Zapata is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Zapata County,

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

, United States. The population was 14,018 at the 2010 census. As an unincorporated community, Zapata has no

municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

government but like all 254 Texas counties has four elected county commissioners chosen by single-member districts and a countywide elected administrative judge.

History

Zapata was named for José Antonio de Zapata (died 1839), the revolutionary commander who served in the cavalry of the

Republic of the Rio Grande The Republic of the Rio Grande ( es, República del Río Grande) was an independent nation that insurgents fighting against the Centralist Republic of Mexico sought to establish in northern Mexico. The Republic of the Rio Grande was one of a se ...

, of which the town was a part. The town was relocated to higher ground in 1953 prior to the completion of

Falcon Dam Falcon Dam ( es, Presa Falcón) is an earthen embankment dam on the Rio Grande between Starr County in the U.S. state of Texas and the city of Nueva Ciudad Guerrero in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The dam was built for water conservation, i ...

, which left the original town center beneath the waters of Falcon Lake.

Geography

Zapata is located at (26.906244, -99.270007). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the CDP has a total area of , of which, of it is land and is water.

Recreation

The city is located right on

Falcon International Reservoir Falcon International Reservoir ( es, Embalse Internacional Falcón), commonly called Falcon Lake, is a reservoir on the Rio Grande 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Laredo, Texas, United States, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The huge lake ...

which is at the center of multiple fishing events throughout the year. The city also served by a number of parks, most notably, Romeo Flores Park.

Climate

Zapata has a hot semi-arid (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

: ''BSh'') climate with hot summers and milder winters. Official record temperatures range from on January 4, 1911, to on June 16, 1998. Precipitation averages annually, with higher amounts typically occurring from May to October. Snowfall is rare but has occurred, with on Christmas Day in 2004. Zapata is sometimes the hottest location in the United States.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 5,383 people, 2,010 households, and 1,037 families residing in the CDP.

2010 census

At the 2010

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

, there were 5,089 people, 4,328 households and 1,265 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 666.7 per square mile. There were 2,239 housing units at an average density of 290.4 per square mile (112.1/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.38%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.02%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.06% Native American, 0.18%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.00%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 6.82% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.55% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 94.99% of the population. At the 2000 census, there were 1,574 households, of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.50. 31% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 20 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 49, 15.2% from 50 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

was $24,136 and the median family income was $27,708. Males had a median income of $30,833 compared with $12,604 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

was $11,863. About 29.1% of families and 33.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 45.1% of those under the age of 18 and 27.0% of those ages 65 and older.

Economy

Leading employers in Zapata County are the educational, health and social services, natural gas and oil, and retail trade industries. The county’s present economy is mainly centered on oil and gas production, ranching, trading and services, and tourism. Its primary employers are in the mining/energy, construction, retail trade, health care, social welfare, and the services sector. Government is also a major employer in the county.

Government

Local government

The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:

Public libraries

The county operates the main branch of the "Olga V. Figueroa Zapata County Public Library". It is located on 901 Kennedy Street in Zapata. Aida R. Garcia is the library director. The library is known as a site for viewing Morelet’s seedeaters. This small bird draws thousands to the library grounds every year. Their computers are slightly outdated though, however that doesn't stop the children of Zapata from playing

Roblox ''Roblox'' () is an online game platform and game creation system developed by Roblox Corporation that allows users to program games and play games created by other users. Created by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel in 2004 and released i ...

on them.

State government

Zapata is represented in the

Texas Senate The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per co ...

by Democrat

Judith Zaffirini Judith Pappas Zaffirini (born February 13, 1946) is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate from the 21st District, which includes her home city of Laredo in south Texas. On January 9, 2007, Zaffirini b ...

, District 28, and in the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abo ...

by Democrat Ryan Guillen, District 31. At the Federal level, the two U.S. Senators from Texas are Republicans

John Cornyn John Cornyn III ( ; born February 2, 1952) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Texas, a seat he has held since 2002. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the Senate majority whip for ...

and

Ted Cruz Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...

; Zapata is part of Texas' US Congressional 28th District, which is currently represented by Democrat

Henry Cuellar Enrique Roberto Cuellar (born September 19, 1955) is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he is considered one of the most conservative representatives in the ...

. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

Zapata Post Office is located at 810 N US Highway 83. The United States Border Patrol Zapata Station is located at 105 Kennedy Street.

Education

All of Zapata County is within the Zapata County Independent School District. ZCISD is designated as Class 4A, and participates in numerous UIL academic and athletic events. Sports offered by the school include cross country, volleyball, football, basketball, tennis, golf, track & field, softball, baseball, as well as powerlifting through the THSPA/THSWPA. The Zapata High School Mariachi Band, Mariachi Halcon, has won the state championship in division 3A. It was the subject of a film, ''Mariachi High'', which was broadcast nationally on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

in 2012 and is rated 4.5 stars on Amazon Prime.

