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Karnes County, Texas

59 topographic sheets cover 25 settlements here, and 3 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

3 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States
Karnes County within Texas

What the record shows

  • 240 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 3 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings and 1 district.
  • 2 of the 3 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 25 populated places in this county; 25 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

3

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
Karnes County Courthousebuilding201010000499
Panna Maria Historic Districtdistrict197676002043
John Ruckman Housebuilding197979002987

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

1

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, 1880 - Karnes Co
Land ownership map (1880) - Karnes Co. Library of Congress.

The county from the air

28 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 438 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 28 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, 1951-10-20, scale 1:17000
1951-10-20, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-10-20, scale 1:17000
1951-10-20, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-10-20, scale 1:17000
1951-10-20, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1951-10-20, scale 1:17000
1951-10-20, scale 1:17000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-16, scale 1:69000
1953-04-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-16, scale 1:69000
1953-04-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-16, scale 1:69000
1953-04-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-04-16, scale 1:69000
1953-04-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-02-23, scale 1:19600
1962-02-23, scale 1:19600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-10-22, scale 1:17600
1962-10-22, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-10-22, scale 1:17600
1962-10-22, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-10-22, scale 1:17600
1962-10-22, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-22, scale 1:17200
1964-02-22, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-22, scale 1:17200
1964-02-22, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-22, scale 1:17200
1964-02-22, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-22, scale 1:17200
1964-02-22, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-04-03, scale 1:21000
1975-04-03, scale 1:21000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-04-03, scale 1:21000
1975-04-03, scale 1:21000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-04-03, scale 1:21000
1975-04-03, scale 1:21000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1975-04-03, scale 1:19000
1975-04-03, scale 1:19000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-11, scale 1:64333
1979-11-11, scale 1:64333. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-11, scale 1:64333
1979-11-11, scale 1:64333. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-11, scale 1:66000
1979-11-11, scale 1:66000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1979-11-11, scale 1:65000
1979-11-11, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-12-12, scale 1:65000
1989-12-12, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-12-12, scale 1:65000
1989-12-12, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-12-12, scale 1:65000
1989-12-12, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1989-12-12, scale 1:65000
1989-12-12, scale 1:65000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

16 stations, 6 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

30 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.

  • 128-1Justice Precinct 1: Karnes City town: Karnes City town - That part Bounded by Town limits; Town limits; Trous; Town limits
  • 128-2Justice Precinct 1: Karnes City town - That part Bounded by Trous; Town limits; Elder, Johnson, Buchel Ave.; Town limits
  • 128-3Justice Precinct 1: Karnes City town - That part Bounded by Buchel Ave., Johnson, Elder; Town limits; Town limits; Town limits
  • 128-4Justice Precinct 1 - That part northwest of State Hwys. 99 and 80, outside Karnes City town
  • 128-5Justice Precinct 1 - That part Southeast of State Hwys. 99 and 80 and north and east of Kenedy - Lenz School - Coy City Rd.
  • 128-6Justice Precinct 1 - That part southeast of State Highway 99 and west and south of Coy City - Lenz School - Kenedy Rd.
  • 128-7Justice Precinct 2: Falls City
  • 128-8Justice Precinct 2 - That part east of State Highway 123
  • 128-9Justice Precinct 2 - That part west of State Highway 123 and northeast of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Falls City
  • 128-10Justice Precinct 2 - That part southeast of San Antonio River, southwest of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, and east of Conquista Creek, outside Falls ity
  • 128-11Justice Precinct 2 - That part west of Texas & New Orleans Railroad, northwest of San Antonio River and west of Conquista Creek, outside Falls City
  • 128-12Justice Precinct 3: Justice Precinct 3 - That part east of Stockdale - Gillett - Ecleto Rd. extending south to County line
  • 128-13Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of Stockdale - Gillett Rd. and west of State Highway 80
  • 128-14Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of Gillett - Ecleto Rd. extending south to County line and east of State Highway 80
  • 128-15AN/A
  • 128-15BN/A
  • 128-16Justice Precinct 4 - Kenedy city - That part Bounded by City limits; San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway; Main, 4th, Pullin, Kenedy & Long Rd.; City limits
  • 128-17Justice Precinct 4 - Kenedy city - That part Bounded by Kenedy & Long Rd., Pullin, 4th, Main; San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, Nichols Creek; School, State Highway 72; City limits
  • 128-18Justice Precinct 4 - Kenedy city - That part Bounded by State Highway 72, School, School extended; Escondido, U. S. Highway 181; Flax Rd., City limits; City limits
  • 128-19Justice Precinct 4 - Kenedy tity - That part Bounded by Calhoun; Banks; Old city limits, Booe, Nueces, Pettus, Goliad; Escondido
  • 128-20AN/A
  • 128-20BN/A
  • 128-21Justice Precinct 4 - That part north and east of Texas & New Orleans Railroad, outside Kenedy city
  • 128-22Justice Precinct 4 - That part west of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Kenedy city
  • 128-23Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of State Highway 72, southwest of State Highway 239, and west of Texas & New Orleans Railroad, outside Kenedy city
  • 128-24Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, northeast of State Highway 239, and north of State Highway 72, outside Kenedy city
  • 128-25Justice Precinct 5: Runge town: Runge town - That part east of Helena
  • 128-26Justice Precinct 5: Runge town - That part west of Helena
  • 128-27Justice Precinct 5 - That part northwest of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Runge town
  • 128-28Justice Precinct 5 - That part southeast of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Runge town

