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Frio County, Texas

48 topographic sheets cover 24 settlements here, and 1 property is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

1 National Register listing published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States
Frio County within Texas
Explore by year 1879 1893

What the record shows

  • 225 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 1 property here is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a building.
  • It was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 24 populated places in this county; 24 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

1

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Old Frio County Jailbuilding197979002941

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

2

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1879 - Map of Frio County, Texas
Land ownership map (1879) - Map of Frio County, Texas. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 1893 - Frio Co
Land ownership map (1893) - Frio Co. Library of Congress.

The county from the air

21 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 833 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 21 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-11-27, scale 1:17000
1951-11-27, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-06, scale 1:69000
1953-05-06, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-06, scale 1:69000
1953-05-06, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-06, scale 1:69000
1953-05-06, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-05-06, scale 1:69000
1953-05-06, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:16800
1963-01-02, scale 1:16800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:16800
1963-01-02, scale 1:16800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:16800
1963-01-02, scale 1:16800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-01-02, scale 1:16800
1963-01-02, scale 1:16800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-03-13, scale 1:18000
1967-03-13, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-03-13, scale 1:18000
1967-03-13, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-03-13, scale 1:18000
1967-03-13, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1967-03-13, scale 1:18000
1967-03-13, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-02, scale 1:18400
1968-02-02, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-02, scale 1:18400
1968-02-02, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-02, scale 1:18400
1968-02-02, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1968-02-02, scale 1:18400
1968-02-02, scale 1:18400. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-02-04, scale 1:26000
1973-02-04, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-02-04, scale 1:26000
1973-02-04, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-02-04, scale 1:26000
1973-02-04, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-02-04, scale 1:26000
1973-02-04, scale 1:26000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

14 stations, 3 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

14 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 82-1Justice Precinct 1: Pearsall city: Pearsall city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Leona; Mesquite, Big Foot Public Road
  • 82-2BPearsall city - That part Bounded by City limits; Big Foot Public Rd., Mesquite; Comal; International and Great Northern Railroad
  • 82-2AJustice Precinct 1 Fearsall city - That part Bounded by City limits; International and Great Northern Railroad; Comal; City limits
  • 82-3Pearsall city - That part Bounded by Frio Town Public Road, W. Comal; International and Great Northern Railroad; City limits; City limits
  • 82-4Pearsall city - That part Bounded by Comal, Mesquite, Leona; City limits; City limits; International and Great Northern Railroad
  • 82-5Justice Precinct 1 - That part east of International and Great Northern Railroad, outside Pearsall city
  • 82-6Justice Precinct 1 - That part west of International and Great Northern Railroad, outside Pearsall city
  • 82-7Justice Precinct 2: Justice Precinct 2 - That part north of Pearsall - Miguel School Rd. and Cat Creek
  • 82-8Justice Precinct 2 - That part south of the Pearsall - Miguel School Road and Cat Creek
  • 82-9Justice Precinct 3
  • 82-10Justice Precinct 4: Dilley town: Dilley town - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Miller; Missouri Pacific Railroad
  • 82-11Dilley town - That part Bounded by City limits; Missouri Pacific Railroad, Miller, City limits; City limits; City limits
  • 82-12Justice Precinct 4 - That part north of Leona River and Todas Santos Creek
  • 82-13Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of Leona River and Todas Santos Creek

Wildfire, 2005 to 2020

1,234 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,234 of them, burning about 17,269 acres. 9 started naturally and 8 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined695
Debris and open burning208
Equipment and vehicle use192
Power generation/transmission/distribution46
Smoking33
Misuse of fire by a minor24
Recreation and ceremony11
Natural9
Railroad operations and maintenance8
Arson/incendiarism8

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
5 February 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined1,000 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
31 January 2008Debris and open burning800 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
3 January 2008Debris and open burning600 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
20 January 2009Smoking600 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFM140/CR2350
29 April 2014Power generation/transmission/distribution525 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceWILMETH FIRE
10 March 2006Debris and open burning450 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFRIO II
5 February 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined400 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
2 July 2016Debris and open burning325 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceSTOCKARD RANCH

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1959 to 2024

60 of 224 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 224 reports for this county, causing 5 deaths, 29 injuries and about $1,741,500 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail101
Flash Flood66
Thunderstorm Wind33
Tornado16
Funnel Cloud4
Flood4

