Crystal City in Zavala County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Zavala County
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 31, 2014
1. Zavala County Marker
Explored as early as 1691 by the expedition of Domingo Teran de Los Rios, Spanish governor of Texas. The historic San Antonio Road crossed this region from southwest to northeast and was used by most of the Spanish explorers and travelers of the 18th century. French-American explorer St. Denis used it in 1714, as did the Canary Islanders, who made one of the first civil settlements in San Antonio, in 1718.
The county was created in 1858 from Uvalde and Maverick counties and named for Texas patriot and statesman Lorenzo de Zavala. Not until 1884, however, did enough people reside here to permit it to be organized. The first county seat was Bates City, later renamed Batesville. First judge was J. M. Downs and commissioners were W.C. Mangum, E.P. Waller, V.M. West and G.B. Kenney. Before 1884 was out, a school election had been held in Palo Blanco, and a $7,500 contract had been let for a courthouse and jail.
When the county seat moved to Crystal City (1928) courthouse and jail were built here. New courthouse erected 1969 at cost of $475,000 was commissioned by 1968-1969 county courts: Irl Taylor, Judge; Cecil Davis, Jr.; F.D. Keller, Jr.; H.R. Reynolds; E.B. Ross; Jesus Rodriguez; and Henry Volz, Jr., commissioners.
Erected 1969 by State Historical Survey Committee
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Hispanic Americans • Man-Made Features • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.
Location. 28° 40.787′ N, 99° 49.627′ W. Marker is in Crystal City, Texas, in Zavala County. Marker is on East Uvalde Street east of North 1st Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Marker is located in front of the Zavala County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 East Uvalde Street, Crystal City TX 78839, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Crystal City Family Internment Camp, World War II (approx. 0.8 miles away); World War II Concentration Camp (approx. 0.8 miles away); World War II Enemy Alien Internment (approx. 0.8 miles away); Confinement Site - History of Crystal City Family Internment Camp (approx. 0.8 miles away); Living and Working in an Internment Camp (approx. 0.9 miles away); Burleson Cemetery (approx. 8.9 miles away); Dimmit County Courthouse (approx. 11.1 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. Zavala County.
Zavala County is in an area of Texas that was disputed territory after the Texas Revolution. The Mexican government and the Republic of Texas both laid claim to the land. In an attempt to reinforce
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 31, 2014
2. Zavala County Marker (wide view; courthouse in background; 1928 cornerstone in foreground)
2. Zavala County History.
In 1858, when the county was organized, the name was misspelled "Zavalla" by the legislature. A bill entitled "knocking the `L' out of Zavalla" was introduced and passed in the Texas legislature in 1906, but was rejected by the federal government. Not until 1929 was the mistake corrected. (Submitted on December 12, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. History of Zavala County.
In about 1869 Elijah Bates brought his family to the area. He built a dam on the Leona River forming Bates Ditch as a means of irrigating his 500-acre tract. Recognizing the need for neighbors, he sold 2-acre plots along the Ditch, laid out the town of Batesville, and built a school. Among other early settlers, the Vivian family arrived about 1867 in Cometa area; around 1871 King Fisher moved in. Mont Woodward arrived in 1868. In 1878 the Adams family and the A. D. Everett family settled in Loma Vista. The Gates family and William Cassin arrived in the 1880's. In 1882 the Holdsworth family moved from
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 31, 2014
3. Zavala County Courthouse (behind marker)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 31, 2014
4. Zavala County 1928 Courthouse Cornerstone (in front of marker)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 13, 2017. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 296 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 12, 2017, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
