San Antonio / South Central
Guadalupe County, Texas
A porch-side guide to the county: the stories that give it a shape, practical local checks, and a few things worth knowing before they surprise you. Every note points to its source.
15 stories · 22 practical · 2 good to know
The practical part
Guadalupe County offices and deadlines
Appraisal district & tax office →
The Comptroller's official directory for Guadalupe County: who sets your value and who sends the bill.
Homestead exemption →
File Form 50-114 with the appraisal district. It is free. The regular deadline is April 30, and late filing is allowed for up to two years.
Protest your appraisal →
The usual deadline is May 15, or 30 days after your notice arrives, whichever is later.
Estimate a tax bill →
Model a bill from local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Start here
A little of what makes this place itself
Seguin · River Park
Max Starcke Park Keeps Seguin Close to the Guadalupe River
Seguin's Max Starcke Park is a 227-acre Guadalupe River park with trails, fishing, paddling access, an 18-hole golf course, a dog park, and picnic space on both banks.
Schertz · Nature Park
Crescent Bend Nature Park Puts Schertz on Cibolo Creek
Crescent Bend Nature Park is a 180-acre Schertz park with trails, two bird blinds, picnic areas, scout camping, and Cibolo Creek fishing access.
Seguin · Paddling
Lake Seguin Has a Beginner-Friendly Paddling Trail
The Lake Seguin paddling trail starts at Max Starcke Park West and is a four-mile route built for beginning or novice paddlers.
Practical Rainbow Trout Are Stocked in the Guadalupe River in Winter TPWD stocks rainbow trout in the Guadalupe River during cooler months, giving local anglers a rare cold-water fishing option. Practical Canyon Lake Is the County's Main Surface Water Source The Guadalupe River basin, including Canyon Lake, provides the main surface water supply for the county and surrounding region. Good to know A Barricade at a Guadalupe County Crossing Means Turn Around Floodwater at a Guadalupe County crossing can hide a washed-out roadbed; six inches of fast-moving water can make a driver lose control.
All 39 local notes
The full county shelf is mixed so stories and useful checks travel together. Use the filters when you need one kind.
Showing all 39 notes.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Max Starcke Park Keeps Seguin Close to the Guadalupe River Seguin's Max Starcke Park is a 227-acre Guadalupe River park with trails, fishing, paddling access, an 18-hole golf course, a dog park, and picnic space on both banks. Seguin
- Practical Outdoors Rainbow Trout Are Stocked in the Guadalupe River in Winter TPWD stocks rainbow trout in the Guadalupe River during cooler months, giving local anglers a rare cold-water fishing option.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Crescent Bend Nature Park Puts Schertz on Cibolo Creek Crescent Bend Nature Park is a 180-acre Schertz park with trails, two bird blinds, picnic areas, scout camping, and Cibolo Creek fishing access. Schertz
- Practical Home & Property Canyon Lake Is the County's Main Surface Water Source The Guadalupe River basin, including Canyon Lake, provides the main surface water supply for the county and surrounding region.
- Good to know Cars & Driving A Barricade at a Guadalupe County Crossing Means Turn Around Floodwater at a Guadalupe County crossing can hide a washed-out roadbed; six inches of fast-moving water can make a driver lose control.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Lake Seguin Has a Beginner-Friendly Paddling Trail The Lake Seguin paddling trail starts at Max Starcke Park West and is a four-mile route built for beginning or novice paddlers. Seguin
- Practical Home & Property The Guadalupe River Floods — Know Your Risk The Guadalupe River runs through the county and has a history of serious flooding, so buyers should check FEMA flood maps before purchasing.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Park West Gives Seguin a Big Active-Play Park Park West is Seguin's 48-acre active park with a splashpad, skatepark, trail, bike features, fields, and accessible play space. Seguin
- Practical Money & Taxes Match the Address Before Filing a Guadalupe Homestead Exemption A qualifying residence homestead removes part of a home's appraised value from taxation, and Guadalupe Appraisal District checks the address on the owner's Texas ID.
