Edna, Texas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Edna, Texas
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Edna, Texas

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mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Jackson

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 10.1
area_land_km2 = 10.1
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 3.9
area_land_sq_mi = 3.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 5899
population_density_km2 = 583.8
population_density_sq_mi = 1512.0

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 20
elevation_ft = 66
latd = 28 |latm = 58 |lats = 36 |latNS = N
longd = 96 |longm = 38 |longs = 48 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 77957
area_code = 361
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 48-22720GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1356828GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Edna is a city in Jackson County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,899 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jackson County.GR|6

Edna is the gateway to convert|11000|acre|km2|sing=on Lake Texana, which covers the site of Texana, Texas. The city has a hospital, convalescent home, library, museum, city park with swimming pool, three banks, two savings and loan associations, a country club with a nine-hole golf course, and Oak Creek Village, a retirement community. It is the center of a prosperous agricultural area with petroleum and natural gas production and has an active chamber of commerce, oilfield service industries, and two grain elevators.

The town was named after a daughter of Count Joseph Telfener - an Italian entrepreneur who was building a railroad from Rosenberg to Victoria. Other family members had towns named after them as well. While the railroad had the ambitious name of The New York, Texas and Mexican Railroad, it didn't originate in New York, nor did it reach Mexico. Known as "The Macaroni Line" for the Italian workmen who were brought from Italy for construction, the rails eventually went as far as Victoria.

On the courthouse lawn is a monument to Irwin Moore Laughter (July 28, 1893 - June 19, 1916) of the United States Navy, who was killed in Mazatlan, Mexico, during the attempt by General John J. Pershing to capture the Mexican bandit Pancho Villa. [Laughter monument, Jackson County Courthouse, Edna, Texas]

Geography

Edna is located at coor dms|28|58|36|N|96|38|48|W|city (28.976550, -96.646568).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.9 square miles (10.1 km²), all of it land.

Edna is located in the gulf-coast region of Texas. The region is dominated by large live oak trees, heavily wooded areas, and lush farmland.

Edna is located on Hwy. 59, otherwise known as The Houston Hwy. Edna is exactly convert|100|mi|km south-west of Houston, Texas and convert|120|mi|km north-east of Corpus Christi, Texas.

History

Edna, the county seat of Jackson County, was established in 1882 when the New York, Texas and Mexican Railway line was built from Rosenberg to Victoria and bypassed Texana, Texas then the county seat. Construction of the railroad began in September 1881. Edna was laid out on land owned by Mrs. Lucy Flournoy, who conveyed right-of-way and a half interest in the townsite to the railroad, which was promoted and built by Italian Count Joseph Telfener. The town was named for a daughter of the count. The NYT&M, nicknamed the "Macaroni," was constructed by Italian laborers, most of whom were brought from Lombardy by Telfener. After completion of the road, the majority of the crew remained in the area and established homes. The first train arrived on July 4, 1882; the first merchant was Gideon Egg, who moved his general merchandise store from Texana in 1882, and the first child born in the new community was Edna Louise Traylor.

In an election of January 22, 1883, residents voted to make Edna the county seat in place of Texana. The contract for a new courthouse was awarded on February 11, 1884. A post office opened in 1886. The first church congregations in Edna were the Methodist and Presbyterian, whose memberships moved from Texana almost intact. The latter brought their 1859 sanctuary with them overland eight miles (13 km). It was also used by other denominations for worship services. The oldest public building remaining in the county, the Texana Presbyterian Church, has been restored and serves in Edna as an area cultural center. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a recorded Texas historic landmark. The first newspaper in Edna was the Jackson County Progress. The newspaper plant, along with a large part of the business district, was destroyed in 1906 in the town's second disastrous fire. Succeeding the Progress was the Edna Herald, first published on November 22, 1906.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 5,899 people, 2,227 households, and 1,523 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,512.0 people per square mile (584.0/km²). There were 2,609 housing units at an average density of 668.7/sq mi (258.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 64.82% White, 13.65% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 17.48% from other races, and 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.17% of the population.

There were 2,227 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.2% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,000, and the median income for a family was $35,659. Males had a median income of $32,000 versus $19,079 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,193. About 18.5% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Edna is served by the Edna Independent School District, including two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The mascot is the Cowboy.

Trivia

*Edna has not always been the county seat of Jackson County. Texana (now a ghost town covered by Lake Texana) was the county seat in the mid to late 1800s, until Edna got it.
*Edna is know as "The Flag City Of Texas", according to the city's website
*Edna is home to the Edna Cowboy Marching Band, whose thunderous tones, coupled with amazing marching techniques, move hundreds of fans to tears every football game.

Famous residents

*Preston Atkinson, named President of Whataburger in February 2007
*Stone Cold Steve Austin, professional wrestler and film star
*James K. Vardaman, who served as a governor of and as a United States Senator from Mississippi was born near Edna on July 26, 1861.
*Candy Barr, was born in Edna and earned her fame on the burlesque circuit.
*Calvin Hunt, former All-State lineman at Edna High School, later played at Baylor and in the NFL

References

External links