Wildfire, 2005 to 2020

539 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 539 of them, burning about 4,685 acres. 8 started naturally and 6 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Equipment and vehicle use191
Missing data/not specified/undetermined164
Debris and open burning126
Power generation/transmission/distribution21
Smoking13
Natural8
Arson/incendiarism6
Misuse of fire by a minor6
Recreation and ceremony4

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
12 June 2018Arson/incendiarism541 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceFM 99
27 February 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined400 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGILLETT FIRE
20 August 2018Arson/incendiarism392 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRAHAM RANCH
8 February 2017Power generation/transmission/distribution120 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceTRACY SCHENDEL
17 April 2008Equipment and vehicle use100 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
11 July 2007Debris and open burning100 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
30 April 2006Missing data/not specified/undetermined100 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
4 April 2006Equipment and vehicle use80 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named

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

Storms, 1955 to 2024

60 of 179 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 179 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 123 injuries and about $1,824,530 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Flash Flood75
Hail43
Thunderstorm Wind30
Tornado22
Funnel Cloud5
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
October 1998Flash FloodCountywide70 hurt, $200,000no account filed
October 1998Flash FloodCountywide50 hurt, $100,000no account filed
April 1966Tornado (F3)not stated3 hurt, $250,000no account filed
August 2007Flash FloodHelena$200,000The area of heaviest rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Erin in South Central Texas began in Karnes County. General rainfall over the county ranged from 3 to 5 inches with up to 7 inches near Helena. Most of the roads in Karnes County were closed Thursday afternoon, including FM887, SH119, and US80.
November 2001Tornado (F1)Karnes City$120,000A second and more intense Karnes County tornado touched down west of Karnes City near the Wilson County line. Rated F1, it destroyed a trailer, a metal barn, and literally hundreds of trees as it moved northeast for just over two miles.
August 2001Flash FloodCountywide$100,000no account filed
September 2001Flash FloodCountywide$100,000no account filed
May 1999Thunderstorm WindKarnes City$80,000no account filed
July 2009Thunderstorm WindBainville$50,000Several power poles were blown down by thunderstorm winds near El Oso.
July 2003Flash FloodCountywide$50,000Heavy rainfall associated with Claudette produced general 1 to 2 inch amounts with isolated totals between 5 and 6 inches over Karnes County. Flash flooding developed over the county during the evening and ended near midnight.
October 1993Thunderstorm Windnot stated$50,000Karnes County Power reported some outages and some lines down in the County.
June 1999Flash FloodCountywide$50,000no account filed
April 1997Flash FloodCountywide$50,000no account filed
May 2001Flash FloodSouth Portion$40,000no account filed
April 2000HailPanna Maria$30,000Large hail, driven by strong winds, caused widespread damage to windows of homes and vehicles in and around Panna Maria. Damage was also reported to gardens and crops in the area.
April 1997Flash FloodCountywide$30,000Roads were cosed across the county due to as much as 4 inches of rain in less than 2 hours.
September 1988Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1981Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 1980Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
October 1960Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
September 2002Flash FloodCountywide$20,000General 2 inch rainfall with isolated totals to 5 inches. Minor damage was reported to bridges and county roads.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindKarnes City$20,000Severe winds blew over a shed and knocked over trees between Karnes City and Panna Maria.
August 2001Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