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1973Tornado (F4)not stated5 killed, 12 hurtno account filed
September 2002Flash FloodCountywide15 hurt, $700,000General 2 to 3 inch rainfall was indicated across the county with amounts averaging 5 inches along FM140 from Frio Town through Pearsall to the Atascosa County line. A large part of the highway from Pearsall to the Atascosa County line received up to 8 inches of rain, with isolated totals to12 inches. High water trapped people in their homes. Just under two dozen homes as well as several businesses in Pearsall received flood damage. Several cars were also flooded out. One woman was rescued from her flooded home by helicopter. Most schools in the Pearsall area were closed on Monday due roads that were blocked. Widespread damage was reported to FM140 and bridges along the highway as well as to roads in Pearsall.
November 1968Tornado (F0)not stated2 hurtno account filed
May 2023Tornado (EF0)Dilley Arpt$100,000An NWS Storm Survey found that an EF-0 tornado initially touched down on the west side of Dilley where damage to hardwood trees was noted. The tornado then moved in a northeasterly direction, causing damage to roofs of buildings on either side of I-35. The |tornado lifted on the east side of the interstate and covered approximately 0.7 miles over a span of 2 minutes. Maximum winds were estimated at 75 mph.
February 1998Thunderstorm WindMoore$100,000Severe thunderstorm winds caused damage between Moore and Big Foot, destroying a grainery at Moore and a shed at Big Foot.
May 1999Thunderstorm WindDilley$100,000no account filed
August 2022Tornado (EF0)Moore$50,000A small EF0 tornado formed as a cluster of storms was moving northward through northern Frio County. An NWS damage survey found a small tornado touched down along CR 2537 on the south side of Moore and then moved NW for about a quarter mile before dissipating. Two residences on CR 2537 have roof damage, along with several trees that were damaged. A neighboring property across the street had its fence blown down. Several items from the properties were thrown about a 100 yards. As the tornado moved quickly to the NW, it appears to have dissipated along CR 2518. Maximum winds are estimated to be 75 mph.
October 2002Flash FloodCountywide$50,000By sunrise, showers and thunderstorms covered most of Frio County, with rain accumulations of 2 inches over the northeast sections. The showers continued until nearly noon, with rain totals countywide of 1 to 2 inches and accumulations of up to 5 inches in the northeast part of the County. Flash flooding began shortly after sunrise and ended shortly after noon. Damages were mainly to roads and bridges.
November 2000Thunderstorm WindFrio Town$50,000Severe thunderstorm winds broke power poles in half.
March 1994HailPearsall$50,000A thunderstorm formed in the late evening just west of Dilley and moved northeastward near 35 mph. It produced golf ball-sized hail as it reached Pearsall near 2125 CST. Little damage was indicated.
May 2000Thunderstorm WindDerby$50,000no account filed
May 1999Thunderstorm WindPearsall$50,000no account filed
May 1999Thunderstorm WindPearsall$50,000no account filed
August 1996Thunderstorm WindMoore$50,000no account filed
August 1999Flash FloodCountywide$30,000Numerous roads were reported to be flooded across Frio County as the rain bands from Hurricane Brett produced general 2-4 inch rainfall over the northern part of the county and up to 5 inches of rain across the southern part of the county.
March 1998Thunderstorm WindPearsall$25,000no account filed
June 1983Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1980Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1970Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
October 2002Flash FloodFrio Town$20,000Scattered showers and thunderstorms reformed by the mid morning in an area from LaPryor to Batesville to Frio Town. These slow-moving showers and storms were producing rainfall at rates of an inch an hour, and accumulations by mid morning were approaching 3 inches. Isolated totals near Frio Town eventually reached 5 inches. The rain continued until just before noon, then ended. With soils wet from recent rainfall, flash flooding began in the late morning and continued until near noon.
October 2000Flash FloodNorth Portion$20,000no account filed
March 1997Thunderstorm WindPearsall$20,000no account filed
March 1997Thunderstorm WindPearsall$20,000no account filed
May 2013Thunderstorm WindPearsall$10,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph that broke or knocked out numerous west facing windows on houses, RVs, and other vehicles.
