La Joya, Texas

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Picture taken at one of La Joya's lakes and LJHS Theater building visible behind.

La Joya is a town on U.S. Highway 83 between Mission and Rio Grande City in Hidalgo County, Texas. Its name, meaning "the jewel," was derived from a small natural lake just west of the city; the lake was said by the early settlers to shine in the sun like a jewel.

La Joya is situated in western Hidalgo County, Texas, United States.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Demographics
4 Education
5 Source
6 External link

[edit] Geography

La Joya is located at 26°14′31″N, 98°28′48″W (26.241996, -98.480138)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 km² (2.9 mi²). 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (3.47%) is water.

[edit] History

The site on which La Joya was founded was part of what was known as Los Ejidos de Reynosa Viejo. The ejidos were the shared grazing lands used for the livestock of the settlers of Reynosa Viejo. These settlers had been brought in on March 14, 1749, by José de Escandón to form this settlement. Many La Joya residents of the 1990s trace their ancestry to the Escandón settlers. During the early 1800s, at the site of what is now La Joya, Francisco de la Garza, a descendant of the early colonizers of the area, founded a community, called Tabasco, adjacent to the northern bank of the Rio Grande. It was a prosperous community that died out after floods in 1908 and 1909. The settlers moved their belongings just north to higher and less flood-prone ground. Then in 1926 J. H. Smith, a land developer from Houston, came to the community and convinced the residents that they could best be served by having an incorporated city. An election held that year resulted in the incorporation of a new city named La Joya. Felix R. Vela was elected the first mayor; Alejandro Solis and Pablo Trevino were elected commissioners.

By the 1930s the town had two businesses, a school, and a number of scattered dwellings. The Great Depression limited development, and the municipal government lay dormant until 1965, when a community leader and political activist named Leo J. Leo and other residents petitioned for a special city election. The petition was granted by the county judge, and in April 1965 Leo was elected mayor and Guadalupe Alaniz and Arnoldo Trevino, commissioners.

By 1940 La Joya had seven businesses and a population estimated at 175. The population stayed at about that level until 1972, when it rose to 1,217. The population once again picked up in the 90's.

Lake in La Joya, Tx.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 3,303 people, 860 households, and 766 families residing in the city. The population density was 458.7/km² (1,187.6/mi²). There were 969 housing units at an average density of 134.6/km² (348.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.94% White, 0.18% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 33.18% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 97.18% of the population.

There were 860 households out of which 51.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 18.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.9% were non-families. 9.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.84 and the average family size was 4.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 34.9% under the age of 18, 12.2% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,820, and the median income for a family was $23,156. Males had a median income of $18,494 versus $14,597 for females. The per capita income for the city was $7,923. About 38.9% of families and 40.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 50.6% of those under age 18 and 31.2% of those age 65 or over.