Helotes, Texas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Helotes, Texas
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Helotes, Texas

---

mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Bexar

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 10.9
area_land_km2 = 10.9
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 4.2
area_land_sq_mi = 4.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 4285
population_density_km2 = 391.6
population_density_sq_mi = 1014.3

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 316
elevation_ft = 1037
latd = 29 |latm = 33 |lats = 55 |latNS = N
longd = 98 |longm = 41 |longs = 21 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 78023
area_code = 210
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 48-33146GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1337583GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Helotes is a city in Bexar County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,285 at the 2000 census.

History

According to anthropologists, the area was occupied seasonally from about 5,000 B.C. by small bands of migrant Indians in search of food and gamecite web | title=Texas Historical Commission city marker (archive copy) |format=JPG | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070227224647/http://www.accd.edu/pac/history/rhines/StudentProjects/1998/Helotes/Marker.jpg|work=Texas Historical Commission | publisher=Palo Alto College |location=San Antonio, Texas | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006 ] . The Lipan Apache moved into the area in the late 17th century and occupied it throughout the 18th century. However, the Lipan were forced from the area in the early 1820s by the Comanche Indians. A small farming and ranching community began to develop in the area shortly after the Texas Revolution in the late 1830scite paper |author=Michael R. Causey | title=Helotes Small Town Research Project (archive copy) |date=Fall 1998 | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070406030133/http://www.accd.edu/pac/history/rhines/StudentProjects/1998/Helotes/Helotes.htm | year=1998 | publisher=Palo Alto College |location=San Antonio, Texas | accessdate=2006-12-26] . The ranches suffered occasional attacks by the Comanches until the late 1870scite web | title=Helotes Small Town Research Project | url=http://www.accd.edu/pac/history/rhines/StudentProjects/1998/Helotes/Helotes.htm | year=1998 | publisher=Alamo Community Colleges | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] .

In 1858, a Scottish immigrant, Dr. George Marnoch, purchased the land that would later become the site of the town. Marnoch's home at one time served as a stagecoach stop and a post office for cowboys driving their cattle from Bandera to auction in San Antonio.cite web | title=City of Helotes: Tourism | url=http://www.helotes-tx.gov/index.asp?Type=B_LOC&SEC={F1BE65BA-CABD-4506-8FA4-0F43ABA1EE2B} | publisher=City of Helotes, Texas | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] His heirs sold a portion of their property in 1880 to a Swiss immigrant, Arnold Gugger, who built a home and mercantile store around which the town of Helotes sprang to life. In 1908, Gugger sold his property to Bert Hileman, who opened the town's first dance hall. He was also instrumental in getting old Bandera Road paved and opening the town's first filling station. He sold his property in downtown Helotes in 1919, when the town's population declined.

In 1946, the manager of San Antonio's Majestic Theatre, John T. Floore, opened the landmark John T. Floore Country Store,cite web | title=John T. Floore Country Store | url=http://www.liveatfloores.com/index2.htm | publisher=John T. Floore Country Store | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] which is actually a dance hall (or "honky tonk") that draws top Country Western talent, such as Willie Nelson, who still plays there on occasion. Mr. Floore also financed the first annual Helotes Cornyval festival in the 1960s, which was held to celebrate the opening of a new post officecite web |title=Backgrounder: Helotes Cornyval | publisher=Helotes Festival Association | url=http://www.cornyval.com/ | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] .

Corn played an important role in the heritage of Helotes. The local Indians planted corn, actually maize, in the fertile valleys of the area, and feed corn was a major crop grown in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The town name is derived from the Spanish word "helote", which means "green maize," but exactly how the town came to be called Helotes is still a subject of debatecite web | title=The Handbook of Texas Online: Helotes, TX | url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/HH/hlh38.html | publisher=The Texas State Historical Association | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] .

