Located on the Edwards Plateau, Menard County is a quiet area consisting of less than 1000 square miles and with a population of approximately 2,300, mostly living in the county seat, Menard.
The earliest inhabitants of Menard County were Native Americans, who settled the area as early as 8,000 BCE. In 1757, the Presidio San Luis de las Amaryllis was founded as a support for the nearby Santa Cruz de Sabà Mission, and by the 1830s, the area’s most famous legend was created.
James and Rezin Bowie sought a silver mine in the 1830s that was purported to be in the area. They never found it, and the legend of the Lost Bowie Mine was born, which has sparked the imagination of treasure hunters for more than 150 years.
The county was created in 1858, but not organized until 1871, and named for Michel Branamour Menard, the founder of Galveston, Texas.
Menard County enjoys a subtropical climate, with a long growing season averaging 220 days, and an average rainfall of 22 inches. The area is rich in wildlife, including deer, turkey, coyote, bobcat, and a wide variety of reptiles, birds, and fish.
Mineral resources include dolomite, oil, and natural gas.
Menard County’s economy is centered on ranching, with cattle, goats, and sheep providing the greatest returns. Along the San Sabà river, agriculture flourishes as well. Of course, Menard County isn’t all work and no play; the economy enjoys a healthy boost from tourism related to hunting, fishing, and visitors to historic sites like the ruins of the Spanish presidio and For McKavett.
Menard County may be small and intimate, but it boasts a healthy economy with plenty of room for new growth.