Uvalde

Uvalde: Janey Slaughter Briscoe Grand Opera House

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.