As the urban sprawl of San Antonio expanded and approached the outskirts of Helotes in the 1970s, residents determined to take their fate into their own hands. After a decade of planning and negotiation, Helotes became an incorporated city in October 1981cite web | title=City of Helotes: General Information | url=http://www.helotes-tx.gov/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={90E823C5-DC0D-4248-8316-49BB7CC9F557} | publisher=City of Helotes, Texas | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] . To this day, residents still struggle with the dilemma of maintaining the city's rugged country charm, while at the same time allowing for the development of modern suburban facilities and businessescite web | title=City of Helotes: Tourism | url=http://www.helotes-tx.gov/index.asp?Type=B_LOC&SEC={F1BE65BA-CABD-4506-8FA4-0F43ABA1EE2B} | publisher=City of Helotes, Texas | accessdate=December 26 | accessyear=2006] .

Helotes was the hometown of the late Texas state Senator Frank L. Madla, who perished after his home on the south side of San Antonio caught fire on November 24, 2006. cite web | title=Frank L. Madla | url=http://www.answers.com/topic/frank-l-madla | publisher=Answers.com | accessdate=March 12 | accessyear=2007]

Geography

Helotes is located at coor dms|29|33|55|N|98|41|21|W|city (29.565328, -98.689251)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 4,285 people, 1,471 households, and 1,291 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,014.3 people per square mile (392.0/km²). There were 1,525 housing units at an average density of 361.0/sq mi (139.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.95% White, 2.24% African American, 0.44% Native American, 2.26% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 4.92% from other races, and 3.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.49% of the population.

There were 1,471 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.9% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.2% were non-families. 10.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $76,951, and the median income for a family was $80,090. Males had a median income of $50,625 versus $38,362 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,534. About 2.0% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Helotes residents are zoned to schools in the Northside Independent School District. They are:

* Bob Beard Elementary School (San Antonio)
* Helotes Elementary School (Helotes)
* Dean H. Krueger Elementary School (San Antonio)
* Katherine Stinson Middle School (San Antonio)
* Sandra Day O'Connor High School (Helotes)

Celebrities Who Have Performed at Floore's Country Store

*Nigel Garza and the 211 Bandits
*Asleep at the Wheel featuring Ray Benson
*Junior Brown
*Johnny Bush & the Bandoleros
*Bo Diddley
*Dean Dillon
*Steve Earle
*Pat Green
*Kinky Friedman
*Tom T. Hall
*Ferlin Husky & the Hush Puppies
*Waylon Jennings
*George Jones & the Jones Boys
*Robert Earl Keen
*Hal Ketchum
*B. B. King
*Loretta Lynn & the Coal Miners
*Darrell McCall
*Delbert McClinton
*James McMurtry
*Michael Martin Murphey
*Willie Nelson & Family
*Nickel Creek
*Gary P. Nunn & the Bunkhouse Boogie Boys
*Jim Reeves & the Blue Boys
*Little Richard
*Bruce Robison
*Charlie Robison
*Lyle Lovett & His Large Band
*The Mavericks featuring Raul Malo
*Buck Owens & the Buckaroos featuring Don Rich
*Ray Price & the Cherokee Cowboys
*Leon Russell
*Doug Sahm
*Billy Joe Shaver
*Sammi Smith
*Gary Stewart
*Hank Thompson (musician) & the Brazos Valley Boys
*Ernest Tubb & the Texas Troubadours featuring Jack Greene
*Jerry Jeff Walker
*Dale Watson
*Lucinda Williams
*Kelly Willis
*Dwight Yoakum

References

External links

* [http://www.helotes-tx.gov/ City of Helotes]
* [http://www.cornyval.com Official Helotes Cornyval Web Site]
* [http://www.liveatfloores.com/ John T. Floore Country Store]
* [http://www.accd.edu/pac/history/rhines/StudentProjects/1998/Helotes/Helotes.htm Helotes Small Town Research Project]
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/HH/hlh38.html Helotes, Texas in the Handbook of Texas Online]