Falfurrias, Texas: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 27°13′36″N 98°8′42″W / 27.22667°N 98.14500°W / 27.22667; -98.14500
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{{for|the U.S. Border Control internal checkpoint near Falfurrias|Brooks County, Texas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Falfurrias, Texas
|official_name = Falfurrias, Texas
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<!-- Population -->
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=160XX00US4825368 |title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Falfurrias city, Texas |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=February 9, 2024}}</ref>
|population_footnotes =
|population_total = 4981
|population_total = 4609
|population_density_km2 = 649.35
|population_density_km2 = 622.00
|population_density_sq_mi = 1681.93
|population_density_sq_mi = 1610.98
|pop_est_as_of =
|pop_est_footnotes =
|population_est =


<!-- General information -->
<!-- General information -->
Line 78: Line 83:
|website = {{URL|www.ci.falfurrias.tx.us}}
|website = {{URL|www.ci.falfurrias.tx.us}}
|footnotes =
|footnotes =
|pop_est_as_of = 2019
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse"/>
|population_est = 4812
}}
}}
'''Falfurrias''' ({{IPAc-en|f|æ|l|ˈ|f|jʊər|i|ə|s}} {{respell|fal|FYOOR|ee-əs}}) is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Brooks County, Texas]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> Its population was 4,981 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], in a county that in the same census was just over 7,000.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4825368| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212200051/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4825368| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Falfurrias city, Texas| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=April 22, 2014}}</ref> The town is named for founder Edward Cunningham Lasater's ranch, La Mota de Falfurrias. In 1893, the Falfurrias ranch was one of the largest in Texas at some {{convert|350000|acre|ha}}.
'''Falfurrias''' ({{IPAc-en|f|æ|l|ˈ|f|jʊər|i|ə|s}} {{respell|fal|FYOOR|ee-əs}}) is a city in, and the [[county seat]] of, [[Brooks County, Texas]], United States.<ref name="NACO">{{cite web|url=http://explorer.naco.org/index.html|title=NACo County Explorer|author=National Association of Counties|access-date=February 9, 2024}}</ref> Its population was 4,609 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]], in a county that in the same census was just over 7,000.<ref name="Census 2020"/> The town is named for founder Edward Cunningham Lasater's ranch, La Mota de Falfurrias. In 1893, the Falfurrias ranch was one of the largest in Texas at some {{convert|350000|acre|ha}}.


The biggest industry in Falfurrias is the [[United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints|United States Border Patrol interior checkpoint]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/us/border-checkpoints-mexico.html|title=This Is America. Do You Belong Here? Navigating the Checkpoints of the Southwest Border|date=March 28, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> As an indirect consequence, many migrants seeking to bypass the checkpoint by setting off across the arid land die of exposure.
The biggest industry in Falfurrias is the [[United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints|United States Border Patrol interior checkpoint]] south of the city on [[U.S. Route 281 in Texas|U.S. Route 281]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/28/us/border-checkpoints-mexico.html|title=This Is America. Do You Belong Here? Navigating the Checkpoints of the Southwest Border|date=March 28, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> As an indirect consequence, many migrants seeking to bypass the checkpoint by setting off across the arid land die of exposure and dehydration.<ref>[https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/border-coverage/migrant-smugglers-adjust-to-extreme-heat-in-rural-south-texas-sheriff-says/ Migrant smugglers adjust to extreme heat in rural South Texas, sheriff says]</ref>


The biggest issue in Falfurrias in the early 21st century is illegal immigration and the costs this imposes on Brooks County. The costs are for recovering, attempting to identify, and burying the dead migrants.
The biggest issue in Falfurrias in the early 21st century is illegal immigration and the costs this imposes on Brooks County. The costs are for recovering, attempting to identify, and burial of the dead migrants.


Falfurrias and Brooks County were featured in a 2014 [[Latino USA]] radio story on illegal immigration in South Texas.<ref>{{citation
Falfurrias and Brooks County were featured in a 2014 [[Latino USA]] radio story on illegal immigration in South Texas.<ref>{{citation
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|url=http://latinousa.org/2014/01/03/brooks-county-m-oribe/
|url=http://latinousa.org/2014/01/03/brooks-county-m-oribe/
|title=Migrant Deaths in Brooks County Texas
|title=Migrant Deaths in Brooks County Texas
|publisher=[[Latino USA]]}}</ref> The 2021 movie ''[[Missing in Brooks County]]'' deals with the same topic (see below, [[#Movie]]),
|publisher=[[Latino USA]]}}</ref> The 2021 movie ''[[Missing in Brooks County]]'' deals with the same topic.


