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TEXAS, USA |
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JEWISH
PALACIOS, TEXAS:
- JEWISH
CEMETERIES

Pier on the waterfront of
Palacios, TX. Photo:
Matamaniac
Palacios ( /pəˈlæʃəs/
pə-lash-əs)
is a city in
Matagorda County,
Texas,
United States. The population was
5,153 at the 2000 census.
Etymology
Popular local legend states that the area was
named Tres Palacios ("Three Palaces") several centuries ago by
shipwrecked Spanish sailors who claimed they saw a vision of three
palaces on the bay. Historians believe it was more likely named for
José Félix Trespalacios, an early
Mexican governor of Texas. The town was originally called
Trespalacios, but shortened its name due to a nearby post office
already using the longer version. The name is pronounced to rhyme
with "splashes," unlike the original Spanish pronunciation.
Geography
Palacios is located on the
Gulf Coast at
28°42′33″N
96°13′3″W
/ 28.70917°N
96.2175°W
/ 28.70917; -96.2175
(28.709153, -96.217588),
about halfway between
Houston and
Corpus Christi. It is connected to
both cities by
State Highway 35.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the
city has a total area of 5.3 square miles (14 km2), of
which, 5.0 square miles (13 km2) of it is land and 0.2
square miles (0.52 km2) of it (4.36%) is water. It is
located on the shores of
Tres Palacios Bay,
an arm of
Matagorda Bay.
The Palacios area is known among
birders for its wide diversity of
bird life. Since 1997, as part of the 15-mile-diameter Matagorda
County-Mad Island Marsh count circle of the
National Audubon Society
Christmas Bird Count, it has
consistently reported more bird species than anywhere else in the
United States. On December 19, 2005, a record 250 species were
observed.
Climate
Palacios experiences a
humid subtropical climate. Average
daytime high temperatures range from
62 °F
(17 °C) in January to
90 °F
(32 °C) in August. Average
nighttime lows range from 44 °F
(7 °C) in winter to
77 °F
(25 °C) in summer.
Demographics
As of the
census
of 2000, there were 5,153 people, 1,661
households, and 1,244 families residing in the city. The
population density was 1,021.4
people per square mile (394.8/km²). There were 1,976 housing units
at an average density of 391.7 per square mile (151.4/km²). The
racial makeup of the city was 57.07%
White, 4.74%
African American, 0.68%
Native American, 12.13%
Asian, 22.36% from
other races, and 3.03% from two or
more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 51.19% of
the population.Palacios has an
unusually high percentage of Asian-Americans as it is home to a
large community of
Vietnamese immigrants and their
families. There is a section of town known to locals as the
Vietnamese Village.
There were 1,661 households out of which 44.7%
had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were
married couples living together,
13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1%
were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of
individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of
age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average
family size was 3.64.
In the city the population was spread out with
35.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44,
18.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 100.9
males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city
was $27,623, and the median income for a family was $35,518. Males
had a median income of $27,483 versus $21,875 for females. The
per capita income for the city was
$13,107. About 19.8% of families and 24.2% of the population were
below the
poverty line, including 28.9% of
those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Home to approximately 400 vessels, Palacios is
the third largest shrimping port on the Texas Gulf Coast and has
self proclaimed itself to be the "Shrimp Capital of Texas." The most
common industries are educational services, agriculture/fishing and
construction.
The area has also long been a major center
for energy production and the county is positioning itself as an
"energy cluster" for both conventional and alternative "green" power
generation, with over $3 billion in new construction undergoing
permitting as of 2011.
The local tourism industry is based on
fishing, boating, birding and eco-tourism opportunities.
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