Hondo
Hondo, Texas
Hondo, the county seat of Medina County, is on U.S. Highway 90 and the Southern Pacific Railroad, forty-one miles west of mid-town San Antonio. The Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway built through the county from the east in 1881, and the first sale out of its Hondo City plat was made on October 1, 1881. The community had twenty-five residents in 1884, 200 in 1892, and 2,500 in 1915. A post office designated Hondo City began operation in 1882.
Ownership of the eastern half of the township was disputed in court, and the suit stopped all development until it was settled in 1891. Castroville was displaced as the county seat in favor of Hondo in an election on August 27, 1892. The courthouse was completed in 1893, built on a block of land the railroad president had donated ten years earlier for a courthouse lot. The name of the post office was changed to Hondo in 1895. The town quickly became a trade and shipping center for the area's agricultural and ranching economy. During its heyday in the early 1900s most of the downtown business buildings were built, chiefly of D'Hanis brick. During the late 1930s and early 1940s two annexes were added to the courthouse, indoor plumbing was installed, and the distinctive tower was removed. Extensive interior remodeling was completed by February 28, 1988.
Martin O. Noonan | © TSHA
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
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Belongs to
Hondo is part of or belongs to the following places:
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Hondo is classified as a Town
Associated Names
- [-City]
Location
Latitude: 29.35340940Longitude: -99.16225100
Has Post Office
Yes
Is Incorporated
Yes
Population Count, 2021 View more »
8,387