Sarita, Texas

Sarita is a census-designated place (CDP) in, and the county seat of Kenedy County, Texas, United States.[1] It is the only settlement of note in the county, and as of the 2010 census had a population of 238.[2] Sarita has been ranked the most politically liberal town in Texas.[3]

Sarita, Texas
Census-designated place
The Kenedy Pasture Company Headquarters in Sarita
Location in Kenedy County and the state of Texas
Sarita
Location in Texas and the United States
Sarita
Sarita (the United States)
Coordinates: 27°13′18″N 97°47′21″W
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyKenedy
Area
 • Total1.22 sq mi (3.17 km2)
 • Land1.19 sq mi (3.08 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation
36 ft (11 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total238
 • Density200/sq mi (77.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
78385
Area code(s)361
FIPS code48-65876
GNIS feature ID1346706

History

Sarita was created in 1904 as the headquarters of the Kenedy Ranch and was named by its founder, John G. Kenedy, after his daughter. The town grew to about 300 residents by 1916, when a major hurricane swept through the area and many settlers moved away. (In 1999, the largest Texas hurricane in 20 years, Bret, came ashore near Sarita but did little damage.) Although the town was made county seat when Kenedy County was created in 1921, it has not grown appreciably since then.

Today, Sarita is home to a Catholic church, a school, several homes, a post office, and the Lebh Shomea House of Prayer, all centered on the headquarters of the Kenedy Ranch, but no businesses are active other than the ranch. The 1921 Kenedy County Courthouse is a two-story white Beaux-Arts structure on a large green and the most prominent building in town; many county employees actually live in Kleberg County just to the north, as there is limited housing available in Sarita or Kenedy County. Across the street sits the whitewashed, two-story headquarters of the Kenedy Pasture Company, which owns most of the land in the county and employs many of Sarita's citizens. The building also houses the Kenedy Ranch Museum.

"Occupation" hoax

In 2014, a fake news website called National Report published an article claiming that a militia of "over one hundred armed La Raza militants" had occupied Sarita, forcing original residents out of their homes and using the town as a base of operations. The hoax report circled on the Internet.[4]

Geography

Sarita is located in northern Kenedy County at 27°13′18″N, 97°47′21″W. It is along U.S. Route 77, 21 miles (34 km) south of Kingsville, 61 miles (98 km) south of Corpus Christi, and 74 miles (119 km) north of Harlingen. The United States Border Patrol Sarita checkpoint on US 77 is located some 14 miles (23 km) south of the town of Sarita.

Cityscape

Gary Cartwright of Texas Monthly said that Sarita's only landmarks were a green sign reading "Sarita", a water tower, and a blinking yellow light.[5] Sarita has an elementary school and a Catholic church. The only lodging establishment, as of 2004, is a bed and breakfast operated by justice of the peace Patti Fain. The only venue that sells soft drinks is a vending machine at the Kenedy County courthouse. Sarita does not have any convenience stores, shops, or cafes. The nearest grocery store is in Kingsville, though there are convenience stores at gas stations in Riviera 5 miles (8 km) to the north along US 77. The nearest major medical center is in Corpus Christi.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sarita has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[6]

Education

Sarita Elementary School (PreK-6) of the Kenedy County Wide Common School District serves Sarita.

See also

References
  1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Sarita CDP, Texas". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  3. Hunter Walker and Andy Kiersz (2014). "Here Are The Most Liberal And Most Conservative Towns In Each State". businessinsider.com. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  4. David Martin Davies, Sarita Is Safe: 'Attack' on the South Texas Town Is Fake, KERA-TV (July 15, 2014).
  5. Cartwright, Gary. "Sarita's Secret Archived 2004-12-27 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Monthly. September 2004. Retrieved on October 14, 2012.
  6. Climate Summary for Sarita, Texas
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