In the Community
HELOTES -- Gateway to the Texas Hill Country.
The name “Helotes” may stem from the Mexican/Central American Spanish word for stalk corn or corn on the cob, “elote” which was cultivated in the area or according to one "old cowboy" it stems from the Mexican/Indian word guajolotes (wa-ho-lo-tes) which means-"wild turkeys" as the area of Government Canyon is even now known for its wild turkey flocks. Regardless of the origin of its name, Helotes was originally a small stagecoach stop between San Antonio and Bandera (The Cowboy Capital). A post office opened at Helotes in 1873, and by 1885 the community had a hotel, a school, a general store, a blacksmith, and a population of fifty. By 1914 its population had climbed to 700. Between 1930 and 1945 the number of residents fell to 100, but since the 1960s Helotes has grown steadily. It is now one of the ten fastest growing areas in the US!
Home of CORNYVAL
Since the 1800s, and recently as the early 1950s, feed corn was a major farming crop in northwest Bexar County and South Texas. CORNYVAL is the festival that celebrates this heritage annually in Helotes on the first weekend in May. In addition to the Miss Helotes Scholarship pageant, the Helotes Cornyval combines four days of food, dancing, music, rodeo, arts and crafts, a parade, golf tournament, carnival and contests such as corn-eating, seed-spitting, hog-calling, and cow-chip-tossing.
The name “Helotes” may stem from the Mexican/Central American Spanish word for stalk corn or corn on the cob, “elote” which was cultivated in the area or according to one "old cowboy" it stems from the Mexican/Indian word guajolotes (wa-ho-lo-tes) which means-"wild turkeys" as the area of Government Canyon is even now known for its wild turkey flocks. Regardless of the origin of its name, Helotes was originally a small stagecoach stop between San Antonio and Bandera (The Cowboy Capital). A post office opened at Helotes in 1873, and by 1885 the community had a hotel, a school, a general store, a blacksmith, and a population of fifty. By 1914 its population had climbed to 700. Between 1930 and 1945 the number of residents fell to 100, but since the 1960s Helotes has grown steadily. It is now one of the ten fastest growing areas in the US!
Home of CORNYVAL
Since the 1800s, and recently as the early 1950s, feed corn was a major farming crop in northwest Bexar County and South Texas. CORNYVAL is the festival that celebrates this heritage annually in Helotes on the first weekend in May. In addition to the Miss Helotes Scholarship pageant, the Helotes Cornyval combines four days of food, dancing, music, rodeo, arts and crafts, a parade, golf tournament, carnival and contests such as corn-eating, seed-spitting, hog-calling, and cow-chip-tossing.
INCORPORATED - October 1981
LOCATION - 12 miles Northwest of downtown San Antonio on Texas Hwy. 16/Bandera Road
SIZE - 6.71 square miles (as of 06/07)
POPULATION - 4,285 (U.S. Census 2000)
MILES OF STREETS - 33.05 (as of 06/07)