his family, Joshua Brown had led several other families on an exploration of the Guadalupe Valley. These early pioneers organized their settlements near a bluff just north of the Guadalupe River in the eastern half of today's county. The settlement was referred to as "Brownsborough", but after the area was formally platted in 1856 by James Kerr, a major in the Texas Revolution, the settlement was formally known as "Kerrville" and maintained a county seat with Texas.

Starting in 1857, a German master-miller named Christian Dietert and millwright Balthasar Lich started a large grist and saw mill on the bluff. This mill established a permanent source of power and protection from floods, and became the most extensive operation of its kind in the Hill Country area west of New Braunfels and San Antonio. Soon afterwards, Charles A. Schreiner rode Kerrville's newly found popularity by serving Kerrville's mercantile needs. Schreiner established a family-run empire that helped build Kerrville's early prosperity by owning almost all of Kerrville's business sectors, including freighting enterprises, retail, wholesale, banking, ranching, marketing, and brokering operations. Schreiner's elegant downtown home, a Romanesque stone structure at 226 Earl Garrett Street, is the site of the Hill Country Museum in downtown Kerrville.

The Civil War slowed Kerrville's development, but with the start of the Reconstruction era, Kerrville's economic boom and ethnic diversification continued anew as demand grew in San Antonio for lumber, produce, and craftsmen. Kerrville's boom was also catalyzed by the combination of the cessation of Indian raids and the expansion into the business of cattle, sheep, and goat ranching. Cattle drives punctuated the boom-years of the late 1880s and the 1890s. In 1887, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway reached Kerrville, and in 1889 the town incorporated, with an aldermanic form of city government.

The Kerrville Water Works Company began to provide water for town dwellers in 1894. Telephone service was introduced in 1896, and the city began to pave streets in 1912. Kerrville adopted a "commission" form of city government in 1917, then changed to the "city-manager" form in 1928. In 1942, the town adopted a home-rule charter, while continuing with a city manager. Kerrville has displayed steady population growth throughout the 20th century, increasing from 1,423 residents in 1900 to 2,353 in 1920, 5,572 in 1940, 8,901 in 1960, and 15,276 in 1980. Its economic base has diversified and broadened through business, agriculture, light manufacturing, health care, transportation, services, education, the arts, and tourism. By the mid-1990s the Wall Street Journal described Kerrville as one of the wealthiest small towns in America. By 1995, the city's official population was still under 18,000, with another 20,000 people in relatively affluent residential areas south of the river and in the rest of the county. In 2000, the population reached 20,425. Much of the growth in population included retirees and young professionals and semiprofessionals; for many years Kerrville also experienced significant out-migration of young adults raised in the area.

Geography

Kerrville is located in eastern Kerr County. Via Interstate 10, it is 65 miles (105 km) northwest of San Antonio and 52 miles (84 km) southeast of Junction. Texas State Highway 16 (Sidney Baker Street) is the main road through the center of Kerrville. Highway 16 leads northeast 24 miles (39 km) to Fredericksburg and southwest the same distance to Medina. Texas State Highway 173 leads south 25 miles (40 km) to Bandera, while State Highway 27 leads west 6 miles (10 km) to Ingram and east 18 miles (29 km) to Comfort.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Kerrville has a total area of 20.7 square miles (53.7 km²), of which 20.3 square miles (52.6 km²) are land and 0.42 square miles (1.1 km²) (2.00%) are covered by water. ^[9] The Guadalupe River runs through the city, with the downtown area sitting on the northeastern side.

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, Kerrville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. ^[10]

