Eldorado, Texas

{{short description|City in and county seat of Schleicher County, Texas, United States}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name =

| official_name = Eldorado, Texas

| settlement_type = City

| nickname =

| motto =

| image_skyline = Eldorado, TX sign IMG_1394.JPG

| imagesize = 250px

| image_caption = Eldorado welcome sign

| image_flag =

| image_seal =

| image_map = TXMap-doton-Eldorado.PNG

| mapsize = 250px

| map_caption = Location of Eldorado, Texas

| image_map1 = Schleicher County Eldorado.svg

| mapsize1 = 250px

| map_caption1 =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = Texas

| subdivision_type2 = County

| subdivision_name2 = Schleicher

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = Mayor–council

| governing_body = City Council

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = George Arispe

| established_title =

| established_date =

| unit_pref = Imperial

| area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}

| area_magnitude =

| area_total_km2 = 3.61

| area_land_km2 = 3.61

| area_water_km2 = 0.00

| area_total_sq_mi = 1.39

| area_land_sq_mi = 1.39

| area_water_sq_mi = 0.00

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 1574

| population_density_km2 = auto

| timezone = Central (CST)

| utc_offset = -6

| timezone_DST = CDT

| utc_offset_DST = -5

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m = 743

| elevation_ft = 2438

| coordinates = {{coord|30|51|39|N|100|35|54|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}

| postal_code_type = ZIP code

| postal_code = 76936

| area_code = 325

| blank_name = FIPS code

| blank_info = 48-22960{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}

| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

| blank1_info = 1356891{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=2007-10-25}}

| website = [http://www.eldoradotexas.us/ http://www.eldoradotexas.us/]

| footnotes =

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

}}

Eldorado ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|ɛ|l|d|ə|ˈ|r|ɑː|d|oʊ}} {{respell|EL|də|RAH|doh}}, {{IPAc-en|-|ˈ|r|eɪ|d|oʊ}} -{{respell|RAY|doh}}) is the only city in and the county seat of Schleicher County, Texas, United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |language=en|publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }} The population was 1,574 at the 2020 census. Eldorado is located on U.S. Highway 277, some {{convert|21|mi|km}} north of Sonora and {{convert|43|mi|km}} south of San Angelo, Texas.

Geography

Eldorado is located at {{coord|30|51|39|N|100|35|54|W|type:city}} (30.860746, −100.598329).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km{{sup|2}}), all land.

=Climate=

{{Weather box

| single line = Y

| location = Eldorado, Texas (1991–2020)

| Jan high F =57.7

| Feb high F =62.6

| Mar high F =70.0

| Apr high F =78.1

| May high F =84.8

| Jun high F =90.6

| Jul high F =92.7

| Aug high F =93.1

| Sep high F =86.4

| Oct high F =77.7

| Nov high F =66.1

| Dec high F =59.4

| Jan mean F =44.9

| Feb mean F =49.2

| Mar mean F =56.3

| Apr mean F =64.1

| May mean F =72.0

| Jun mean F =78.3

| Jul mean F =80.5

| Aug mean F =80.6

| Sep mean F =74.3

| Oct mean F =65.0

| Nov mean F =53.8

| Dec mean F =46.7

| Jan low F =32.2

| Feb low F =35.8

| Mar low F =42.6

| Apr low F =50.1

| May low F =59.2

| Jun low F =66.1

| Jul low F =68.3

| Aug low F =68.1

| Sep low F =62.2

| Oct low F =52.3

| Nov low F =41.4

| Dec low F =34.1

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch =0.84

| Feb precipitation inch =1.14

| Mar precipitation inch =1.43

| Apr precipitation inch =1.49

| May precipitation inch =2.89

| Jun precipitation inch =2.15

| Jul precipitation inch =1.74

| Aug precipitation inch =2.56

| Sep precipitation inch =2.56

| Oct precipitation inch =2.76

| Nov precipitation inch =1.23

| Dec precipitation inch =1.11

| Jan snow inch =0.6

| Feb snow inch =0.3

| Mar snow inch =0.0

| Apr snow inch =0.0

| May snow inch =0.0

| Jun snow inch =0.0

| Jul snow inch =0.0

| Aug snow inch =0.0

| Sep snow inch =0.0

| Oct snow inch =0.0

| Nov snow inch =0.0

| Dec snow inch =0.2

| source = NOAA{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/#dataset=normals-monthly&timeframe=30&station=USC00412809 |title=NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access |publisher=NOAA |access-date=2025-04-05 }}

}}

Demographics

= 2020 census =

class="wikitable"

|+Eldorado racial composition{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4822960&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |website=data.census.gov}}
(NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.https://www.census.gov {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}}}

!Race

!Number

!Percentage

White (NH)

|480

|30.5%

Black or African American (NH)

|15

|0.95%

Native American or Alaska Native (NH)

|0.19%

Asian (NH)

|0.38%

Pacific Islander (NH)

|0.13%

Some Other Race (NH)

|0.38%

Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)

|15

|0.95%

Hispanic or Latino

|1,047

|66.52%

Total

|1,574

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,574 people, 791 households, and 544 families residing in the city.

=2000 census=

{{US Census population|align=left

| 1930 = 1404

| 1940 = 1530

| 1950 = 1663

| 1960 = 1815

| 1970 = 1446

| 1980 = 2061

| 1990 = 2019

| 2000 = 1951

| 2010 = 1951

| 2020 = 1574

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the census of 2000, 1,951 people, 712 households, and 513 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,408|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 838 housing units at an average density of {{convert|604.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 70.63% White, 2.15% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 24.24% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 53.92% of the population.

Of the 712 households, 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were not families. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the city, the population was distributed as 30.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,682, and for a family was $30,781. Males had a median income of $26,172 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,994. About 20.8% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.6% of those under age 18 and 26.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Eldorado is served by the Schleicher County Independent School District.

At the end of the 2007–2008 school year, the state of Texas ruled Eldorado High School as "Academically Unacceptable".{{cite web |url=http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2008/multiyearAU.pdf |title=Districts and Campuses that have been Academically Unacceptable for One or More Consecutive Years|language=en|access-date=2008-09-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821230440/http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2008/multiyearAU.pdf |archive-date=2008-08-21 }} However, in 2010 the school was determined to be "Academically Acceptable".

Yearning for Zion Ranch

Eldorado was the nearest city to the Yearning for Zion Ranch (YFZ Ranch), the headquarters of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints headed by convicted sex offender felon Warren Jeffs. More than 400 children were removed from the compound in April 2008 by Texas Child Protective Services.{{cite news | url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89395841 |title=400 Kids Taken From Polygamist Compound |language=en|publisher=The Associated Press |date=2008-04-07|access-date=2008-04-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409102419/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89395841 |archive-date=2008-04-09}} Hundreds of children were taken into custody and temporarily placed into foster homes. The children were returned to their mothers shortly afterward.{{cite news | url=http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080503/D90E1EFO1.html | title=Warrant dropped against man named in polygamist retreat raid |language=en|publisher=The Associated Press | date=2008-05-03|access-date = 2008-05-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506071919/http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080503/D90E1EFO1.html|archive-date=2008-05-06}} In 2018, the YFZ Ranch was sold off and closed.

Media portrayals

The movie El Dorado, starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, takes place in a fictional "El Dorado" during the late 1800s. The real town of Eldorado did not exist until 1895, well after the date of John Wayne's fictional adventure. Eldorado, and The Eldorado Success was shown in the 2022 Netflix documentary "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" about the FLDS community.