==Geography==
==Geography==
Falfurrias is located in northeastern Brooks County at {{coord|27|13|36|N|98|8|42|W|type:city}} (27.226529, -98.144922).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The city is centered on the intersection of [[U.S. Route 281|U.S. Highway 281]] (Future [[Interstate 69C]]) and [[Texas State Highway 285|State Highway 285]]. Falfurrias is about {{convert|78|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], {{convert|90|mi|abbr=on}} east of [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], {{convert|67|mi|abbr=on}} north of [[Edinburg, Texas|Edinburg]], and {{convert|36|mi|abbr=on}} south of [[Alice, Texas|Alice]].<ref name="Texas Handbook">{{cite web | url = https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hff01 | title = Falfurrias, Texas | publisher = [[The Handbook of Texas]] online | access-date = 2008-05-10}}</ref>


Falfurrias is located in northeastern Brooks County at {{coord|27|13|36|N|98|8|42|W|type:city}} (27.226529, –98.144922).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The city is centered on the intersection of [[U.S. Route 281|U.S. Highway 281]] (Future [[Interstate 69C]]) and [[Texas State Highway 285|State Highway 285]]. Falfurrias is about {{convert|78|mi|abbr=on}} southwest of [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], {{convert|90|mi|abbr=on}} east of [[Laredo, Texas|Laredo]], {{convert|67|mi|abbr=on}} north of [[Edinburg, Texas|Edinburg]], and {{convert|36|mi|abbr=on}} south of [[Alice, Texas|Alice]].<ref name="Texas Handbook">{{cite web | url = https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hff01 | title = Falfurrias, Texas | publisher = [[The Handbook of Texas]] online | access-date = 2008-05-10}}</ref>
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|7.4|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|7.4|km2|order=flip|abbr=on}}, all land.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019"/>


==History==
==History==
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The state granted a petition by local residents to form a new county, Brooks, with Falfurrias as its county seat in 1911. Irrigation methods introduced to the area in the 1920s brought in [[truck farming]] and the citrus fruit industry. The city became a primary trade and shipping center for the surrounding region. The area received another economic boost in the 1930s and 1940s when extensive oil and gas reserves were discovered around Falfurrias.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/>
The state granted a petition by local residents to form a new county, Brooks, with Falfurrias as its county seat in 1911. Irrigation methods introduced to the area in the 1920s brought in [[truck farming]] and the citrus fruit industry. The city became a primary trade and shipping center for the surrounding region. The area received another economic boost in the 1930s and 1940s when extensive oil and gas reserves were discovered around Falfurrias.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/>


The city had a population of 6,712 in 1950, which declined throughout the latter half of the 20th century; 5,297 people were living in Falfurrias in 2000, and 4,981 in 2010.<ref name="Census 2010"/>
The city had a population of 6,712 in 1950, which declined throughout the latter half of the 20th century; 5,297 people were living in Falfurrias in 2000, 4,981 in 2010, and 4,609 in 2020.<ref name="DecennialCensus"/>


The [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] opened a [[border checkpoint]] outside Falfurrias in 1940.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/border-patrol-sectors/rio-grande-valley-sector-texas/falfurrias-station|title=Falfurrias Station|website=U. S. Customs and Border Protection|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> It was most recently renovated in 2019, adding new cameras and X-ray machines.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.progresstimes.net/news/local-news/13324-border-patrol-holds-ribbon-cutting-for-new-falfurrias-checkpoint.html|title=Border Patrol holds ribbon-cutting for new Falfurrias checkpoint|last=Hendricks|first=Dave|date=September 5, 2019|work=progress times|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> According to an NPR report, the station has been increasingly busy due to a surge of migrants coming from [[Central America]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/06/12/731797754/as-migrants-stream-in-at-the-border-inland-checkpoints-feel-the-strain|title=As Migrants Stream In At The Border, Inland Checkpoints Feel The Strain|last=Westervelt|first=Eric|date=June 12, 2019|work=NPR News|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> Some have called to close the checkpoint because of the supposed link to immigrant deaths in the region.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.texasobserver.org/end-the-falfurrias-border-patrol-checkpoint/|title=To Save Lives, Close the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint|last=Wilder|first=Forrest|date=May 20, 2015|work=Texas Observer|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref>
The [[U.S. Customs and Border Protection]] opened a station in Falfurrias in 1940; the present [[border checkpoint]] south of the city opened in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/along-us-borders/border-patrol-sectors/rio-grande-valley-sector-texas/falfurrias-station|title=Falfurrias Station|website=U. S. Customs and Border Protection|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> It was renovated and enlarged in 2019, adding new cameras and X-ray machines.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.progresstimes.net/news/local-news/13324-border-patrol-holds-ribbon-cutting-for-new-falfurrias-checkpoint.html|title=Border Patrol holds ribbon-cutting for new Falfurrias checkpoint|last=Hendricks|first=Dave|date=September 5, 2019|work=progress times|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> According to an NPR report, the station has been increasingly busy due to a surge of migrants coming from [[Central America]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/06/12/731797754/as-migrants-stream-in-at-the-border-inland-checkpoints-feel-the-strain
|title=As Migrants Stream In At The Border, Inland Checkpoints Feel The Strain
|last=Westervelt
|first=Eric|date=June 12, 2019|work=NPR News|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref> So many migrants die trying to hike around the checkpoint that there have been calls for it to be closed or moved.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.texasobserver.org/end-the-falfurrias-border-patrol-checkpoint/
|title=To Save Lives, Close the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint
|last=Wilder|first=Forrest|date=May 20, 2015|work=Texas Observer|access-date=November 7, 2019}}</ref>


