Formed January 8, 1836 (7th county)
Gonzales County (19,657), Gonzales (7,161)
Red brick and limestone grace the towered courthouse of Gonzales County. It was built in 1894 from the Romanesque Revival designs of J. Riely Gordon and restored in 1998. It is the second courthouse for Gonzales County since its January 8, 1836 organizing, both of which have been in the City of Gonzales. The previous courthouse was built in 1857. A Justice Center built in 1975 supports the courthouse. Gonzales County was one of the original 23 counties (7th county.) United States Highway (Business) 183 and Texas State Highway 304 intersect one block southwest of the building. It is physically located at St. Louis and St. Paul streets. Gonzales County and city got their name from the governor of Coahuila y Texas, Rafael Gonzales.
Gonzales County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners. Two District Court Judges serve Gonzales, Colorado, Guadalupe, and Lavaca counties and One County Court Judge serves Gonzales County. The county is situated in the river estuary region of south-central Texas. San Antonio, Texas is west, Austin, Texas is north, and Houston, Texas is east of the county. The Guadalupe River crosses the county from northwest to south. The county center is 7.2 miles West of Gonzales nearer Cost. The county is surrounded clockwise by Bastrop, Fayette, Lavaca, De Witt, Karnes, Wilson, Guadalupe, and Caldwell counties.
The area of the county is 1068 square miles. It is 57 out of 254 in the state. It ranks 123 out of 254 in population in the state. It has a density of 18.4 persons per square mile making it 140 out of 254 in the state. Gonzales County has 55.6% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 10 crosses east to west, Fayette County to Caldwell County. United States Highway 87 comes from Wilson County on the northwest and goes into DeWitt County on the southeast. United States Highway 90 parallels Interstate Highway 10 from Fayette County to Caldwell County. United States Highway 90 Alternate enters from Lavaca County, east, and exits into Guadalupe County, west. United States Highway 183 crosses north to south, Caldwell County to DeWitt County. The basic shape to the county is rectangular at a 45-degree turn. Gonzales City is slightly north of the county center. Gonzales is the county seat and the largest city. It is 36.4% of the county population. The city and county are pronounced GON-ZA-LESS.
Gonzales
Smiley
Waelder
Nixon
