Uvalde
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to gain a global audience for your work!Uvalde, city, seat (1856) of Uvalde county, southwestern Texas, U.S. It lies along the Leona River, some 85 miles (135 km) west-southwest of San Antonio. Fort Inge was built (1849) on the Leona’s east bank, and the site was settled in 1852 by W.W. Arnett, who was joined in 1853 by Reading W. Black and H.L. Stratton. Black opened a trading post (1855) and called the community Encina. The city was renamed Uvalde in 1856, when it was incorporated and named county seat. Its name was taken from that of the county, which had been derived, misspelled, from Juan de Ugalde, the Spanish-born Mexican governor (1777–83) of the province of San Francisco de Coahuila in New Spain (Mexico).
Economic activities in Uvalde and its vicinity are basically agricultural and include vegetable processing and the production of animal feed, honey, wool, and mohair. Uvalde National Fish Hatchery produces millions of catfish, bluegill, and largemouth bass annually. Academic institutions include Southwest Texas Junior College (1946) and an extension centre of Texas A&M University. Notable attractions are Garner Memorial Museum, the home of U.S. Vice President John Nance Garner (1933–41), and Jardin de los Heroes Park (Garden of the Heroes), which honours veterans of the Vietnam War. Inc. 1856. Pop. (2000) 14,929; (2010) 15,751.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
-
San Antonio
San Antonio , city, seat (1837) of Bexar county, south-central Texas, U.S. It is situated at the headwaters of the San Antonio River on the Balcones Escarpment, about 80 miles (130 km) southwest of Austin. The second most-populous city in Texas, it is the focus of a metropolitan area that includes… -
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University , state university system based in College Station, Texas, U.S., formed in 1948 as an outgrowth of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, which was established in 1871 and opened in 1876. The system includes campuses at Commerce (founded 1889), Kingsville (1925), Corpus Christi (founded 1947), Galveston… -
John Nance Garner
John Nance Garner , 32nd vice president of the United States (1933–41) in the Democratic administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He maintained his conservatism despite his prominent position in Roosevelt’s New Deal…