==Name origin==
==Etymology==
The name "Falfurrias" antedates Anglo association with the area, and its derivation is uncertain.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/> Town founder Edward C. Lasater claimed that it was a [[Lipan language|Lipan]] word meaning "the land of heart's delight". Others believed that it was the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] name for a native desert flower known as the heart's delight. Another theory is that Falfurrias is a misspelling of one or another Spanish or [[French language|French]] word. Still another theorizes that the name refers to a local shepherd named Don Filfarrias. The term ''filfarrias'' is Mexican slang for "dirty and untidy".<ref name="Texas Handbook"/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.triptrivia.com/step4.php?Submit=Submit&State=44&StartCity=19050 | title = Falfurrias, Texas Tourism | publisher = Exploring America's Highways | access-date = 2008-05-10}}</ref>
The name "Falfurrias" antedates Anglo association with the area, and its derivation is uncertain.<ref name="Texas Handbook"/> Town founder Edward C. Lasater claimed that it was a [[Lipan language|Lipan]] word meaning "the land of heart's delight". Others believed that it was the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] name for a native desert flower known as the heart's delight. Another theory is that Falfurrias is a misspelling of one or another Spanish or [[French language|French]] word. Still another theorizes that the name refers to a local shepherd named Don Filfarrias. The term ''filfarrias'' is Mexican slang for "dirty and untidy".<ref name="Texas Handbook"/><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.triptrivia.com/step4.php?Submit=Submit&State=44&StartCity=19050 | title = Falfurrias, Texas Tourism | publisher = Exploring America's Highways | access-date = 2008-05-10}}</ref>


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Overall, the wettest calendar year in Falfurrias has been 1967 with {{convert|55.15|in|mm|1}} and the driest 1917 with only {{convert|8.98|in|mm|1}}. The hottest month on record has been June 1998 with a mean of {{convert|90.4|F|C|1}} and a mean maximum of {{convert|103.1|F|C|1}}; however, August 1923's mean maximum was {{convert|103.8|F|C|1|disp=or}}. The coolest month has been December 1989, with a mean of {{convert|47.4|F|C|1}}; the coolest month by mean maximum has been December 1914 at {{convert|58.4|F|C|1}}.
Overall, the wettest calendar year in Falfurrias has been 1967 with {{convert|55.15|in|mm|1}} and the driest 1917 with only {{convert|8.98|in|mm|1}}. The hottest month on record has been June 1998 with a mean of {{convert|90.4|F|C|1}} and a mean maximum of {{convert|103.1|F|C|1}}; however, August 1923's mean maximum was {{convert|103.8|F|C|1|disp=or}}. The coolest month has been December 1989, with a mean of {{convert|47.4|F|C|1}}; the coolest month by mean maximum has been December 1914 at {{convert|58.4|F|C|1}}.
{{Weather box
{{Weather box
|location = Falfurrias, Texas (1981–2010; extremes 1907–present)
|location = Falfurrias, Texas (1991–2020; extremes 1907–2022)
|single line = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 96
|Jan record high F = 96
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|Nov record high F = 97
|Nov record high F = 97
|Dec record high F = 97
|Dec record high F = 97
|Jan high F = 68.9
| Jan high F = 69.3
|Feb high F = 72.6
| Feb high F = 73.1
|Mar high F = 79.1
| Mar high F = 79.8
|Apr high F = 85.5
| Apr high F = 86.0
|May high F = 90.9
| May high F = 91.2
|Jun high F = 95.5
| Jun high F = 96.2
|Jul high F = 97.0
| Jul high F = 97.9
|Aug high F = 97.8
| Aug high F = 97.6
|Sep high F = 92.3
| Sep high F = 92.4
|Oct high F = 86.3
| Oct high F = 86.6
|Nov high F = 77.7
| Nov high F = 77.9
|Dec high F = 70.1
| Dec high F = 71.4
|year high F = 84.5
| year high F = 85.0
| Jan mean F = 56.4

