Big Country, Few People

Yesterday's pictures were taken along US 77 at the "exit" to Sarita, Texas. Sarita is the county seat of Kenedy County. There are barely more than 400 residents in Kenedy County, and with 1946 square miles of territory, the population density is approximately one-quarter person per square mile (0.28 at the 2000 census). There are over 100 times as many cattle as there are people.


There is only one highway in the county, US 77 which traverses Kenedy north and south. At any given moment, the number of persons in vehicles traveling through the county doubtless more than doubles the population. But they don't get to be counted. Nor pay taxes. Yes, there is a public school system. Sarita Elementary (k - 6) serves almost the entire county.



The (in)famous Dick Cheney hunting incident took place in Kenedy County.