Refugio

Formed December 22, 1837 (22^nd county)

Refugio County (6,739), Refugio (2,710)

The yellow brick Texas Renaissance structure, built in 1919, is on Commerce Street between Purisima and Empresario.  The site is one block east of United States Highway 77 as it passes through the city.  The building’s designer was Atlee B. Ayres.  The building was enlarged in 1950 and a Justice Center was built in 2003.  Refugio has been the county seat since the December 22, 1837 county organizing and five courthouses (1840, 1856, 1874, 1880, and 1919) have been in the city.  Refugio County was one of the original 23 Texas counties (22^nd county.)  The county and city were named for the Native American Mission, Nuestra Senora del Refugio. 

Refugio County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  Three District Court Judges serve Refugio, Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, and Victoria counties and One County Court Judge serves Refugio County.  The county is in the south-central part of the state on the Gulf of Mexico.  Corpus Christi, Texas is to the southwest and Houston, Texas is to the northeast.  The San Antonio River is the northeast border of the county.  The county center is 11.5 miles Northeast of Refugio.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Victoria, Calhoun, Aransas, San Patricio, Bee, and Goliad counties.  Two major bays of the Gulf of Mexico are part of the southeast border. 

The area of the county is 770 square miles.  It is 206 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 188 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 8.8 persons per square mile making it 176 out of 254 in the state.  Refugio County has 65.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 77 enters from the northeast, Victoria County, and exits to the southwest, San Patricio County.  United States Highway 77 Alternate comes in from Goliad County on the northwest and terminates in the county.  United States Highway 183 enters jointly with United States Highway 77 Alternate and also terminates in Refugio County.  The overall shape of the county is rectangular turned 45-degrees.  Refugio is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Refugio is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 40.2% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced RE-FUR-E-O.

Woodsboro