View source for San Felipe, Texas

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = San Felipe, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = San Felipe TX Post Office.jpg
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = San Felipe Post Office
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-SanFelipe.PNG
| mapsize            = 280px
| map_caption        = Location of San Felipe, Texas
| image_map1         = Austin SanFelipe.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Austin County, Texas|Austin]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = November 18, 1837<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SrUwAQAAMAAJ&q=Texas+%22act+to+incorporate+the+City+of%22+%22be+it+enacted%22+-amend+-repeal&pg=RA1-PA21 |title = Laws of the Republic of Texas|author1 = Texas|year = 1838}}</ref>

<!-- Area -->| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{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}}</ref>
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 22.42
| area_land_km2      = 21.65
| area_water_km2     = 0.77
| area_total_sq_mi   = 8.82
| area_land_sq_mi    = 8.52
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.30

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 691
| population_density_km2 = auto

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 47
| elevation_ft       = 154
| coordinates        = {{coord|29|47|40|N|96|6|17|W|region:US-TX|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 77473
| area_code          = [[Area code 979|979]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-65372<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1346329<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|1346329|San Felipe|2026-02-24}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|townofsanfelipe.net}}
| footnotes          = 
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
}}
'''San Felipe''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|s|æ|n|_|f|ᵻ|ˈ|l|iː|p}} {{respell|SAN|_|fi|LEEP}}), also known as '''San Felipe de Austin''', is a town in [[Austin County, Texas]], United States. The town was the social, economic, and political center of the early [[Stephen F. Austin]] colony. Its population was 691 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web |title=San Felipe town, Texas  {{!}}  Total Population in San Felipe town, Texas |url=https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=San%20Felipe%20town,%20Texas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200210230746/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4865372 |archive-date=February 10, 2020 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder}}</ref>

==History==
In 1823, John McFarland operated a ferry on the Brazos River near this location. In the fall of the same year, the site was chosen by Stephen F. Austin, with the help of [[Felipe Enrique Neri, Baron de Bastrop]], to be the main site in Texas for American colonization. Founded in 1824 as San Felipe de Austin, the town served as the capital of Stephen F. Austin's first colony and the founding site of the [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]].<ref name=HTO>{{cite web | last=Jackson | first=Charles Christopher | title=San Felipe de Austin, TX | url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/san-felipe-de-austin-tx | access-date=April 24, 2023}}</ref>

By 1828, San Felipe had been surveyed, with ''Calle Commercio'' laid out as the main commercial street. Austin and his secretary, [[Samuel May Williams]], both resided in log cabins on the square. Of about 30 buildings, at least one was a wood-framed structure. Also on the square was the tavern of Jonathan Peyton.<ref>{{cite book|page=[https://archive.org/details/samuelmaywilliam00hens/page/16 16]|author=Margaret Swett Henson|title=Samuel May Williams: Early Texas Entrepreneur|url=https://archive.org/details/samuelmaywilliam00hens|url-access=registration|publisher=Texas A & M University Press|location=College Station, TX|year=1976|isbn=9780890960097}}</ref> Starting in 1830, [[James (Jack) Cummins]] operated a nearby lumber mill and grist mill, and about the same time, settlers raised livestock in  the area.<ref name=HTO/>

By 1835, the town's population had increased to around 600.<ref name=HTO/>

It was home to the first post office and one of the earliest newspapers and land offices in Texas. San Felipe was second only to [[San Antonio]] as a commercial center of Texas.

The Texas conventions of 1832 and 1833 and the [[Consultation (Texas)|Consultation]] of November 3, 1835, were held here. San Felipe acted as the capital for the provisional government of Texas until the Convention of 1836. The town was burned in 1836 to prevent the Mexican army from capturing it, and rebuilt a few years later, but never regained its popularity. The oldest post office in Texas is located here (ZIP code 77473).<ref>Charles Christopher Jackson, "SAN FELIPE DE AUSTIN, TX," Handbook of Texas Online (https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hls10), accessed May 31, 2011. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.</ref>

Local residents dedicated the original townsite as a commemorative site in 1928. In 1940, the town of San Felipe donated most of the original townsite property to the state, which is now the [[San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site]].

==Geography==
San Felipe is located in eastern Austin County at {{Coord|29|47|40|N|96|6|17|W|type:city}}, along the west bank of the [[Brazos River]]. The town limits extend south below [[Interstate 10 in Texas|Interstate 10]], with access at Exit 723. [[Sealy, Texas|Sealy]] is {{convert|3|mi|0}} to the west, and downtown [[Houston]] is {{convert|46|mi}} to the east. Stephen F. Austin State Park is located in the northern part of the town.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|8.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|0.3|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}} is covered by water.<ref>{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer Files 2016-Places-Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html|website=US Census|access-date=January 11, 2017}}</ref>

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], San Felipe has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=61814&cityname=San+Felipe%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for San Felipe, Texas]</ref>

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
| 1880 = 156
| 1890 = 177
| 1900 = 241
| 1910 = 206
| 1920 = 451
| 1930 = 313
| 1940 = 305
| 1950 = 296
| 1960 = 367
| 1970 = 422
| 1980 = 532
| 1990 = 618
| 2000 = 868
| 2010 = 747
| 2020 = 691
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{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}}</ref>
}}

The population of the town was 747 at the 2010 census.

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 868 people, 312 households, and 234 families resided in the town. The population density was {{convert|103.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 347 housing units averaged 41.5/sq&nbsp;mi (16.0/km<sup>2</sup>). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the town was 60.83% White, 34.56% African American, 0.35% Native American, 3.00% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 9.45% of the population.

Of the 312 households, 29.8% had children under 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were not families. About 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the town, the population was distributed as 27.8% under 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $38,203, and for a family was $43,558. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $22,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $17,169. About 9.1% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
San Felipe is served by the [[Sealy Independent School District]].

==Notable people==

* [[Stephen F. Austin]], founder of the Austin Colony and "Father of Texas"
* [[Angelina Eberly]], gained fame in the "Archives War", fought to keep the capital (then Austin) from being moved.
* [[William Barret Travis]], attorney and Texian revolutionary, Texian commander of the Alamo
* [[Cedric Watson]], [[zydeco]] fiddle player

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|San Felipe, Texas}}
*[http://townofsanfelipe.net Town of San Felipe official website]
*[http://www.visitsanfelipedeaustin.com San Felipe de Austin State Historic Site]
*[http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/stephen-f-austin Stephen F. Austin State Park]
*[http://www.colonialcapitaloftexas.com Colonial Capital of Texas]

{{Austin County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Austin County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Texas]]
[[Category:Texas Revolution]]
[[Category:Republic of Texas]]
[[Category:Texas Ranger Division]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1823]]
[[Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1823]]
[[Category:1823 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Capitals of former countries]]