The small but growing town of Helotes is in the Texas Hill Country and is roughly 15 miles northwest of San Antonio. Native American tribes had been living and hunting on the land for thousands of years. By the 1830s, European settlers began to establish a small farming and ranching community. In 1858, a Scottish immigrant purchased land that would become the original site of Helotes. In 1880, a Swiss immigrant named Arnold Gugger bought the land from the Scottish immigrant's family. He built a home and a store, and the town of Helotes was launched.
For the next 100 years, Helotes continued to operate like a small town until San Antonio's urban sprawl began to infringe on the town's independence. In October 1981, Helotes became an incorporated city, which helped to maintain its rugged country independence. Today, Helotes has a population of just over 9,000 residents.
Helotes is in an area with fertile valleys where vast quantities of corn were planted and harvested. Native American tribes planted corn in the area for centuries, and feed corn was a significant crop among the European farmers and ranchers who settled the area. No one knows who came up with the name of the city, but Helotes is like the Spanish word "elote," which means "corn cob."
Every year since 1966, Helotes has held the annual Cornyval Festival and Parade to celebrate the town's historical ties to corn. This four-day springtime festival takes place on over 44 acres of land that is owned by the Helotes Festival Association. Some of the events include a rodeo, a 5K run, a Miss Helotes pageant, a carnival, and a parade that runs through the town. The site has a pavilion with an area for dancing, a rodeo arena, an office building, and permanent booths for local vendors to sell their products. Organizations can rent the property throughout the year to host their events.
In 2011, Helotes completed the renovations to its Old Town section, which has helped revitalize the downtown area. Some of the renovated buildings include John T. Floore's Country Store, L&M Feed and Supply, First Baptist Church of Helotes, and Helotes General Store. The Historical Society of Helotes offers a short walking tour through the town that features 11 historically significant buildings, some of which date back to 1859. There are also plenty of modern shopping centers, restaurants, and entertainment venues in town and throughout the area.
Helotes is home to three established parks and open recreational areas. The Iron Horse Canyon Natural Area is a 54-acre that features walking trails and lighted picnic areas. Located near the Iron Horse Canyon Natural Area is the Helotes Fitness Park where people can participate in a variety of outdoor physical activities. There is also the Helotes City Park and Playground.
Helotes is a town that has a nice blend of environmental consciousness, historic preservation, economic prosperity, and modernization. The town has been recognized for its standard of living, which includes:
• 2013 Best Small Town in Texas to Raise Kids, Bloomberg BusinessWeek
• 2017 Ten Most Successful Cities in Texas, Zippia
• 2019 Old Town Helotes is the Coolest Secret Location in Texas, Reader's Digest
The Helotes/San Antonio area was also named one of the top five places in America for military retirees to find a second career.
Helotes has the image of a sleepy rural country town, but there are plenty of employment opportunities in the area. Finance and insurance, healthcare and social services, and education are the largest industries in Helotes. Other industries include professional services, science, technology, and real estate. Employees who commute have an average commute time of about 30 minutes. Nearly 30 percent of these workers have a "super commute" that is 90 minutes or more. The median household income in Helotes is $114,063, which is more than double the median income of Texas and the U.S as a whole. And the homeownership rate in Helotes is over 93 percent.
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