| San Elizario, Texas | |
|---|---|
| — CDP — | |
| Location of San Elizario, Texas | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | El Paso |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.9 sq mi (25.7 km2) |
| • Land | 9.9 sq mi (25.7 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,642 ft (1,110 m) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 13,524 |
| • Density | 1,366.1/sq mi (526.2/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 79849 |
| Area code(s) | 915 |
| FIPS code | 48-65360[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1367493[2] |
San Elizario is a census-designated place (CDP) in El Paso County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,046 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Paso Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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San Elizario is located at (31.582873, -106.265703)right next to the river[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.9 square miles (26 km2), all of it land.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11,046 people, 2,624 households, and 2,440 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,112.8 people per square mile (429.5/km²). There were 2,809 housing units at an average density of 283.0/sq mi (109.2/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.33% White, 0.15% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.01% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 4.18% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 97.88% of the population. Of those 97.88% who identify themselves as Hispanic, 95.02% identify themselves as Mexican, making San Elizario the most Mexican (though not Hispanic, see Mila Doce, Texas) town in the United States.
There were 2,624 households out of which 67.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 7.0% were non-families. 6.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.21 and the average family size was 4.40.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 42.3% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 13.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $20,145, and the median income for a family was $20,772. Males had a median income of $16,689 versus $12,648 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $5,915. About 40.2% of families and 44.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.8% of those under age 18 and 20.3% of those age 65 or over.
San Elizaro is served by the San Elizario Independent School District.
In 1598, Don Juan de Oñate, a Spanish nobleman and conquistador born in Zacatecas, Mexico, led a group of 500 colonists and 7,000 head of livestock (including horses, oxen and cattle) from southern Chihuahua to settle the province of New Mexico. The caravan traveled a northeasterly route for weeks across the desert until it reached the banks of the Río Grande in the San Elizario area. The thirsty travelers drank the cool water and then celebrated with a Thanksgiving Mass and enjoyed a feast of fish, fowl and deer on April 30, 1598. This is considered to be the "First Thanksgiving" celebrated in the present-day United States. Oñate performed the ceremony of La Toma (Taking Possession) in which he claimed the new province for King Philip II of Spain or Rey Felipe II de España.
San Elizario Chapel, as known as La Capilla de San Elcear, was never a mission, but it functioned as a presidio chapel. It provided the religious needs of a presidio or an outpost of military personnel. The presidio was moved to the present site in 1789, to protect travelers and settlers along the Camino Real (Royal Highway) which ran from Mexico City through Juarez City, Mexico then called Paso del Norte to Santa Fe, NM. Its close proximity to the Ysleta and Socorro missions also provided protection for them.
When Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821, the military presence at the presidio decreased. By 1848, the presidio had fallen into ruins. Rebuilding efforts began in 1853, with a small church. This proved inadequate and the present structure was completed in 1882. The exterior appearance has changed very little since then.
The wedding scene for the movie Fandango (1985) was filmed in the plaza of the San Elizario church.
In 1877 a conflict, the Salt War, broke out between the town and a troop of Texas Rangers. The Rangers surrendered, but the state removed the county seat to El Paso and the railroad was not built through the town. Historians believe the gun fight was racial in nature between the local Hispanic majority and African American mine workers versus the European American county officials.
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