Edwards County

Edwards County lies atop the Edwards Plateau and extends into the scenic Nueces Valley. Known as the angora goat capital of the world, it has an economy based on ranching, and wild game is abundant. The county was created in 1858 and organized in 1883 from the old Bexar district. It was named for Haden Edwards (1813-1865), an early leader and colonizer in Texas. Its first county seat was Leakey, but when the present boundaries were created, the county seat was moved on April 13, 1891, to Rocksprings. The first courthouse and jail were built that year. After a fire in 1897, the present courthouse was erected, and it later withstood a destructive tornado that claimed 72 lives in the county in 1927. The first officials to serve the county as it is presently constituted, from 1891 to 1893, were James M. Hunter, county judge; W. M. Sanford, county and district clerk; Ira L. Wheat, sheriff and tax collector; S.A. Hough, county attorney; W.H. Cowan, county treasurer; and county commissioners John Eaton, Precinct No. 1; C. H. Kirchner, Precinct No. 2; H. Schweithelm, Precinct No. 3; and M. M. Bradford, Precinct No. 4.

Rocksprings, Texas · United States