|Jan low F = 42.5
| Feb mean F = 60.2
|Feb low F = 46.1
| Mar mean F = 66.4
|Mar low F = 52.2
| Apr mean F = 72.8
|Apr low F = 59.5
| May mean F = 79.3
|May low F = 67.3
| Jun mean F = 84.1
|Jun low F = 71.3
| Jul mean F = 85.4
|Jul low F = 72.1
| Aug mean F = 85.2
|Aug low F = 71.9
| Sep mean F = 80.9
|Sep low F = 68.6
| Oct mean F = 73.2
|Oct low F = 60.1
| Nov mean F = 64.5
|Nov low F = 51.7
| Dec mean F = 58.3
|Dec low F = 44.4
| year mean F = 72.2
|year low F = 59.0
| Jan low F = 43.4
| Feb low F = 47.3
| Mar low F = 52.9
| Apr low F = 59.7
| May low F = 67.4
| Jun low F = 72.1
| Jul low F = 72.9
| Aug low F = 72.9
| Sep low F = 69.3
| Oct low F = 59.7
| Nov low F = 51.0
| Dec low F = 45.2
| year low F = 59.5


|Jan record low F = 9
|Jan record low F = 9
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|Dec record low F = 13
|Dec record low F = 13


|rain colour = green
| precipitation colour = green
|Jan rain inch = 1.13
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.10
|Feb rain inch = 1.53
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.92
|Mar rain inch = 1.14
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.31
|Apr rain inch = 1.46
| Apr precipitation inch = 1.74
|May rain inch = 3.10
| May precipitation inch = 4.42
|Jun rain inch = 2.85
| Jun precipitation inch = 2.81
|Jul rain inch = 3.08
| Jul precipitation inch = 2.82
|Aug rain inch = 2.49
| Aug precipitation inch = 2.24
|Sep rain inch = 4.07
| Sep precipitation inch = 4.36
|Oct rain inch = 3.23
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.00
|Nov rain inch = 1.12
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.42
|Dec rain inch = 1.27
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.25
| year precipitation inch = 27.39
|Jan rain days = 5
|Feb rain days = 5
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Mar rain days = 4
| Jan precipitation days = 4.3
|Apr rain days = 4
| Feb precipitation days = 4.3
|May rain days = 5
| Mar precipitation days = 4.2
|Jun rain days = 5
| Apr precipitation days = 3.7
|Jul rain days = 5
| May precipitation days = 4.7
|Aug rain days = 4
| Jun precipitation days = 4.5
|Sep rain days = 7
| Jul precipitation days = 4.7
|Oct rain days = 5
| Aug precipitation days = 4.7
|Nov rain days = 3
| Sep precipitation days = 7.9
|Dec rain days = 5
| Oct precipitation days = 4.4
|year rain days = 59
| Nov precipitation days = 3.7
|unit rain days = 0.01 inch
| Dec precipitation days = 5.0
| year precipitation days = 56.1
|source 1 = NOAA<ref>
| Jan snow inch = 0.0
{{cite web
| Feb snow inch = 0.0
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=bro
| Mar snow inch = 0.0
| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| May snow inch = 0.0
| access-date = May 6, 2013
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
}}</ref>
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 0.0
| Dec snow inch = 0.0
| year snow inch = 0.0
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 0.0
| Feb snow days = 0.0
| Mar snow days = 0.0
| Apr snow days = 0.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.0
| Dec snow days = 0.0
| year snow days = 0.0
| source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://w2.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=bro
|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = March 1, 2024}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00413063&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = March 1, 2024}}</ref>
|date=May 2013
|date=May 2013
}}
}}
Line 221: Line 271:
|2000= 5297
|2000= 5297
|2010= 4981
|2010= 4981
|2020= 4609
|estyear=2019
|estyear=
|estimate=4812
|estimate=
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2019CenPopScriptOnlyDirtyFixDoNotUse">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|date=May 24, 2020|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Falfurrias racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4825368&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (''NH = Non-Hispanic''){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|278
|6.03%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|6
|0.13%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|3
|0.07%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|25
|0.54%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|8
|0.17%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|21
|0.46%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|4,268
|92.6%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,609'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 4,609 people, 1,735 households, and 997 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 5,297 people, 1,801 households, and 1,354 families were residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1926.4|PD/sqmi}}. The 2,062 housing units averaged {{convert|749.9|/sqmi}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 75.21% White, 0.25% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 21.56% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 92.54% of the population.
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 5,297 people, 1,801 households, and 1,354 families were residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1926.4|PD/sqmi}}. The 2,062 housing units averaged {{convert|749.9|/sqmi}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 75.21% White, 0.25% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 21.56% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 92.54% of the population.