Climate data for Kerrville, Texas (3 miles north-northeast) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1974–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	87 (31)	97 (36)	95 (35)	100 (38)	103 (39)	107 (42)	105 (41)	108 (42)	109 (43)	97 (36)	91 (33)	86 (30)	109 (43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	59.1 (15.1)	63.0 (17.2)	69.5 (20.8)	76.4 (24.7)	82.4 (28.0)	88.7 (31.5)	91.6 (33.1)	92.8 (33.8)	86.5 (30.3)	78.2 (25.7)	67.4 (19.7)	60.4 (15.8)	76.3 (24.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)	46.4 (8.0)	50.5 (10.3)	57.5 (14.2)	64.4 (18.0)	72.0 (22.2)	78.3 (25.7)	80.7 (27.1)	81.1 (27.3)	75.0 (23.9)	65.9 (18.8)	55.6 (13.1)	48.0 (8.9)	64.6 (18.1)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	33.8 (1.0)	38.0 (3.3)	45.4 (7.4)	52.4 (11.3)	61.6 (16.4)	67.9 (19.9)	69.8 (21.0)	69.3 (20.7)	63.4 (17.4)	53.7 (12.1)	43.8 (6.6)	35.7 (2.1)	52.9 (11.6)
Record low °F (°C)	6 (−14)	1 (−17)	11 (−12)	22 (−6)	33 (1)	48 (9)	54 (12)	54 (12)	37 (3)	21 (−6)	12 (−11)	0 (−18)	0 (−18)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.66 (42)	1.63 (41)	2.35 (60)	2.27 (58)	4.29 (109)	3.31 (84)	2.09 (53)	1.93 (49)	3.73 (95)	3.20 (81)	2.16 (55)	1.94 (49)	30.56 (776)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	0.1 (0.25)	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)	0.1 (0.25)	0.1 (0.25)	0.5 (1.3)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	7.1	7.2	8.1	6.5	9.0	6.3	5.0	5.1	7.1	7.3	6.7	7.3	82.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	0.1	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.5
Source: NOAA [11] [12]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	156		—
1890	1,044		569.2%
1900	1,423		36.3%
1910	1,843		29.5%
1920	2,353		27.7%
1930	4,546		93.2%
1940	5,572		22.6%
1950	7,691		38.0%
1960	8,901		15.7%
1970	12,672		42.4%
1980	15,276		20.5%
1990	17,384		13.8%
2000	20,425		17.5%
2010	22,347		9.4%
2020	24,278		8.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [13]

2020 census

Kerrville racial composition ^[14]
(NH = Non-Hispanic) ^[a]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	15,734	64.81%
Black or African American (NH)	520	2.14%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	58	0.24%
Asian (NH)	378	1.56%
Pacific Islander (NH)	21	0.09%
Some Other Race (NH)	87	0.36%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	718	2.96%
Hispanic or Latino	6,762	27.85%
Total	24,278

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 24,278 people, 9,627 households, and 6,059 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census ^[3] of 2000, 20,425 people, 8,563 households, and 5,411 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,222.5 inhabitants per square mile (472.0/km²). The 9,477 housing units averaged 567.2 per square mile (219.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.89% White, 2.99% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 8.20% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 22.73% of the population.

Of the 8,563 households, 8.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were not families. About 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the city, the population was distributed as 21.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 29.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 87 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males. ^[17]

The median income for a household in the city was $32,085, and for a family was $38,979. Males had a median income of $27,555 versus $19,923 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,193. About 11.7% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over. ^[17]

Culture

The Kerrville Folk Festival is an annual summer festival which features folk musicians from around the country and Canada. ^[18]

Infrastructure

Nonprofit/service organizations

The TaxExemptWorld.com website, which compiles Internal Revenue Service data, reported that in 2013, 465 distinct, active, tax exempt/nonprofit organizations in Kerrville, excluding credit unions, had a total income of $414.4 million and assets of $958.8 million. ^[19] One example of a performing arts nonprofit organization in Kerrville would be Art 2 Heart. There are seventy-three (73) churches in or near Kerrville, Texas.

Transportation

Bridge over the Guadalupe River in Kerrville

Interstate highways

• I-10

State highways

• SH 16 (Medina Highway, Sidney Baker Highway, Fredericksburg Road)
• SH 27 (Junction Highway, Main Street, Broadway Avenue)
• SH 173 (Bandera Highway)

Loops

• Loop 534 (Veterans Highway)

Farm-to-Market roads

• RM 783 (Harper Road)
• FM 1338 (Goat Creek Road)
• FM 1341 (Golf Avenue, Cypress Creek Road)

Bicycle routes

Adventure Cycling Association Southern Tier Bicycle Route ^[20]

Events

Kerrville is home to the annual Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair, which features artisans and entertainers from around the state. ^[21] The Texas Lions Camp and Echo Hill Ranch Summer Camp are also located in Kerrville.