- Good to know Home & Property Kingsbury Metal Finishing Is in TCEQ Superfund Records TCEQ lists Kingsbury Metal Finishing in its Guadalupe County Superfund records.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Schlather Park Mixes Cibolo Family History With Trails Schlather Park in Cibolo combines walking trails, picnic areas, nature observation points, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Cibolo
- Practical Rules & Licenses County-Road Driveways Need Road and Bridge Review Guadalupe County Road and Bridge permits and inspects new driveways along county roads.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Walnut Springs Park Explains Seguin's Old Name Walnut Springs Park ties downtown Seguin to the cold springs that gave the town its first name, and to a piece of San Antonio River Walk history. Seguin
- Practical Outdoors Dove and Quail Hunting in Guadalupe County Guadalupe County sits near the boundary between dove hunting zones, and quail season runs from November through February.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Cibolo's Park System Is Small but Very Local Cibolo maintains about 200 acres of parkland across four city parks, with sports, picnic, pavilion, and play amenities. Cibolo
- Practical Outdoors Deer Hunting Rules for Guadalupe County Guadalupe County has specific deer bag limits and season dates that hunters need to know before heading out.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Veterans Memorial Park Is Both Playground and Civic Memory Cibolo's Veterans Memorial Park pairs active park amenities with memorial features for local military service members. Cibolo
- Practical Money & Taxes Ag Valuation: Lower Taxes for Working Land Land used for farming, ranching, or wildlife management can be taxed on its agricultural value instead of its full market value.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Guadalupe River State Park: Swimming and Camping Near the Hill Country Guadalupe River State Park offers four miles of river frontage for swimming, tubing, fishing, and camping about 30 miles from San Antonio.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Check Fire Marshal Permits Before Opening a Business A commercial project in unincorporated Guadalupe County may need Fire Marshal permitting before construction, renovation, or a change of occupancy.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Cotton, Cattle, and Crops: Guadalupe County's Farm Roots Farming and ranching shaped Guadalupe County from its earliest days, with cotton once dominating and diversified agriculture continuing today.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Get Marriage Records From the Guadalupe County Clerk The Guadalupe County Clerk keeps marriage records and now sells certified copies online, so you may not need to drive to Seguin at all.
- Stories & local character History & Culture German Settlers Shaped the County's Early Character German immigrants began arriving in Guadalupe County in the mid-1840s and made up a large share of the population by the late 1800s.
- Practical Money & Taxes MUDs and Special Districts Add to Your Tax Bill Parts of Guadalupe County, especially near Schertz and the fast-growing northeast, lie inside special districts that charge their own property taxes.
- Stories & local character History & Culture How Guadalupe County Was Created Guadalupe County was established in 1846, carved from parts of Bexar and Gonzales counties after Texas joined the United States.
- Practical Home & Property The County Has Its Own Groundwater District The Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District regulates wells and helps manage the county's underground water supply.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Oil Was Discovered in Eastern Guadalupe County in the 1920s Oil production began in eastern Guadalupe County during the 1920s at the Darst Creek fields, diversifying the local economy.
- Practical Cars & Driving Vehicle Registration: No Safety Inspection Needed Anymore As of January 1, 2025, non-commercial vehicles in Guadalupe County no longer need an annual safety inspection. You just renew your registration, and a $7.50 fee replaces the old inspection.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Seguin: Named for a Tejano Hero of the Republic Seguin was founded in 1838 and renamed in 1839 to honor Juan N. Seguín, a Tejano leader who fought for Texas independence.
- Practical Money & Taxes Disagree With Your Appraisal? You Can Protest Property owners in Guadalupe County can formally challenge their appraised value each year before a set deadline.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Texas Lutheran University Has Called Seguin Home Since 1912 Texas Lutheran University relocated to Seguin in 1912, anchoring the city as an education center in South Central Texas.
- Practical Rules & Licenses File an Assumed Name With the County Clerk Unincorporated business names in Guadalupe County use the County Clerk's assumed-name form.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Floodplain Work May Need a County Permit Guadalupe County uses floodplain development permits to regulate work in the regulatory floodplain.
- Practical Money & Taxes Paying Your Property Taxes in Guadalupe County The county Tax Assessor-Collector collects property taxes for Guadalupe County and many of its cities and districts.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Septic Systems Need a Guadalupe County OSSF Permit Guadalupe County requires an OSSF permit before installing or operating a septic system.
- Practical Cars & Driving There Is a TxDOT Safety Rest Area in Guadalupe County TxDOT operates a safety rest area in Guadalupe County on I-10 for travelers driving between San Antonio and Houston.
- Practical Cars & Driving Two Major Interstates Cross the County I-10 and I-35 both run through Guadalupe County, making it a crossroads between San Antonio, Austin, and Houston.
- Practical Money & Taxes Who Appraises Your Property in Guadalupe County The Guadalupe Appraisal District sets the value on your property each year, and that value drives your tax bill.
- Practical Home & Property Guadalupe County Is Growing Fast Guadalupe County has grown rapidly in recent decades, driven largely by its location between San Antonio and Austin on the I-35 corridor.
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