Colleges and universities

The city is served by schools in Laredo, fifty miles to the north on U.S. Highway 83 through

Laredo Community College Laredo College (LC) is a public community college in Laredo, Texas. Founded as Laredo Junior College in 1947, it is part of the Laredo Independent School District. As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of LC includes the ...

, Main and South campuses, and

Texas A&M International University Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) is a public university in Laredo, Texas. It is part of the Texas A&M University System and home to over 8,500 students each academic semester. TAMIU offers over 70 undergraduate and graduate degrees in f ...

. In addition, educational institutions are also available fifty miles to the south in

Rio Grande City Rio Grande City is a city in and the county seat of Starr County, Texas. The population was 14,411 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is west of McAllen. The city also holds the March record high for the United States at . The city is c ...

, through the Starr County campuses of both

South Texas College South Texas College (STC) is a public community college in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Bachelor of Applied Technology, ...

McAllen McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States, and the 22nd-most populous city in Texas. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley, on the Mexico–United States border. The city limits extend ...

and the University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley of Edinburg.

Public school districts

Zapata has one school district within the county Zapata County Independent School District.

Zapata County Independent School District

All of the schools listed here are in the city of Zapata. All of the ZCISD section of Zapata is zoned to Zapata High School:

=Public elementary and middle schools

= middle high schools that serve the ZCISD portion are: * Zapata Middle School The elementary schools that serve the ZCISD portion are: * Arturo L. Benavides Elementary School * Fidel and Andrea R. Villarreal Elementary School * Zapata North Elementary School * Zapata South Elementary School

Youth groups

* Law Enforcement Exploring * Girl Scouts
Boys & Girls Club of Zapata County

Hang gliding

More world records in

hang gliding Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...

have been set from Zapata than any other location in the world. The World Record Encampment has been taking place at the Zapata County Airport since 2000, and the first

hang glider Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame cover ...

flights to break the 308-mile barrier took place there the first year. A distance record of 438 miles was set by Mike Barber in 2002. Three new world records were set in 2005, with the current world record, 472 miles, set by Dustin Martin in July, 2012.

Transportation

Major highways in Zapata and their starting and ending points: * U.S. Highway 83 Brownsville-Zapata-

Westhope Westhope, also known as the Richard Lloyd Jones House, is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Textile Block home that was constructed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1929. This was Wright's only Textile Block house outside of California. The client, Richard L ...

. *

Texas State Highway 16 State Highway 16 (SH 16) is a south–north state highway in the U.S. state of Texas that runs from Zapata on the boundary with Mexico to U.S. Highway 281 south of Wichita Falls. It is the longest state highway in Texas at almost , but is o ...

Zapata

Wichita Falls Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the seat of government of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. According ...

* Farm to Market Road 496 Zapata – Falcon Mesa * Farm to Market Road 3074 Falcon Mesa – Falcon Mesa Zapata County Airport (FAA: APY) provides

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

services to Zapata.

Nearby cities

Bass fishing

located in Zapata is becoming well known for its bass fishing. The community hosts numerous "Winter Texans" between November and April, most residing in travel camper trailers. The lake has been decreasing in recent years.

Gallery

File:Zapata High School, Zapata, TX IMG 2032.JPG, Zapata High School File:Library picture3.jpg, The Olga V. Figueroa Zapata County Public Library. File:Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Zapata, TX IMG 2031.JPG, The new Our Lady of Lourdes

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

Church in Zapata has replaced an older sanctuary. File:Frontier Ranch Museum in Zapata, TX IMG 2040.JPG, The rustic Frontier Ranch Museum on State Highway 16 in Zapata File:First Baptist Church of Zapata, TX IMG 2034.JPG, The First

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

Church of Zapata, located north of State Highway 16 File:First Methodist Church of Zapata, TX IMG 2039.JPG, The

United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...

Church of Zapata. File:Praying cowboy in Zapata, TX IMG 2038.JPG, The praying cowboy at Zapata Sesquicentennial Travel Park on U.S. Highway 83 was a flashy and jazzy, and remarkably humble, addition to the town's decor until someone

decapitated Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the i ...

the poor horse. File:Zapata County, TX, Courthouse (side view) IMG 2036.JPG, Side view of the Zapata County Courthouse. File:La Hacienda Del Rey in Zapata, TX IMG 3139.JPG, The former La Hacienda Del Rey restaurant in Zapata, is now known as Mariscos El Jarocho. File:Mariachi band in Zapata, TX IMG 3155.JPG, The mariachi Herencia Mexicana band from

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

is shown performing at the former La Hacienda Del Rey in Zapata.

References

External links

* {{authority control Census-designated places in Zapata County, Texas Census-designated places in Texas County seats in Texas