October 2003Flash FloodCountywide$10,000Showers and thunderstorms developed in Frio County in the late night hours and continued into he early morning hours. The storms produced a general 1 to 2 inch rainfall over the county, with up to 4 inches along the extreme southern border with LaSalle County. The rainfall resulted in flash flooding that closed numerous roads across the county, and minor damage to the roads.
April 2002Tornado (F1)Big Foot$10,000The small and short-lived tornado touched down briefly near a home, destroying several trees while not damaging the house itself.
April 2002Flash FloodNorth Portion$10,000Rainfall of up to 4 inches fell over the northern part of Frio County, causing brief flash flooding. The damage to roads and bridges was reported to be minor, with some damage also to crops.
May 1997Thunderstorm WindPearsall$10,000Department of Public Safety personnel reported power lines down in Pearsall.
June 1998Flash FloodNortheast Portion$10,000no account filed
August 1998Flash FloodSouthwest Portion$10,000no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindMoore$5,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 65 mph that blew the corrugated metal roof off of a building south the Hwy 57/I-35 intersection southwest of Moore.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindDilley$5,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 50 mph that blew the roof off a trailer home.
March 2004Flash FloodWest Portion$5,000The showers and thunderstorms crossed from Zavala County into Frio County, again producing general 1 inch rainfall with up to 3 inches in the northwest part of the county. Brief flash flooding was reported in the western part of the county through the mid morning.
July 2003Flash FloodCountywide$5,000As the showers and thunderstorms moved into Frio County, they produced general 1 to 2 inch accumulations, with isolated totals of 4 to 5 inches across the northwest corner of Frio County. Flash flooding developed in the late morning and continued through the mid afternoon.
July 2003Flash FloodCountywide$5,000General 1 to 2 inch rainfall was produced by Claudette over Frio County, with isolated totals of up to 4 inches. Brief flash flooding occurred just before midnight.
May 1997Flash FloodCountywide$5,000Numerous roads were closed across the county due to heavy rainfall.
March 1994HailPearsall$5,000A severe thunderstorm produced golf ball-size hail at Pearsall as it moved through Frio County late in the evening.
March 1997HailPearsall$5,000no account filed
June 1999Flash FloodPearsall$3,000no account filed
January 1998Flash FloodDilley$3,000no account filed
February 1998Flash FloodCountywide$3,000no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodCountywide$3,000no account filed
August 1980Tornado (F0)not stated$2,500no account filed
August 1970Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 2024Thunderstorm WindMoore$2,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph that knocked down some large tree branches in Moore.
March 2012HailPearsall$2,000A thunderstorm produced golf ball size hail which damaged a pickup truck on FM1582 near Pearsall.
May 2008Thunderstorm WindFrio Town$500The forman at the Rockhouse Ranch along FM 140 reported large tree branches down and a tree snapped in half.
January 2024HailPearsall-A thunderstorm produced nickel size hail near the intersection of FM 140 and I-35 in Pearsall.
May 2024HailMoore-A thunderstorm produced half dollar size hail in Moore.
May 2024HailBig Foot-A thunderstorm produced quarter size hail in Bigfoot.
April 2023HailFrio Town-A thunderstorm produced ping pong ball size hail southeast of Frio Town.
March 2023HailDilley Arpt-A thunderstorm produced softball size hail off of Hwy 117 west of Dilley. Hail broke through the roofs of mobile homes and truck windshields.
March 2023HailDilley-A thunderstorm produced two inch diameter hail in Dilley.
May 2023Funnel CloudDilley Arpt-A thunderstorm produced a funnel cloud near I-35 and FM 117 in Dilley. The Frio County Emergency Manager relayed a video of the funnel cloud to our office.
April 2022HailMoore-A thunderstorm produced nickel size hail in Moore.
April 2022HailMoore-A thunderstorm produced quarter size hail and wind gusts estimated at 55 mph in Moore.
April 2022HailMoore-A thunderstorm produced half dollar size hail in Moore.
May 2020HailFrio Town-A thunderstorm produced golf ball size hail near the intersection of Hwy 57 and FM 140 southeast of Frio Town.
March 2018HailPearsall-A thunderstorm produced quarter size hail near the Petro Shopping Center west of I-35 in Pearsall.
March 2018HailPearsall-A thunderstorm produced quarter size hail near N. Cherry St. in Pearsall.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Pearsall MineSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

24

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.