Kerrville hosted the Olympic trials for shooting sports for the 2012 Summer Olympics at the Hill Country Shooting Center. ^[22]

On Saturday, October 15, 2023, Kerrville experienced the moon's rare annular eclipse of the sun. ^[23]

Six months later, on Monday, April 8, 2024, the Kerrville Eclipse Festival celebrated the moon's rare total eclipse of the sun. ^[24]

Education

Main building on Schreiner University campus

Kerrville is served by the Kerrville Independent School District, which maintains four elementary schools (Tally, Nimitz, Starkey, and Daniels), two middle schools (BT Wilson 6th Grade and Peterson), and two high schools (Hill Country High School and Kerrville (TX) Tivy). ^[25] Our Lady of the Hills Catholic High School ^[26] and Notre Dame Catholic School ^[27] and Grace Academy of Kerrville ^[28] are also located in Kerrville, serving as the primary alternative to the public school system.

Kerrville is home to Schreiner University, a private four-year university which was established in 1923 by an ex-Texas Ranger, Captain Charles Schreiner. The school is consistently listed as one of the top regional liberal arts colleges in the Western U.S. by U.S. News & World Report 's America's Best Colleges Guide. ^[29]

Until 2020, Schreiner University was also home to Greystone Preparatory School. Greystone offered a one-year preparatory course to help individuals prepare for an appointment to one of the five federal service academies. ^[30] Since the departure of Greystone, Schreiner Institute was created to fill this role. ^[31] Directed by veteran Marine Shannon Deville, the program has since been designated as one of six West Point approved Associate of Graduates Scholarship Programs. ^[32]

Notable people

Sports

• Mike Dyal, pro football player from 1989 to 1993 ^[33]
• Tony Lorick, running back for the Baltimore Colts and New Orleans Saints
• John Mahaffey, pro golfer who won the 1978 PGA Championship ^[34]
• Johnny Manziel, football player; 2012 Heisman Trophy winner
• Gary Phillips, NBA player for the Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors
• John Teltschik, pro football player for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1986 to 1990 ^[35]

Entertainment

• Thomas Haden Church, actor ( George of the Jungle , Sideways , Spider-Man 3 , Heaven Is for Real ) ^{[36] [37]}
• Robert Earl Keen, singer and songwriter ^[38]
• Ace Reid, artist and humorist, lived in Kerrville from the early 1950s until his death in 1991 ^[39]
• Jimmie Rodgers, the "Father of Country Music"; called Kerrville home for his family ^{[40] [41]}
• Stacy Sutherland, guitarist for The 13th Floor Elevators, buried in Center Point Cemetery ^{[42] [43]}
• Alexandra Underwood, Wilhelmina model and contestant of America's Next Top Model
• John Ike Walton, drummer for the 13th Floor Elevators ^[42]

Business

• James Avery, owner of James Avery Jewelers (founded in 1954) ^[44]
• Lloyd Donald Brinkman, owner of floor covering distributor, Brangus cattle breeder ^[45]
• Florence Butt, founder of H-E-B grocery stores in 1905 ^[46]

Others

• Konni Burton, Republican member of the Texas State Senate from Tarrant County ^[47]
• Kinky Friedman, Texas musician, politician, and iconoclast
• Jesse Edward Grinstead, author of Western fiction and owner, editor of The Kerrville Mountain Sun
• Harvey Hilderbran, Republican state representative from Kerr County, 1989–2015
• Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, lived in Kerrville in his youth
• James E. Nugent, member of the Texas House of Representatives
• Lou Halsell Rodenberger, Texas author; lived in Kerrville in the 1940s ^[48]

Points of interest

• Kerrville Folk Festival
• Kerrville Kroc Center
• Kerrville-Schreiner Park
• Mountaineer Baseball Field
• Museum of Western Art
• Riverside Nature Center
• Capt. Charles Schreiner Mansion
• Schreiner University

