Comal County ( ) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 161,501. Comal County lies in the Texas German belt region, an area settled by German settlers in the 1800s, many cities and towns have German names, and many residents are descendents of the settlers. Its county seat is New Braunfels.

Comal County is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metropolitan statistical area.

Along with Hays and Kendall counties, Comal was listed in 2017 of the nation's 10 fastest-growing large counties with a population of at least 10,000. In 2017, Comal County was second on the list; it grew by 5,675 newcomers, or 4.4% from 2015 to 2016. Kendall County was the second-fastest growing county in the nation in 2015 to 2016, growing by 5.16%. Hays County, third on the national list, had nearly 10,000 new residents during the year. As a result of this growth, the counties have experienced new home construction, traffic congestion, and greater demand for public services. Bexar County, which includes San Antonio, grew by 1.75% during the year, but its number of new residents exceeded 33,000.

History

  • Early native American inhabitants include Tonkawa, Waco, Karankawa, and Lipan Apache.
  • 1700-1758 The area becomes known as "Comal", Mexican Spanish for "flat griddle". Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Mission at Comal Springs.
  • 1825 Coahuila y Tejas issues land grant for Comal Springs to Juan Martín de Veramendi.
  • 1842 Adelsverein organized in Germany to promote emigration to Texas. Fisher-Miller Land Grant sets aside three million acres (12,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) to settle 600 families and single men of German, Dutch, Swiss, Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian ancestry in Texas.
  • 1844, June 26 - Henry Francis Fisher sells interest in land grant to Adelsverein
  • 1845 Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels secures title to of the Veramendi grant, including the Comal Springs and River, for the Adelsverein. Thousands of German immigrants are stranded at port of disembarkation Indianaola on Matagorda Bay. With no food or shelters, living in holes dug into the ground, an estimated 50% die from disease or starvation. The living begin to walk to their destinations hundreds of miles away. 200 German colonists who walked from Indianola found the town of New Braunfels at the crossing of the San Antonio-Nacogdoches Road on the Guadalupe River. John O. Meusebach arrives in Galveston.
  • 1846 March - Texas legislature forms Comal County from the Eighth Precinct of Bexar County. New Braunfels is the county seat.
  • 1850 Survey of 130 German farms in Comal reveals no slave laborers.
  • 1854 County is divided into eight public school districts.
  • 1858 Final county boundaries determination with the separation of part of western Comal County to Blanco and Kendall counties. New Braunfels votes in a school tax.
  • 1898 Comal County limestone courthouse erected. Romanesque Revival style. Architect James Riely Gordon.
  • 1920s County establishes itself as a manufacturing and shipping center for textiles, garments, flour, and construction materials.
  • 1961 Comal's first Wurstfest draws a crowd of 2,000.
  • 1964 Canyon Lake impoundment, boosting tourism and related industries.

Darmstadt Society of Forty

Count Castell of the Adelsverein negotiated with the separate Darmstadt Society of Forty to colonize 200 families on the Fisher–Miller Land Grant territory in Texas. In return, they were to receive $12,000 in money, livestock, and equipment, and provisions for a year. After the first year, the colonies were expected to support themselves. The colonies attempted were Castell, Leiningen, Bettina, Schoenburg, and Meerholz in Llano County; Darmstädler Farm in Comal County; and Tusculum in Kendall County. Of these, only Castell survives. The colonies failed after the Adelsverein funding expired, and also due to conflict of structure and authorities. Some members moved to other Adelsverein settlements in Texas. Others moved elsewhere, or returned to Germany.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (2.7%) are covered by water.

The Balcones Escarpment runs northeastward through the county, generally just west of Interstate 35. West of the escarpment are the rocky hills and canyons of the Texas Hill Country; to the east are the rolling grasslands of the coastal plains.

The Guadalupe River flows generally southeastward through the county, and is impounded by Canyon Lake. The Comal River rises from the Comal Springs in New Braunfels, and quickly joins the Guadalupe River.

Adjacent counties

  • Hays County (north)
  • Blanco County (northwest)
  • Guadalupe County (southeast)
  • Bexar County (southwest)
  • Kendall County (west)

Transportation

Major highways

  • 20px Interstate 35
  • 25px U.S. Highway 281
  • 20px State Highway 46
  • 20px Loop 337

Airports

  • [https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/avn/airport_directory/baz.pdf] New Braunfels
  • [https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/avn/airport_directory/1t7.pdf] Spring Branch (Kestrel)

Demographics