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==Education==
==Education==

Falfurrias is served by the [[Brooks County Independent School District]]. Schools are:
Falfurrias is served by the [[Brooks County Independent School District]]. Schools are:
* Falfurrias Lasater School (prekindergarten-grade 2)[https://web.archive.org/web/20071129222748/http://les.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx]
* Falfurrias Elementary School (grades 3-5) [https://web.archive.org/web/20071129222733/http://fes.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx]
* Falfurrias Lasater School (pre-K–grade 2)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://les.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129222748/http://les.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-date=2007-11-29 | title=Lasater Elementary School - Homepage }}</ref>
* Falfurrias Jr. High School (grades 6-7) [https://web.archive.org/web/20090219035804/http://fjhs.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx]
* Falfurrias Elementary School (grades 3–5)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://fes.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129222733/http://fes.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-date=2007-11-29 | title=Falfurrias Elementary School - Homepage }}</ref>
* [[Falfurrias High School]] (grades 9-12) [https://web.archive.org/web/20081208041755/http://fhs.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx]
* Falfurrias Jr. High School (grades 6–7)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://fjhs.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219035804/http://fjhs.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-date=2009-02-19 | title=Falfurrias Junior High School - Homepage }}</ref>
* [[Falfurrias High School]] (grades 9–12)<ref>{{cite web | url=http://fhs.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208041755/http://fhs.bcisdistrict.net/home.aspx | archive-date=2008-12-08 | title=Falfurrias High School - Homepage }}</ref>


==Notable people==
==Notable people==
*[[Larry Arnhart]], writer and scholar
*[[Larry Arnhart]], writer and scholar
*[[Mauricio González de la Garza]], [[Mexico|Mexican]] writer, journalist and composer<ref>[http://www.hoytamaulipas.net/index.php?PHPSESSID=29e59ff154e4bc5b4fc8dd5c0dd52b30&v1=notas&v2=8898&tit=Rodar%C3%A1n_cabezas_en_Nuevo_Laredo HoyTamaulipas - Rodarán cabezas en Nuevo Laredo<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*[[Mauricio González de la Garza]], [[Mexico|Mexican]] writer, journalist and composer<ref>[http://www.hoytamaulipas.net/index.php?PHPSESSID=29e59ff154e4bc5b4fc8dd5c0dd52b30&v1=notas&v2=8898&tit=Rodar%C3%A1n_cabezas_en_Nuevo_Laredo HoyTamaulipas - Rodarán cabezas en Nuevo Laredo<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Movie==
* ''[[Missing in Brooks County]]'' is a feature-length documentary that examines the deaths in Brooks County of migrants seeking to avoid the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias. The film has won numerous awards after its presentation at movie festivals. As of November 2021, [[RottenTomatoes]] has given it a 100% rating.<ref>{{cite news
|title=Missing in Brooks County
|publisher=[[Rottentomatoes]]
|date=November 14, 2021
|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/missing_in_brooks_county
}}</ref> According to the movie, the county is unhappy with the migrants; the county budget has taken a severe hit because of the large, unreimbursed expenses of recovering and burying migrant bodies, dead of exposure. It was released for streaming November 2, 2021, and has been shown in selected tgeater. It will be shown on [[PBS]]'s ''[[Independent Lens]]'' series in January 2022.

