Re-Location 

Guide

 Quick History

In 1747, the Spanish government sent José de Escandón to inspect the northern frontier of its North American colonies, including Spanish Texas. In his final report, Escandónt recommended that Presidio La Bahia be moved from its Guadalupe River location to the banks of the San Antonio River, so that it would be more capable of assisting settlements along the Rio Grande.Both the presidio and the mission it protected, Mission of Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zúñiga, likely moved to their new location in October 1749. Escandón proposed that 25 Mexican families be relocated near the presidio to form a civilian settlement but was unable to find enough willing settlers.With the conclusion of the Seven Years War in 1763, France ceded Louisiana, and French claims to Texas, to Spain.With France no longer a threat to Spain's North American interests, the Spanish monarchy commissioned the Marquis de Rubi to inspect all of the presidios on the northern frontier of New Spain and make recommendations for the future. Rubi recommended that several presidios be closed, but that La Bahia be kept and rebuilt in stone. La Bahia was soon "the only Spanish fortress for the entire Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River.”The presidio now sat at the heart of several major trade and military routes. It quickly became one of the three most important areas in Texas, alongside Béxar and Nacogdoches. A civil settlement, then known as La Bahia, soon developed near the presidio. By 1804 the settlement had one of only two schools in Texas. In early August 1812, during the Mexican War of Independence, Mexican revolutionary Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara and his recruits, calling themselves the Republican Army of the North, invaded Texas. In November, the invaders captured Presidio La Bahia. For the next four months, Texas governor Manuel María de Salcedo laid siege to the fort. Unable to win a decisive victory, Salcedo lifted the siege on February 19, 1813 and turned towards San Antonio de Bexar.The rebels remained in control of the presidio until July or August 1813, when José Joaquín de Arredondo led royalist troops in retaking all of Texas. A member of the Republican Army of the North, Henry Perry, led forces back to Texas in 1817 and attempted to recapture La Bahia. The presidio was reinforced by soldiers from San Antonio, and Perry and his men were defeated on June 18 near Coleto Creek. The area was again the target of invaders in 1821. After the United States and Spain signed the Adams-Onís Treaty, giving all rights to Texas to Spain, many Americans were angry. On October 4, the 52 members of the Long Expedition captured La Bahia. Four days later, Colonel Ignacio Pérez arrived with troops from Bexar; Long surrendered.By the end of 1821, Mexico had achieved its independence from Spain, and Texas became part of the newly created country.In 1829, the name of the village of La Bahía was changed to Goliad, an anagram of Hidalgo (omitting the silent initial "H"), in honor of the patriot priest Miguel Hidalgo, the father of Mexico's independencia.On October 9, 1835, in the early days of the Texas Revolution, a group of Texians attacked the presidio in the Battle of Goliad. After a thirty-minute skirmish, the Mexican garrison surrendered, leaving the Texians in control of the fort. The first declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas was signed here on December 20, 1835. Texians held the area until March 1836, when the Texian garrison under Colonel James Fannin was defeated at the nearby Battle of Coleto. The Texian survivors were imprisoned at the presidio until Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, when they were executed in the Goliad Massacre.Goliad was also the birthplace of the famous Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza, commander against the French Army under Napoleon.

Climate

City Demographics 

Zip codes: 77963.
Estimated median household income in 2007: $36,548 (it was $26,200 in 2000)

Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $99,171 (it was $54,000 in 2000)

Mean prices in 2007: All housing units: $109,554; Detached houses: $113,459; Townhouses or other attached units: $186,399; In 2-unit structures: $70,432; In 3-to-4-unit structures: $87,641; Mobile homes: $31,986 Races in Goliad:

• Hispanic (49.7%)
• White Non-Hispanic (43.6%)
• Other race (15.0%)
• Black (6.1%)
• Two or more races (2.5%)
• American Indian (0.9%)
• Asian Indian (0.5%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)
2008 cost of living index in Goliad: 77.0 (low, U.S. average is 100)Elevation: 171 feetLand area: 1.53 square miles.

 For population 25 years and over in Goliad

• High school or higher: 66.8%
• Bachelor's degree or higher: 12.2%
• Graduate or professional degree: 4.4%
• Unemployed: 3.7%
• Mean travel time to work: 22.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Goliad city

• Never married: 21.6%
• Now married: 58.3%
• Separated: 2.6%
• Widowed: 9.7%
• Divorced: 7.8%

74 residents are foreign born (2.8% Latin America, 0.7% Europe).

 Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000:

  Average household size:

Percentage of family households:

Percentage of households with unmarried partners:

 Residents with income below the poverty level in 2007:

Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2007:

 Goliad compared to Texas state average:

• Unemployed percentage below state average.
• Hispanic race population percentage significantly above state average.
• Foreign-born population percentage significantly above state average.
• Institutionalized population percentage significantly above state average.
• Number of college students below state average.
• Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average.

County Demographics

County population in July 2007: 7,154 (all rural)
County owner-occupied houses and condos: 2,122
Renter-occupied apartments: 522

Land area: 854 sq. mi.
Water area: 5.8 sq. mi.

2008 cost of living index in Goliad County: 76.3 Industries providing employment: Educational, health and social services (19.0%), Construction (12.1%), Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining (11.3%), Retail trade (10.1%).Type of workers:

• Private wage or salary: 62%
• Government: 23%
• Self-employed, not incorporated: 14%
• Unpaid family work: 1%

Races in Goliad County, Texas:

• White Non-Hispanic (59.4%)
• Hispanic (35.2%)
• Other race (10.0%)
• Black (4.8%)
• Two or more races (1.7%)
• American Indian (1.0%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)  

Average wage per job in 2003: $24,214
County population in 2003: 7,150
Jobs in 2003: 1,466

Total labor force in 2004: 3,379
Unemployment rate in 2004: 5.7%

Average household size:

Estimated median household income in 2007: $40,729 ($34,201 in 1999)

Median contract rent in 2007 for apartments: $295 (lower quartile is $177, upper quartile is $397)

Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $113,495 (it was $61,800 in 2000)

Lower value quartile - upper value quartile: $47,431 - $151,292

Mean price in 2007:Detached houses: $182,674

Townhouses or other attached units: $137,150

In 2-unit structures: $70,432

In 3-to-4-unit structures: $87,641

Mobile homes: $46,281

Occupied boats, RVs, vans, etc.: $51,923

Median monthly housing costs for homes and condos with a mortgage: $1,124
Median monthly housing costs for units without a mortgage: $314

Institutionalized population: 109 Residents with income below the poverty level in 2007:

Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2007:

Schools

Goliad Elementary School (Pre-K/Headstart – 3^rd grade)
Phone: 361-645-3206
P.O. Box 830
142 W. High St.
Goliad, TX 77963 

Goliad Intermediate School (4^th – 6^th grade)
Phone: 361-645-3206
P.O. Box 830
142 W. High St.
Goliad, TX 77963

 Goliad Middle School (7^th & 8^th grade)
Phone: 361-645-3146
P.O. Box 830
659 N. Tiger Dr.
Goliad, TX 77963

Goliad Special Education Cooperative
Phone:  361-645-8229
Toll Free: 800-750-9911
Fax: 361-645-2589
314 E. Pearl
Goliad, TX 77963   

Visit www.goliadisd.org for more information and school happenings.