Uvalde was founded in 1853 as the town of Encina, but was renamed in 1856 as Uvalde. Its name is a misspelling of the Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalusia, 1729–1816). Ugalde is a name of Basque origin, meaning water-side or river.[9]
Pronunciations of the name of the town vary. One common pronunciation is the fully Anglicized version (/juːˈvældi/ⓘyoo-VAL-dee). A fully Spanish version is also in common use, which is often approximated by English speakers as /uːˈvɑːldɛ/oo-VAHL-deh. There are also pronunciations that combine the English and Spanish versions. The chosen pronunciation often shows how strong a person's connection with the Hispanic community is or general knowledge of its pronunciation.[10]
History
Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde after Spanish governor Juan de Ugalde (Cádiz, Andalusia, 1729–1816) and was chosen as county seat.[10] It is the southern limit of the Texas Hill Country and is part of South Texas. Uvalde is known for its production, dating back to the 1870s, of huajillo honey (also spelled guajillo), a mild, light-colored honey.[11][12]
The climate in this region is characterized by hot, humid summers and mild, dry winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Uvalde has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa (inclining toward Cwa), on climate maps.[17]
As of the 2000 United States census, 14,929 people, 4,796 households and 3,716 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,220.2 inhabitants per square mile (857.2/km2). The 5,313 housing units averaged 790.1 per square mile (305.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% White, 0.47% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0% from other races, and 2.97% from two or more races.
Of the 4,796 households, 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were not families; 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.
About 32.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The household median income was $25,259 and for a family was $27,897. Males had a median income of $25,600 compared with $15,674 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,735. About 24.2% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.1% of those under age 18 and 23.8% of those age 65 or over.
Uvalde is known as one of the best locations for gliding in the United States. It was the site of the 1991 and 2012 World Gliding Championships.[28] The Uvalde area of the Texas Hill Country is home to many native and exotic species of animals, which allow sportsmen almost year-round hunting opportunities.[29]
^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.[22][23]
^"John Nance Garner Museum". Museums & Institutes. The Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
^"Intown Attractions". Uvalde Convention & Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2008.
Uvalde, Texas Uvalde County, Texas Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District USS Uvalde Uvalde Estates, Texas Uvalde school shooting Uvalde Uvalde High School National Register of Historic Places listings in Uvalde County, Texas Garner Field Uvalde Lindsey Grand Opera House (Uvalde, Texas) Juan de Ugalde Sul Ross State University