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal
|title=More Migrants Die Crossing the Border in South Texas Than Anywhere Else in the U.S. This Documentary Depicts the Human Toll
|journal=[[Time (magazine)]]
|date=August 20, 2021
|first=Jasmine
|last=Aguilera
|url=https://time.com/6091742/migrant-deaths-texas-documentary/}}
* {{citation
|date=October 20, 2020
|first=Matthew
|last=Sorrento
|title=Frustration in Falfurrias: Lisa Molomot and Jeffrey Bemiss's ''Missing in Brooks County''
|publisher=[[Filmint]]
|url=http://filmint.nu/missing-in-brooks-county-review-elias-savada/}}



==See also==
==See also==
*[[Brooks County Courthouse (Texas)]]
*[[Brooks County Courthouse (Texas)]]
* ''[[Missing in Brooks County]]''


==References==
==References==

{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

{{notelist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.ci.falfurrias.tx.us/ City of Falfurrias official website]
* [http://www.ci.falfurrias.tx.us/ City of Falfurrias official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222024914/http://www.ci.falfurrias.tx.us/ |date=2014-02-22 }}


{{Brooks County, Texas}}
{{Brooks County, Texas}}

Revision as of 06:46, 2 March 2024

For the U.S. Border Control internal checkpoint near Falfurrias, see Brooks County, Texas.

Falfurrias, Texas
City
The Brooks County Courthouse in Falfurrias
The Brooks County Courthouse in Falfurrias
Motto: 
"The Land of Heart's Delight"
Location of Falfurrias, Texas
Location of Falfurrias, Texas
Coordinates: 27°13′36″N 98°8′42″W / 27.22667°N 98.14500°W / 27.22667; -98.14500
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyBrooks
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • City CouncilMayor David longloria

Homer Salinas Justo Ramirez Martin Cabrera Aaron Treviño

Manual Perez
 • City AdministratorDavid Flores
Area
[1]
 • Total2.86 sq mi (7.41 km2)
 • Land2.86 sq mi (7.41 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
115 ft (35 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total4,609
 • Density1,610.98/sq mi (622.00/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
78355
Area code361
FIPS code48-25368[3]
GNIS feature ID1335669[4]
Websitewww.ci.falfurrias.tx.us

Falfurrias (/fælˈfjʊəriəs/ fal-FYOOR-ee-əs) is a city in, and the county seat of, Brooks County, Texas, United States.[5] Its population was 4,609 at the 2020 census, in a county that in the same census was just over 7,000.[2] The town is named for founder Edward Cunningham Lasater's ranch, La Mota de Falfurrias. In 1893, the Falfurrias ranch was one of the largest in Texas at some 350,000 acres (140,000 ha).

The biggest industry in Falfurrias is the United States Border Patrol interior checkpoint south of the city on U.S. Route 281.[6] As an indirect consequence, many migrants seeking to bypass the checkpoint by setting off across the arid land die of exposure and dehydration.[7]

The biggest issue in Falfurrias in the early 21st century is illegal immigration and the costs this imposes on Brooks County. The costs are for recovering, attempting to identify, and burial of the dead migrants.

Falfurrias and Brooks County were featured in a 2014 Latino USA radio story on illegal immigration in South Texas.[8] The 2021 movie Missing in Brooks County deals with the same topic.

Geography

Falfurrias is located in northeastern Brooks County at 27°13′36″N 98°8′42″W / 27.22667°N 98.14500°W / 27.22667; -98.14500 (27.226529, –98.144922).[9] The city is centered on the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 (Future Interstate 69C) and State Highway 285. Falfurrias is about 78 mi (126 km) southwest of Corpus Christi, 90 mi (140 km) east of Laredo, 67 mi (108 km) north of Edinburg, and 36 mi (58 km) south of Alice.[10]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.9 sq mi (7.4 km2), all land.[1]

History

Falfurrias' founding and development were largely due to the efforts of Edward Cunningham Lasater, a pioneer Rio Grande Valley rancher and developer.[10] In 1895, he started a cattle ranch in what was then northern Starr County. At one point, it was one of the largest ranches in Texas. With the extension of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway south from Alice to his ranch in 1904, Lasater founded the town of Falfurrias and subdivided a sizable portion of his ranch land for sale to farmers.[11] In 1898, a post office opened in the community. A local newspaper began publication in 1906. Lasater brought in his Jersey cows and established a creamery in 1909.[12] Sweet-cream butter and other products from Edward Lasater's creamery company made the town a familiar name across the state.[11] That butter, though, is no longer made from milk produced in Falfurrias. Don Pedro Jaramillo, a Mexican-born curandero known as the "Healer of Los Olmos", was buried in Falfurrias in 1907 and is venerated at a shrine there.

