Cofran's Texas . . .
Hill Country Portal

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

CITY: Unincorporated

CHAMBER & TOURISM:

• Frio Canyon Chamber Of Commerce: Ofc: 830-232-5222; POB 743, Leakey, TX 78873. friocanyonchamber.com; info@leakey-tx.com
• Frio River Canyon Region: Fun river-centered activities on the Frio River near Concan, Rio Frio, and Leakey and near Garner State Park. funrivers.com
• Hill Country River Region: 830-591-1065; Concan, TX 78838. hillcountryrivers.com. Fun activities in the Sabinal Canyon, Rio Frio Canyon and Nueces Canyon, near Concan, Utopia, Garner State Park and close to the edge of the Hill Country in Uvalde and Sabinal
• Visitors Guide: leakey-tx.com
• Small Town Research Project: Article

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:

FRIO CANYON AREA:

• Frio Canyon Chamber of Commerce: 830-232-5222
  POB 743, Leakey, TX 78873
  friocanyonchamber.com, contact@friocanyonchamber.com
  Serves: Leakey, Concan and Rio Frio area.


• Frio River Canyon:
  Fun river-centered activities on the Frio River near Concan, Rio Frio, and Leakey
  and near Garner State Park.
  funrivers.com


• Texas Hill Country River Region (THCRR): See details at Uvalde.

NEIGHBORING TOWNS: 12 mi N of Concan, 16 mi W of Utopia, 26 mi SW of Vanderpool

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS: River recreation, ranching

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: See full details in Directory below.

• Frio River Tubing & Water Sports
• Camping & Hunting
• Landmark Oak Tree: On RR-1120, Rio Frio. The nation's largest Texas Live Oak tree. This ancient live oak is a bearing point from which all land in the town of Rio Frio has been platted since the beginning of this town. See Famous Trees of Texas Profile
• Lombardy Irrigation Ditch: Dug by pioneers to water their crops.

NEARBY & HILL COUNTRY-WIDE ATTRACTIONS: See Attractions.
Some of the very nearby attractions include:

• Concan: Frio Bat Cave; Frio River Fun
• Leakey: Wildlife Art Museum; Real County Historical Museum; Frio River Water Recreation; Twisted Sisters Scenic Drives & Motorcycle Routes
• Utopia: Sabinal Canyon Museum; Golf; River Water Recreation
• Vanderpool: Lone Star Motorcycle Museum

PARKS: There are many state, county and local parks in the greater area as profiled on the Parks page. These nearby and local parks include:

• Concan: Frio Bat Cave: See full details below and at: Bats
• Concan: Garner State Park
• Concan: Kyle Park
• Kickapoo: Kickapoo Cavern State Park: Just W Of Camp Wood & Leakey, And Just Outside The Hill Country
• Rocksprings: Devil's Sinkhole & Bat Cave
• Vanderpool: Lost Maples State Natural Area

EVENT CALENDARS: Festivals & Major Events; Local Activities & Fun Things To Do; Farmer & Flea Market Days; Specialty & Seasonal Market Days; Art & Galleries; Quilting & Fiber Arts; Car Shows; Motorcycling Events; Beer & Brewing; Wine; Pet Events

WEATHER: Local Weather; Hill Country-wide Weather

MEDIA COVERAGE: See full details in Directory below.

• On-Line News: Google News
• Newspapers: Leakey Star Newspaper, 830-232-7827, theleakeystaronline.com. Published bi-weekly
• Radio/TV, Articles & Videos:

MAPS: Local Google; Hill Country Special Maps

HISTORY: Handbook of Texas Online:"It was first settled between 1856 and 1860; many of the settlers had previously resided farther north up the Frio canyon at Leakey. One early settler was Theophilus Watkins, who arrived in 1867. The next year Watkins, F. Smith, and Newman Patterson initiated construction of a gravity-flow irrigation canal which operated for a century. In 1874 these three filed for a charter for the Lombardy Irrigation Company, which was granted the following year, at which time a post office was also established. Cotton, corn, oats, tobacco, and wheat were raised on the small irrigated tracts, whose Onrs assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the canal with the acquisition of the land. The importance of farming to the region has waned, however, due in large part to the appearance of the boll weevil in the early twentieth century. Farming has been supplanted by ranching, and in particular the raising of Angora goats. The town's cotton gin, the last in Real County, closed before the end of World War I, and Rio Frio resident Bob Davis, a charter member and the first president of the Texas Angora Goat Raisers Association, was extremely influential in the development of the Angora industry in Texas during this period. A school was established at Rio Frio by 1871, and Andrew Jackson Potter preached at the site as early as 1859. However, it was not until 1920 that a Baptist church was built, where services were held for both the Baptist and Methodist congregations. In the 1940s the Rio Frio Baptist congregation merged with the Leakey Baptist Church, and the Methodist residents transferred their memberships to other area churches. The building at Rio Frio was then converted into a mission serving the Mexican and Mexican-American tenant farmers and migrant ranch workers whose labor has sustained the local economy, commencing with the construction of the Lombardy Irrigation Canal. The town's estimated population, which has never exceeded seventy-five, was listed as fifty in 1985 through 2000."