August 1998Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
April 1997Flash FloodCountywide$20,000no account filed
July 2023Thunderstorm WindGillett$10,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph that knocked down a fence and tore some metal roofing off a house in Gillett.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindCoy City$10,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 90 mph that uprooted trees along FM 99 southwest of Karnes City.
July 2003Flash FloodCountywide$10,000Late morning and early afternoon rainfall across Karnes County averaged near 2 inches with isolated totals in the county to 3 inches . Due to the previous day's heavy rainfall, soils were quickly saturated again. Brief flash flooding developed in the mid afternoon over low water crossings.
May 1997Thunderstorm WindKarnes City$10,000Severe winds damaged a mobile home near Karnes City.
May 1999Flash FloodCountywide$10,000no account filed
July 1999Flash FloodCountywide$10,000no account filed
September 1996Flash FloodNortheastern Portion$10,000no account filed
June 2000Flash FloodNorth Portion$5,000Brief flash flooding resulted from rain accumulations of up to 4 inches over the northern half of Karnes County. Road closures were reported between Helena and Panna Maria.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindRunge$5,000Widespread damage was reported to trees in the Runge area, with many trees blown over by the damaging winds.
September 2001Flash FloodNorth Portion$5,000no account filed
November 2000Flash FloodCountywide$5,000no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodCountywide$5,000no account filed
April 1995HailKarnes City$3,000Hail up to the size of quarters covered the ground around Karnes City, causing extensive damage to corn crops in the area. A few homes had windows broken due to the hail.
November 2001Flash FloodSoutheast Portion$3,000no account filed
September 1998Flash FloodCountywide$3,000no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodCountywide$3,000no account filed
May 1975Tornado (F0)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 1967Tornado (F2)not stated$2,500no account filed
September 1967Tornadonot stated$2,500no account filed
July 1959Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
April 2020Thunderstorm WindBurnell$2,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 60 mph that damaged a playscape on Hwy 181 south of Kenedy.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindKenedy$2,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 50 mph which knocked down large tree limbs in Panna Maria and Kenedy.
October 1994Tornado (F0)Karnes City$2,000Damage to a fence and some trees due to a tornado were reported by Sheriffs Department.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindBainville$1,000A thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 45 mph that knocked down several tree limbs southwest and west of Kenedy. This storm also produced half inch hail. This storm also knocked down tree limbs 15 miles west of Kenedy.
September 1967Tornadonot stated$250no account filed
May 1965Tornado (F0)not stated$250no account filed
March 1957Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
April 2024HailRunge-A thunderstorm produced quarter size hail near Runge.
December 2024HailFalls City-A thunderstorm produced 2.5 inch diameter hail in Falls City.
May 2023Flash FloodKarnes City-Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that led to flash flooding. TXDoT reported FM 1353 was flooded south of Karnes City.
May 2023Flash FloodGillett-Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that led to flash flooding. TXDoT reported water over the road on FM 887 west of Gillett.
May 2023Flash FloodEcleto-Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that led to flash flooding. TXDoT reported water over the road on FM 627 south of Gillett.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindKenedy-A thunderstorm produced wind gust measured at 50 kts by the AWOS at Kenedy Regional Airport.
March 2023HailCoy City-A thunderstorm produced golf ball size hail southwest of Coy City.
May 2023FloodKenedy Karnes Co Arp-Thunderstorms produced heavy rain that led to flooding. Drive Texas reported that FM 1353 was closed in both directions between Hwy 181 and FM 2102 southwest of Karnes City due to flooding.

