Karnes

Formed February 4, 1854 (99^th county)

Karnes County (14,707), Karnes City (3,109), Kenedy (3,486)

The third courthouse for Karnes County was located in Karnes City in 1894.  Two previous courthouses had been in Helena following the February 4, 1854 county organization, the last one dated 1873.  Karnes County was formed from parts of Bexar and Goliad counties as the 99^th county.  The current courthouse is located at the corner of Panna Maria and Calvert, seven blocks east of United States Highway 181.  John Cormack designed this brown brick and stucco Romanesque Revival facility.  The building was remodeled in 1924 and 2017.  A County Administration Building was added in 2011.  Karnes County and Karnes City are named for Henry Wax Karnes, a scout and Texas Revolution veteran. 

The area of the county is 750 square miles.  It is 208 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 142 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 19.6 persons per square mile making it 133 out of 254 in the state.  Karnes County has 54.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 181 enters from Wilson County on the northwest and exits south into Bee County. 

Karnes County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges serve Karnes, Atascosa, Frio, La Salle, and Wilson counties and One County Court Judge serves Karnes County.  The county is turned 45-degrees and is generally a diamond with a panhandle extending to the northeast.  The San Antonio River flows through the county from northwest to southeast.  Karnes City is near the center of the county.  Kenedy is in the southern quarter of the county.  Karnes City is the county seat and Kenedy is the largest city.  Karnes City is 21.1% of the county population while Kenedy is 23.7% of the county population.  Karnes County is southeast of San Antonio, Texas and northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas in south central Texas.  The county center is 2 miles East of Karnes City.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Wilson, Gonzales, De Witt, Goliad, Bee, Live Oak, and Atascosa counties.  KARNZ is the pronunciation of the county and county seat.

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