PRIOR CITY NAMES:

HISTORICAL MARKERS:

CEMETERIES:

AVAILABLE SERVICES: Gas: no; Convenience Stores: no; Restaurants: no; Lodging: no; Grocery Stores: no; Banks: no; Vehicle Repair: no; Hospital: no; Med Clinic: no; Post Office: no; Public Schools: no; Cemetery:

OTHER PROFILES: City Data (not available); Texas Escapes; Wikipedia

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BUSINESS & ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY




NEW BEGINNINGS IN CHRIST: 830-232-5221; 5947 RR-1120, Rio Frio, TX 78879

(The) RIO FRIO CHURCH: 830-486-5065; RR-1120, Rio Frio, TX 78879. Facebook Plans are underway to restore and refurbish this hundred year old structure. It will be a historic setting for weddings, funerals, and other civic events.

EMERGENCIES
(Police, Fire, EMS/Medical)
Dial 911

LOCAL CITY GOVERNMENT: Unincorporated

LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT: See: Real County Government Offices

STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: For offices that represent the Hill Country,
see: Texas & Federal Government Offices

US POSTAL SERVICE (USPS): 800-275-8777; usps.com
Local post office: 830-232-5262; 5615 RR-1120, Rio Frio, TX 78879-9998

CRISIS HOTLINES: click Hotlines-Emergencies

DAY & SEASON HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES:

See full list of leases for this town at: Hunting & Fishing.




COLD SPRINGS: 830-232-6699; 1101 Cold Springs, Rio Frio, TX 78879

FRIO BLUFF CABINS: 830-232-4073; 6550 US-83 & RR-1120 S, Rio Frio, TX 78879. friobluffcabins.com

FRIO FALLS RETREAT CABINS & RV PARK: 830-232-6362; RR-1120, Rio Frio, TX 78879

RIO BELLA RESORT: 830-232-4781; 3088 RR-1120, Rio Frio, TX 78879. riobella.com

RIO FRIO BED N BREAKFAST: 830-966-2320; FM-1050, Rio Frio, TX 78879

RIO FRIO LODGING: 830-966-2320; FM-1050, Rio Frio, TX 78879. 5 mi E of US-83

RIVER BLUFF CABINS: 830-232-5775; 389 Cooper Mountain Rd, Rio Frio, TX 78879. riverbluffcabins.com

RIVER HAVEN: 866-232-5400; Rio Frio, TX 78879. Frio River

TREEHOUSE BED & BIRD: 830-232-6666; 355 Uvalde CR 351-A, Rio Frio, TX 78879. treehousebedandbird.com

Note: Check RV Parks below for availability of cabins, guest houses and other accommodations.






AUTOCAD DESIGN & DRAFTING SERVICE: 979-421-0333; 190 RR-2748, Rio Frio, TX 78879. Rod Nodine, Designer

HILL COUNTRY ADVENTURES: 830-966-2320; Rio Frio, TX 78879. Office Located on FM-1050, 10 mi W of Utopia, TX or 5 mi Et of US-83 & Garner State Park. hillcountryadventures.com

HILL COUNTRY NATURE CENTER: 830-966-2320; Rio Frio, TX 78879. hillcountrynaturequest.com. Nature tours & adventures. Office Located on FM-1050, 10 miles W of Utopia, TX or 5 miles E of US-83 & Garner State Park. Free wi-fi

(The) LEAKEY STAR NEWSPAPER: 830-232-7827, POB 116, Rio Frio, TX 78879. theleakeystaronline.com. Published bi-weekly, online all the time




FRIO FALLS RETREAT CABINS & RV PARK: 830-232-6362; RR-1120, Rio Frio, TX 78879

NANA'S RV PARK: 830-232-4653; CR 350, Rio Frio, TX 78879. nanasrvparkonthefrio.com

PARKVIEW RIVERSIDE RV PARK: 877-374-6748; 830-232-4006; 2561 CR-350, Rio Frio, TX 78879. parkviewriversiderv.com. Lodging

CALL or e-Locate BEFORE YOU DIG!
Free Texas 811 Locator
1-800-344-8377
www.texas811.org

HILL COUNTRY-WIDE UTILITY PROVIDERS:

For Hill Country area utility service providers (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash),
telecom providers (land lines, cellular service, TV, internet), and related services (package delivery, newspaper, etc.), click: Utilities & Telecom

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