Gonzales

Gonzales County

Updated on: November 18, 2021
Coordinates
29 27' 0" N, 97 29' 24" W (29.45, -97.49)
State
Texas
Region
Central
County Seat:
Gonzales
Year Organized:
1836
Total Square Miles:
1069.854
1,067 square miles (2,760 km2) land
3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) water
Population:
20893 (2017)
Population: 20,876 est. (2016) 19,807 (2010)
Persons/Square Mile:
20
Gonzales County Website
http://www.co.gonzales.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Fayette (NE)
Lavaca (E)
DeWitt (SE)
Wilson (SW)
Guadalupe (W)
Caldwell (NW)

County structure

Government Type:
County
Authority:
Dillon's Rule
Legislative Body:
Commisioners Court
Size of Legislative Body:
5

Demographics

2018 Population:
20893
25 to 64 Years of Age:
47.83%
65 Years of Age and Older:
16.72%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$5.0 B
Labor Force:
9,552
Unemployment Rate:
3.00%

County Contact

414 St. Joseph Street, Suite 200
County Courthouse
Gonzales, TX

http://www.co.gonzales.tx.us

Gonzales county is in the south-central part of Texas. The population was estimated to be about 19,807 people as of the 2010 census. It has a total area of 1,046.4 square miles.  

Its largest city is Belmont, with an approximate area of 103.6 km² and other cities include Gonzales, Nixon, Pilgrim, Smiley, Monthalia, and Waelder. The county seat is in Gonzales. 

Gonzales county is bordered by: 

  • Fayette County on the northeast 
  • Guadalupe County on the west 
  • Lavaca County on the east 
  • Caldwell County on the northwest 
  • Dewitt County on the southeast 
  • Karnes County & Wilson County counties to the southwest 

Gonzales County History  

As of April 15, 1825, Empresario Green DeWitt established a colony in what would become known as “DeWitt Colony” following approval from the Mexican government.   

James Kerr chose the capital at the confluence of San and Guadalupe Rivers, where they built cabins (Kerr’s Creek) as they surveyed the townsite. However, in July 1826, James Kerr abandoned the cabins following an attack from the Waco Indians and the Tonkawas. 

The Mexican government denied the DeWitt colonists’ request to remain and settle at Old Station. Later in 1827, other settlers returned and surveyed Gonzales townsite. In 1831, The Mexican government appointed Byrd Lockhart as the official surveyor of Gonzales townsite.  

The Mexican troops protected the townsite against Indian raids by sending a cannon. However, in September 1835, the Mexican government retrieved the six-pound cannon from Gonzales following a treasonable act when the DeWitt’s colony sent delegates in the 1832 and 1833 conventions. 

Gonzales county was established in 1836 and later organized in 1837 as an original county for the newly formed Republic of Texas. In 1845 after the annexation of Texas, there was the detachment of some parts of Gonzales County to form the present counties of Caldwell, Victoria, Comal, Guadalupe, DeWitt, Jackson, Fayette, and Lavaca. 

Gonzales County Demographics 

According to the 2019 U.S Census Bureau, 20,837 residents were living within the boundaries of Gonzales County. The ethnic makeup was: 

  • 88.8% White 
  • 51.3% Hispanic or Latino 
  • 7.5% African or Black American 
  • 1.7% Native Alaska and American Indian 
  • 0.5% Asian 
  • 0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 
  • 1.3% from two or more races 

In terms of age distribution, approximately 7.2 percent of the population was under 5 years old, 26.7 percent were under 18 years old, and 17.1 percent were 65 years old or older. Males made up 50.7 percent of the population compared to 49.3 percent of females. 

Gonzales County Offices 

Gonzales County has several offices. You can find the duties and responsibilities of Gonzales County officials here. 

County Judge – Patrick C. Davis is the county judge of Gonzales. You can find his office at 414 St. Joseph Street, Suite 200 Gonzales, Texas 78629. You can also contact him via phone at 830-672-2327 or fax at 830-672-5477. For more information, send mail to [email protected].  

Commissioners Court – The Commissioners Court has 4 Precinct Commissioners, namely : 

  • Precinct 1 Commissioner: K. O. “Dell” Whiddon, his office is at 427 St. George Street, Ste. #300 Gonzales, Texas 78629. You can contact him at 830-519-4104. 
  • Precinct 2 Commissioner: Donnie R. Brzozowski, his office is at 427 St. George Street, Ste. #300 Gonzales, Texas 78629. You can contact him at 830-519-4104. 
  • Precinct 3 Commissioner: Kevin T. La Fleur, his office is at 427 St. George Street, Ste. #300 Gonzales, Texas 78629. You can contact him via phone at 830-519-4104. 
  • Precinct 4 Commissioner: Collie Boatright’s office is at 414 St. Joseph Street Gonzales, Texas 78629. You can contact him via phone at 830-582-1615 or send a fax at 830-582-1142.

County Clerk – Lona Ackman serves as the clerk of court. You can locate her office at 427 Saint George Street, STE 200, Gonzales, Texas 78629. Contact her via phone at 830-672-2801 and fax at 830-672-2636. 

Sheriff’s Office: Sheriff Robert Ynclan is the sheriff of Gonzales County. His address is at 1713 Sarah DeWitt Drive Gonzales, Texas 78629. Contact him at 830-672-6524. The fax number is 830-672-2517. 

County Attorney – Paul Watkins is the attorney for Gonzales County. He works out of his law firm located at 415 St. Louis Street Gonzales, TX 78629. His phone contact information is 830-672-6527. You can send him a fax at 830-672-5868. For more information about the County Attorney, visit [email protected] 

County Tax Assessor-Collector: Crystal Cedillo is the County Tax Assessor-Collector. Her email address is [email protected] and you can reach her at 830-672-2841. Send a fax at 830-519-4256. 

Gonzales County Permit Management 

There are several permits that you need to obtain before starting any project within Gonzales County. Some of these applications include the Building Permit, Utility & Pipeline Permit, Driveway Permit Application, Septic Permit Application, Floodplain Permit Application, Seismic Permit Application.  

You must obtain them through your local building inspector. If you have questions regarding these permits, please visit here. 

These should all be obtained before beginning work to avoid delays during construction. The permit process occurs from Monday to Friday from 7:30 am – 11:30 am and 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm.   

It is recommended that all new homes in Gonzales County receive a pre-permitting inspection by an engineer before receiving their final building permit. A copy of this report should accompany the application submitted to the Planning & Zoning Commission.  

You must obtain them through your local building inspector. If you have questions regarding these permits, please visit 1811 Water Street Gonzales, TX 78629.  

Building Inspector – Gustavo Tirado is the Building Inspector for Gonzales County. His telephone number is 830-263-4922.  

You can also apply online. Complete your permit application by sending mail to [email protected]. Please note that there is no fee associated with applying online.  

If you would like additional information concerning the items mentioned above, please feel free to contact us at 830-672-6209 or send a fax at 830-672-3563. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Conclusion 

Gonzale County has many great things. With so much opportunity available, why not move to Gonzales? There are lots of reasons to do just that. Whether you want to live on a farm, ranch, lakefront property, start a business, raise a family, retire, enjoy life, or even downtown. 

As long as one chooses wisely, you will find what they are looking for. We hope our website helps you find what you’re looking for. Feel free to browse around and see if anything catches your eye. Also, don’t forget to check out some of the links provided throughout the site as well. They will help answer most of your questions. Thanks again for visiting our website.