Edwards County

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Edwards County, so let's ride with it. Sit back, because this one's got deep roots, wide skies, and at least one story that'll stay with you. We're up on the Edwards Plateau, where the land rolls out into the scenic Nueces Valley, and if you've got a nose for cedar and a taste for open country, well, friend, you are in the right place.

This is ranching country through and through; the economy's built on it, has been for a long time. And wild game is abundant, which means the hills out here have never been what you'd call quiet. But the title this county wears above all others?

Angora goat capital of the world. Go ahead and let that settle. Not the county.

Not the state. The world. Edwards County sits atop its plateau and holds that crown with the quiet confidence of a place that knows exactly what it is.

Now the county itself was created in 1858, though it didn't get organized until 1883, carved out of the old Bexar district. It was named for Haden Edwards, born in 1813, died in 1865; an early leader and colonizer in Texas. The first county seat was Leakey, but things shifted.

Present boundaries were drawn, and on April 13, 1891, the county seat moved to Rocksprings. That same year, the first courthouse and jail went up. Brand new county, brand new seat, brand new building.

Then 1897 came along and fire took that courthouse down. So they erected the present one, and here's where the story leans forward and lowers its voice. That courthouse stood.

When a destructive tornado tore through Edwards County in 1927 and claimed 72 lives, that building withstood it. Seventy-two lives lost in a single storm in a single county. That's not a footnote; that's a wound a community carries.

And the courthouse that survived it is still the courthouse today. When the county was first constituted in its present form, the men who stepped up to run it from 1891 to 1893 were James M. Hunter as County Judge, W.

M. Sanford as County and District Clerk, Ira L. Wheat as Sheriff and Tax Collector, S.

A. Hough as County Attorney, and W. H.

Cowan as County Treasurer. The commissioners covering the four precincts were John Eaton, C. H.

Kirchner, H. Schweithelm, and M. M.

Bradford. Ordinary names, maybe, but they were the first ones to hold the line on this particular stretch of Texas high country. Atop the plateau, out where the goats outnumber just about everything and the land remembers every storm that ever crossed it, that's Edwards County.

And now you know a little more about why it stands.

What the marker says

Atop the Edwards Plateau, extending into the scenic Nueces Valley. Angora goat capital of the world. The economy is based on ranching. Wild game is abundant. Created in 1858 and organized 1883 from old Bexar district. Named for Haden Edwards (1813-1865), an early leader and colonizer in Texas. First county seat was Leakey; present boundaries were created, and county seat was moved on April 13, 1891, to Rocksprings. First courthouse and jail were built that year. After a fire in 1897, the present courthouse was erected; it withstood a destructive tornado that claimed 72 lives in the county in 1927. First officials to serve the county (1891-1893) as it is presently constituted were the following: 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 County Commissioners: John Eaton, Precinct No. 1; C. H. Kirchner, Precinct No. 2; H. Schweithelm, Precinct No. 3; M. M. Bradford, Precinct No. 4 (1967)