Mines and quarries

88 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 88 workings inside this county. 38 still produce and 50 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Uranium84
Molybdenum4
Selenium3
Stone, Crushed/Broken2
Sulfur2
Molybdenum, Tungsten1

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

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Hoffman ProspectUranium, Molybdenum, TungstenOccurrenceStratabound
Brayil PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Fashing Sulfur PlantSulfurProducer
Laskowki PitStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Person Sulfur PlantSulfurProducer
Galen MineUranium, Molybdenum, SeleniumPast ProducerStratabound
Panna Maria East MineUranium, Molybdenum, SeleniumPast ProducerStratabound
Panna Maria West MineUranium, Molybdenum, SeleniumPast ProducerStratabound
Hackney MineUranium, MolybdenumPast Producer1954
Banduch-Cochran MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Bargmann-Hackney MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Bozo PitUraniumProducer
Brown Uranium PitUraniumProducer
Brysch MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Brysch PitUraniumProducer
Brysch ProspectUraniumOccurrenceStratabound
Butler MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Butler PitUraniumPast Producer
Carriger ProspectUraniumOccurrenceStratabound
Climax PitUraniumPast Producer
Cochran MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Cochran PitUraniumProducer
Conquista Uranium MillUraniumProducer
Dickson-Brown PitUraniumProducer
Duziuk MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Duziuk-Lyssy MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
E. Labus MineUraniumProducer
Falls City PlantUraniumProducer
Finch-Hartman PitUraniumProducer
Fort Worth National MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Franklin PitUraniumProducer
Franklin-Swierc MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Ft Worth Natl PitUraniumProducer
Galen PitUraniumPast Producer
Garcia MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Garcia-Turner PitUraniumProducer
Hobson In Situ Uranium ProjUraniumProducer
Jaskinia ProspectUraniumOccurrenceStratabound
Karnes County PitsUraniumProducer
Kellner MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Kellner PitUraniumProducer
Kopecki MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Korth-Hartman-Finch MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Korzekwa PitUraniumProducer
Kotzur MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Kotzur PitUraniumProducer
Kunschik PitUraniumProducer
Labus-Hoffman MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Labus-MoczygembaUraniumProducer
Lauw PitUraniumProducer
Lauw ProspectUraniumOccurrenceStratabound
Luckett MineUraniumPast Producer1961
Luckett PitUraniumPast Producer
M. Labus PitUraniumProducer
Manka MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Manka PitUraniumPast Producer
Mccrady MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Mcgrady-Wright PitUraniumPast Producer
Moczygemba MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Muczygemba PitUraniumPast Producer
Niechwietz PitsUraniumProducer
Nieschwietz ProspectUraniumOccurrenceStratabound
Nuhn MineUraniumPast Producer1954
Panna Maria MineUraniumProducer
Pawelek MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Pawelek-Lyssy-Turner PitUraniumPast Producer
Rosenbrock PitUraniumProducer
Searcy PitUraniumProducer
Searcy-Niestroy DepositUraniumOccurrenceStratabound
Sickenius MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Sickenius PitUraniumProducer
Steinman MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Steinmann PitUraniumPast Producer
Stoeltje MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Stoeltje-Bodden PitUraniumProducer
Stueletje Uranium PitUraniumProducer
Superior PitUraniumPast Producer
Susquehana MillUraniumProducer
Thomas PitUraniumProducer
Trial PitUraniumPast Producer
Weddington NorthUraniumProducer
Weddington SouthUraniumProducer
Weddington Uranium PitUraniumProducer
Weddington-Conoco MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Weddington-Susquehanna MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Weddington-Tenneco MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound
Winerich PitUraniumProducer
Wright MineUraniumPast ProducerStratabound

Every populated place in the county

25

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.