Gallery

• 
  The Capt. Charles Schreiner Mansion Historic Site and Education Center in downtown Kerrville was originally the home of Charles Schreiner, a rancher, businessman, banker, philanthropist, and captain of the Kerr County Home Guard.
• 
  Schreiner's Department Store, the mainstay of downtown Kerrville
• 
  The Arcadia Theatre at 717 Water St. in Kerrville was built in Spanish style in 1926 and renovated as Art Deco in 1948. It closed in 1989, and remained so until it was renovated once again in 2019.
• 
  Francisco's Restaurant at 201 Earl Garrett St., intersecting Water Street, in the Kerrville downtown square
• 
  Butt-Holdsworth Memorial Library at 505 Water St. in Kerrville
• 
  First Presbyterian Church at 800 Jefferson St. in Kerrville
• 
  Christmas in downtown Kerrville (2016)
• 
  Kerr Arts and Cultural Center in Kerrville

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Kerrville, Texas
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
5. "Explore Census Data".
6. "KERRVILLE, TX | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)". tshaonline.org. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
7. "Mooney – Company Facts". Archived from the original on June 25, 2007. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
8. Stoutamire, Steve; Wilson, Francoise; McBride, Mike (2019). "41KR754, A NEW PALEOINDIAN AND DIVERSE MULTI-COMPONENTSITE,KERR COUNTY, TEXAS". Ancient Echoes. 8: 31.
9. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Kerrville city, Texas". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
10. "Kerrville, Texas Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)" . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
11. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
12. "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
13. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
14. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
15. Bureau, US Census. "Census.gov". Census.gov.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
16. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
17. US Census Bureau (May 3, 2002). "Census 2000 Profiles | Profile of General Demographic Characteristics | Geographic area: Kerrville city, Texas" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 2, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
18. "Kerrville Festivals". kerrville-music.com. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
19. "Nonprofit Search & 501C3 Lookup By City". Organization Search by City, Kerrville, Texas. Tax Exempt World. 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
20. "Southern Tier | Adventure Cycling Route Network | Adventure Cycling Association". adventurecycling.org. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
21. Logan Hawkes. "Texas State Arts & Crafts Fair". wintertexansonline.com. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
22. "U.S. Olympic Trials for Shotgun: Skeet and Double Trap Preview – USA Shooting" . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
23. "The City of Kerrville to host Annual Kerrville River Festival with onsite NASA broadcast of Annular Solar Eclipse viewing". September 7, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
24. "Kerrville Eclipse Festival | Kerrville TX - Official Website". www.kerrvilletx.gov. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
25. "About Kerrville ISD". Archived from the original on May 27, 2009.
26. "Office Summer Hours: Monday through Thursday 9am-Noon and 1pm-3pm. - Our Lady of the Hills" . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
27. "Notre Dame Catholic School" . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
28. grace academy of kerrville
29. "Schreiner University - Best Colleges - Education - U.S. News & World Report". Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2009.
30. "Greystone Preparatory School". greystoneprepschool.net. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
31. schreinerets (February 25, 2020). "Schreiner University Announces Schreiner Institute". Schreiner University. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
32. schreinerets (February 26, 2024). "Schreiner Institute named an approved West Point AOG Preparatory School". Schreiner University. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
33. "Mike Dyal Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards – databaseFootball.com". Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
34. "Mahaffey Takes Southwestern". CBS News . Retrieved July 17, 2016.
35. "John Teltschik Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards – databaseFootball.com". Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
36. Pilkington, Ed (May 16, 2008). "Naked ambition". The Guardian. Retrieved May 17, 2008.
37. "Thomas Haden Church Will Star as the Texanist". Texas Monthly. October 30, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
38. "Robert Earl Keen | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". myspace.com. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
39. Asa Elmer (Ace) Reid, Jr. (1925–1991) at Handbook of Texas Online
40. Bio-drama and 'blue yodeling'
41. "Sony Music – Jimmie Rodgers Biography". Archived from the original on September 3, 2009.
42. 13th Floor Elevators
43. Center Point, Texas
44. "About Us – James Avery". Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
45. "BRINKMAN, Lloyd Donald "Brink"" . Austin American-Statesman. July 16, 2015. p. B4. Retrieved November 10, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
46. H-E-B History Archived 2010-03-29 at the Wayback Machine
47. "About Konni". konniburton.com. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
48. "Lou H. Rodenberger's Obituary on Star-Telegram". Legacy.com . Retrieved July 17, 2016.

1. 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 can be of any race. ^{[15] [16]}

External links

• Texas portal

• Official website
• Kerrville, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Kerrville/Kerr County Local Government Wiki
• A collection of historic Kerrville/Kerr County photos