Brackettville, Texas
City in the United States in Kinney County
About Brackettville
Brackettville is a city in Kinney County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,341 at the 2020 census, down from 1,688 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Kinney County.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Brackettville is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Brackettville
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Population over time
From 1,688 in 2010 to 1,341 in 2020 (−20.6%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,341 |
| 2010 | 1,688 |
History
Founded in 1852 as "Las Moras" (the name of a nearby spring and the creek it feeds), the town initially was a supply stop on the old San Antonio-El Paso Road and a supply depot for the U.S. Army's Fort Clark (the fort was established the same year). Later, the town was named "Brackett" after Oscar B. Brackett, the owner of the first dry-goods store in the area. In 1873, when a post office was awarded, "ville" was appended to the name to differentiate it from another town.
The town grew quickly through the 19th century with the expansion of the garrison at Fort Clark for the Indian Wars. The town's fortunes were tied to the fort. For many years, it was the base of the famous Buffalo Soldiers, made up of African Americans. Demographically, Brackettville had a larger proportion of Black Seminoles (African American escaped slaves who had lived alongside Seminole Native Americans prior to the 2nd Seminole War 1835–1842). During the slavery years, they had been living in a settlement in northern Mexico to escape US conditions. The language they developed in Florida, Afro-Seminole, is still spoken by some in Brackettville.
After the Buffalo Soldiers moved out of Fort Clark with the waning of the Indian Wars, it was used as a cavalry post. The Seminole Negro Indian Scouts were finally disbanded as a unit in 1914. Virtually every cavalry unit in the U.S. Army was stationed at or trained at Fort Clark at one time or another.
In 1943 during World War II, the U.S. Army activated the Second Cavalry Division, which was to be the Army's last horse-mounted unit. By 1944, even the Second had been mechanized. Fort Clark, so long a center of mounted cavalry, was targeted for closure, but before its closure, it was used as a German prisoner-of-war camp.
After the fort officially closed in 1946, it had a variety of uses. In 1971, it was converted and adapted as a resort/retirement center. The historic district of the fort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The resort is not the economic engine the fort once was, and Brackettville has shrunk from its peak population during the war years.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.