The state granted a petition by local residents to form a new county, Brooks, with Falfurrias as its county seat in 1911. Irrigation methods introduced to the area in the 1920s brought in truck farming and the citrus fruit industry. The city became a primary trade and shipping center for the surrounding region. The area received another economic boost in the 1930s and 1940s when extensive oil and gas reserves were discovered around Falfurrias.[10]

The city had a population of 6,712 in 1950, which declined throughout the latter half of the 20th century; 5,297 people were living in Falfurrias in 2000, 4,981 in 2010, and 4,609 in 2020.[13]

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a station in Falfurrias in 1940; the present border checkpoint south of the city opened in 1994.[14] It was renovated and enlarged in 2019, adding new cameras and X-ray machines.[15] According to an NPR report, the station has been increasingly busy due to a surge of migrants coming from Central America.[16] So many migrants die trying to hike around the checkpoint that there have been calls for it to be closed or moved.[17]

Etymology

The name "Falfurrias" antedates Anglo association with the area, and its derivation is uncertain.[10] Town founder Edward C. Lasater claimed that it was a Lipan word meaning "the land of heart's delight". Others believed that it was the Spanish name for a native desert flower known as the heart's delight. Another theory is that Falfurrias is a misspelling of one or another Spanish or French word. Still another theorizes that the name refers to a local shepherd named Don Filfarrias. The term filfarrias is Mexican slang for "dirty and untidy".[10][18]

Climate

Falfurrias has a hot, semiarid climate (Köppen BSh), bordering on a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and characterized by very hot, humid, but generally dry summers and warm, dry winters with cold mornings. During the summer, the weather is very unpleasant owing to the heat and humidity, and 12 mornings can be expected to stay at or above 77 °F or 25 °C, with 22 mornings staying this hot in June 1998 and the hottest morning on record being 86 °F (30 °C) on August 19 and 20 of 1915. The hottest temperature on record has been 116 °F (46.7 °C) on July 13, 2016, while 26 afternoons over 100 °F or 37.8 °C can be expected each year, and 146 afternoons can be expected to exceed or reach 90 °F (32.2 °C). Rain is uncommon during summer, but remnants of hurricanes sometimes produce very heavy rainfalls; on August 10 and 11, 1980, a total of 12.1 inches (307.3 mm) fell in 48 hours, including a daily total of 7.36 inches (186.9 mm) on August 10. September and October bring less extreme, though still hot weather, with the wettest conditions during the year. In the extremely wet September 1967, 32.78 inches (832.6 mm) fell, including 25.10 inches (637.5 mm) in four days from the 19th to the 22nd due to Hurricane Beulah.

The winter months are the driest and mildest, although average afternoon temperatures remain above 68 °F or 20 °C all year. Seven mornings falling to or below freezing can be expected each winter, although no freezes whatsoever occurred during the winters of 1952–53 and 1994–95, whereas as many as 15 mornings fell to or below freezing in January 1918. The coldest temperature on record has been 9 °F (−12.8 °C) on January 12, 1962; the temperature subsequently climbed to 88 °F or 31.1 °C on January 15, and the coldest maximum 26 °F (−3.3 °C) on December 23, 1989. Occasionally, a strong easterly flow from the Gulf disturbs the normally dry winter conditions; 9.81 inches (249.2 mm) fell in January 1958, yet only 0.97 inches (24.6 mm) was recorded in 5 months from November 1970 to March 1971 – including a 115-day entirely rainless spell from October 6 to January 28.

Overall, the wettest calendar year in Falfurrias has been 1967 with 55.15 inches (1,400.8 mm) and the driest 1917 with only 8.98 inches (228.1 mm). The hottest month on record has been June 1998 with a mean of 90.4 °F (32.4 °C) and a mean maximum of 103.1 °F (39.5 °C); however, August 1923's mean maximum was 103.8 °F or 39.9 °C. The coolest month has been December 1989, with a mean of 47.4 °F (8.6 °C); the coolest month by mean maximum has been December 1914 at 58.4 °F (14.7 °C).

