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Medina County TX
Medina County

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HONDO, TEXAS


Medina County
Seat, Texas Hill Country

29°20'49"N 99°8'44"W (29.346838, -99.145543)

US-90 and FM 462
W of Castroville
E of D'Hanis & Sabinal
38 miles E of Uvalde
39 miles W of San Antonio
ZIP code 78861
Area code 830
Population: 9,436 Est. (2019)
8,803 (2010) 7,897 (2000) 6,018 (1990)

Book Hotel Here › Hondo Hotels

Hondo TX downtown old photo
Hondo downtown
Old postcard courtesy Dan Whatley Collection

Ten or Twelve Things You should know about Hondo

  • Originally named Hondo City - the name of the post office (est. 1882) changed to Hondo in 1895.
  • The Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad came through from San Antonio in 1881.
  • Hondo became the county seat after an election in 1892 took the designation from Castroville.
  • Nearly the entire business section was built of Medina County D'Hanis brick.
  • The Newton Boys robbed one Hondo bank one night and while waiting for their ride - robbed the other.
  • The Hondo Army Airfield with 600 buildings on 3,600 acres was built in 1942 in less than 90 days.
  • The courthouse clock tower was removed in a 1942 remodeling.
  • This remodeling also gave the courthouse indoor plumbing.

  • Medina County Courthouse, Hondo Texas
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, August 2002
    Medina County Courthouse

    Hondo, Texas Chronicles

  • Hondo by Mike Cox
    Hondo, a word made famous by Louis L'Amour.

  • Hondo's Sign Spans the Decades -
    Four post cards of the Hondo Welcome signs

  • Bat Bombs Cartoon by Roger T. Moore
    In WW II, the Navy took over a bat cave near Hondo and eventually strapped small bombs to the little creatures and dropped them on Tokyo.

    Hondo Tourist Information
    Hondo Chamber of Commerce - 830-426-3037

  • Former Medina County Jail, Hondo Texas
    Former Medina County Jail in Hondo
    Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, August 2002
    More Texas Jails


    Old jail chimney dated 1893
    Hondo old jail detail - 1893
    TE photo


    Hondo Texas railroad depot
    The former Hondo depot
    TE photo, May 2001


    Raye Theater in Hondo TX
    The Raye Theater in Hondo
    TE photo


    Hondo TX police dog
    Hondo police dog
    TE photo


    Hondo TX tin building
    Tin building
    TE photo


    Hondo Texas welcome sign Hondo's Sign Spans the Decades -
    Four post cards of the Hondo Welcome signs


    Blue Star Memorial Highway
    Blue Star Memorial Highway marker on Highway 90 in Hondo
    TE photo

    Take a road trip

    Texas Hill Country

    Hondo, Texas Nearby Towns:
    Castroville | D'Hanis | Sabinal | Uvalde | San Antonio
    See Medina County

    Book Hotel Here:
    Hondo Hotels | San Antonio Hotels | More Hotels
    Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     


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