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Kleberg County, Texas facts for kids

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Kleberg County
The Kleberg County Courthouse in Kingsville. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 2010.
The Kleberg County Courthouse in Kingsville. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 2010.
Map of Texas highlighting Kleberg County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Founded 1913
Named for Robert J. Kleberg
Seat Kingsville
Largest city Kingsville
Area
 • Total 1,090 sq mi (2,800 km2)
 • Land 881 sq mi (2,280 km2)
 • Water 209 sq mi (540 km2)  19%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 31,040
 • Density 28.48/sq mi (11.00/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 34th

Kleberg County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 31,040. The county seat is Kingsville. The county was organized in 1913 and is named for Robert J. Kleberg, an early settler.

Kleberg County is part of the Kingsville, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also part of the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX Combined Statistical Area. Most of the county's land lies in the famed King Ranch, which also extends into neighboring counties.

Kleberg County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by the Republican J. M. Lozano, a restaurateur in Kingsville and in Alice, Texas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,090 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 881 square miles (2,280 km2) is land and 209 square miles (540 km2) (19%) is water. It borders the Gulf of Mexico. Baffin Bay makes up a large part of the border with Kenedy County.

Major highways

  • US 77.svg U.S. Highway 77
    • I-69E.svg The future route of Interstate 69E is planned to follow the current route of U.S. 77 in most places.
  • Texas 141.svg State Highway 141
  • Texas 285.svg State Highway 285
  • Texas FM 771.svg Farm to Market Road 771
  • Texas Park Road 22.svg Park Road 22

Adjacent counties

National protected area

  • Padre Island National Seashore (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1920 7,837
1930 12,451 58.9%
1940 13,344 7.2%
1950 21,991 64.8%
1960 30,052 36.7%
1970 33,166 10.4%
1980 33,358 0.6%
1990 30,274 −9.2%
2000 31,549 4.2%
2010 32,061 1.6%
2020 31,040 −3.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

2020 census

Kleberg County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 7,479 6,728 23.33% 21.68%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,070 995 3.34% 3.21%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 51 83 0.16% 0.27%
Asian alone (NH) 715 784 2.23% 2.53%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 26 1 0.08% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 28 97 0.09% 0.31%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 197 432 0.61% 1.39%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22,495 21,920 70.16% 70.62%
Total 32,061 31,040 100.00% 100.00%

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.

Robert Justus Kleberg

Kleberg county is named after Robert Justus Kleberg Sr. (1803–1888), a Prussian settler, was born on September 10, 1803, in Herstelle, Westphalia. His father was a merchant. Kleberg was educated in the classics and attended the University of Göttingen, where he received a J.D. degree. After graduating he was appointed a justice of assizes. He married Rosalie von Roeder near Paderborn, Prussia, in ...1834. They emigrated to Texas that year and settled in Cat Spring in 1836. In the Republic of Texas, Kleberg was associate commissioner and president of the Board of Land Commissioners (1837–38), justice of the peace (1841), and chief justice of Austin County (1846). In 1847 the Kleberg’s moved to Meyersville, where Kleberg was elected county commissioner in 1848 and chief justice in 1853. Kleberg fought in the battle of San Jacinto in Capt. Moseley Baker's company and subsequently served as one of the Texas guards for Gen. Santa Anna. After the revolution, he volunteered for six months' duty in the Texas army in a campaign against the Indians on Escondido Creek. Kleberg supported the cause of the Confederacy. When the Civil War broke out he raised a company of militia but because of his advanced age was not received into active service. Robert and Rosa raised their own seven children in addition to several young Roeder relatives. Their youngest son, Robert Justus Kleberg Jr. married Alice Gertrudis King. Kleberg died on October 23, 1888, near Cuero and was buried there. His grave is marked by a monument in the form of a soldier's tent with the words "Remember the Alamo" carved at the base. Kleberg County was named in his honor in 1913; a marker at his home site near Cuero was erected in 1936.

Communities

Cities and towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Education

School districts include:

  • Kingsville Independent School District
  • Ricardo Independent School District
  • Riviera Independent School District
  • Santa Gertrudis Independent School District

Coastal Bend College (formerly Bee County College) is the designated community college for the Kingsville, Ricardo, and Santa Gertrudis school district areas. The Riviera ISD portion is in the Del Mar College-Corpus Christi Junior College District.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Kleberg para niños

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