Climate data for Falfurrias, Texas (1991–2020; extremes 1907–2022)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 96
(36) 		102
(39) 		105
(41) 		110
(43) 		110
(43) 		115
(46) 		116
(47) 		112
(44) 		111
(44) 		101
(38) 		97
(36) 		97
(36) 		116
(47)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 69.3
(20.7) 		73.1
(22.8) 		79.8
(26.6) 		86.0
(30.0) 		91.2
(32.9) 		96.2
(35.7) 		97.9
(36.6) 		97.6
(36.4) 		92.4
(33.6) 		86.6
(30.3) 		77.9
(25.5) 		71.4
(21.9) 		85.0
(29.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 56.4
(13.6) 		60.2
(15.7) 		66.4
(19.1) 		72.8
(22.7) 		79.3
(26.3) 		84.1
(28.9) 		85.4
(29.7) 		85.2
(29.6) 		80.9
(27.2) 		73.2
(22.9) 		64.5
(18.1) 		58.3
(14.6) 		72.2
(22.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 43.4
(6.3) 		47.3
(8.5) 		52.9
(11.6) 		59.7
(15.4) 		67.4
(19.7) 		72.1
(22.3) 		72.9
(22.7) 		72.9
(22.7) 		69.3
(20.7) 		59.7
(15.4) 		51.0
(10.6) 		45.2
(7.3) 		59.5
(15.3)
Record low °F (°C) 9
(−13) 		15
(−9) 		17
(−8) 		30
(−1) 		35
(2) 		51
(11) 		60
(16) 		60
(16) 		43
(6) 		28
(−2) 		20
(−7) 		13
(−11) 		9
(−13)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.10
(28) 		0.92
(23) 		1.31
(33) 		1.74
(44) 		4.42
(112) 		2.81
(71) 		2.82
(72) 		2.24
(57) 		4.36
(111) 		3.00
(76) 		1.42
(36) 		1.25
(32) 		27.39
(696)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 4.3 4.3 4.2 3.7 4.7 4.5 4.7 4.7 7.9 4.4 3.7 5.0 56.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Source: NOAA[19][20]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19506,712—
19606,515−2.9%
19706,355−2.5%
19806,103−4.0%
19905,788−5.2%
20005,297−8.5%
20104,981−6.0%
20204,609−7.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]

2020 census

Falfurrias racial composition[21]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)[a]
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 278 6.03%
Black or African American (NH) 6 0.13%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH) 3 0.07%
Asian (NH) 25 0.54%
Some Other Race (NH) 8 0.17%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 21 0.46%
Hispanic or Latino 4,268 92.6%
Total 4,609

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,609 people, 1,735 households, and 997 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census[3] of 2000, 5,297 people, 1,801 households, and 1,354 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,926.4 inhabitants per square mile (743.8/km2). The 2,062 housing units averaged 749.9 per square mile (289.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.21% White, 0.25% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 21.56% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 92.54% of the population.

Of the 1,801 households, 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 21.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were not families. About 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90, and the average family size was 3.41.

In the city, the age distribution was 32.2% under 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $15,000, and for a family was $18,208. Males had a median income of $23,438 versus $17,973 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,573. About 43.3% of families and 46.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.0% of those under age 18 and 37.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Falfurrias is served by the Brooks County Independent School District. Schools are:

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2020 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Falfurrias city, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ National Association of Counties. "NACo County Explorer". Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  6. ^ "This Is America. Do You Belong Here? Navigating the Checkpoints of the Southwest Border". The New York Times. March 28, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  7. ^ Migrant smugglers adjust to extreme heat in rural South Texas, sheriff says
  8. ^ Uribe, Mónica Ortiz (January 3, 2014), Migrant Deaths in Brooks County Texas, Latino USA
  9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Falfurrias, Texas". The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  11. ^ a b "Edward Cunningham Lasater". The Handbook of Texas online. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  12. ^ "Falfurrias, Texas". Texas Escapes Online Magazine. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
  13. ^ a b "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. ^ "Falfurrias Station". U. S. Customs and Border Protection. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  15. ^ Hendricks, Dave (September 5, 2019). "Border Patrol holds ribbon-cutting for new Falfurrias checkpoint". progress times. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  16. ^ Westervelt, Eric (June 12, 2019). "As Migrants Stream In At The Border, Inland Checkpoints Feel The Strain". NPR News. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  17. ^ Wilder, Forrest (May 20, 2015). "To Save Lives, Close the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint". Texas Observer. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  18. ^ "Falfurrias, Texas Tourism". Exploring America's Highways. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  19. ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  20. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  21. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  22. ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  23. ^ "Lasater Elementary School - Homepage". Archived from the original on November 29, 2007.
  24. ^ "Falfurrias Elementary School - Homepage". Archived from the original on November 29, 2007.
  25. ^ "Falfurrias Junior High School - Homepage". Archived from the original on February 19, 2009.
  26. ^ "Falfurrias High School - Homepage". Archived from the original on December 8, 2008.
  27. ^ HoyTamaulipas - Rodarán cabezas en Nuevo Laredo
  1. ^ Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[22]

External links

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