La Vernia, Texas
The home of Realty Place. This eclectic and thriving community offers a warm “Howdy!” to whomever comes to town. Visitors who come in to enjoy the beautiful landscape full of countless oak trees and seas of bluebonnets end up choosing this place to call home.
Location:
La Vernia is located in the center of the Eagle Ford Shale Play, a significant economic driver of growth and development in the south central Texas area. It is also close to nearby Air Force bases, making it the perfect rural spot for military families to call home.
History:
The area was first inhabited by the Coahuiltecans. It then remained primarily unsettled until Texas Revolution veterans began settling in the area around 1850. W.R. Wiseman is said to have named the place Live Oak Grove, after a grove of trees nearby. However in 1859, to accommodate the Mexican, Polish, and German settlers, the town’s name was changed to La Vernia. In 1885, the small town grew even more to a population of 110 with three churches, a steam gristmill, and a cotton gin. In the 1890s, La Vernia’s population of 200 grew to 343 when railroad construction came to town in 1900.
In 1990, the population reached 639 with 36 businesses. Today, the lovely town continues to grow within city limits with its population of 1,453 and 145 businesses. However, the area surrounding La Vernia holds quite a bigger population, with 10,864 people.
Economy:
The economy in La Vernia is primarily agricultural, petroleum, and natural gas production. The largest employers within the city are the La Vernia Independent School District and the Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative. The highest percentage of employment is in retail trade.
La Vernia continues to have an authentic small town feel, partly due to the local businesses that make people feel like they’ve stepped back into time. Realty Place, owned by Cynthia Farmer, is one of many local businesses.
La Vernia’s cost of living is one of the lowest in the country. Living in La Vernia is comfortable and affordable with its well priced homes, below average utility, transportation, and health-care costs.
Activities:
Folks in La Vernia are friendly, making any visit to the numerous restaurants, stores, and boutiques extra enjoyable. The town also has several cultural centers and museums, offering some more entertainment. There are many ways to enjoy the beauty of South Texas, with the several outdoor venues perfect for hiking, fishing, and swimming. La Vernia is also home to many small-town-feel events, such as the annual 4th of July picnic in the park full of food trucks, live music, and vendors. La Vernia’s unique country location of just 35 miles from the hear of San Antonio also allows residents the opportunity to go into a big city for concerts and the Rodeo, and still come home to country skies and small-town relationships with others. In La Vernia, residents truly get the best of both country and city life.
Housing:
There is a wide variety of homes and living spaces to accommodate all lifestyles in La Vernia. Most home values range from $100,000 - $400,000.
Neighborhoods inside La Vernia city limits include: Bear Gardens, Country Gardens, Hillcrest, Silverado Hills, and Westover
Neighborhoods outside of La Vernia city limits include: Bridge Water Ranch, Copper Creek Estates, Country Hills, Deer Ridge, Eden Crossing, Estates of Eagle Creek, Legacy Ranch, Miller’s Cove, Miller’s Crossing, Oak Hollow, Oak Hollow Estates, Quail Run, Ranch Country Estates, Rosewood, The Park, The Reserve at Legacy Ranch, Triple R Ranch, Twin Oaks, and Vintage Oaks Ranch
