DYNAMIC SAN ANGELO
San Angelo is located in the Concho River basin and was the home of an original frontier fort. Fort Concho is a National Historic Landmark and one of the best preserved frontier forts in the country. The Concho River meanders through the downtown area and gives host to the River Stage. Historic downtown features many unique stores that range from antiques to side walk cafes.
There are two lakes within the city limits, another on the outskirts of the city and three larger lakes within an hours drive. This makes San Angelo a must for the angler or anyone interested in water skiing, boating, sailing, camping and picnicking.
DEMOGRAPHICS
The total population of Tom Green County is 102,429, which indicates a popular density of 67 persons per square mile. The city of San Angelo itself has a population of a little less than 100,000 people.
THE PEOPLE
Reflecting on their heritage, San Angelo people are known far and wide for their friendliness and fierce independence. If there is a job to be done, the community comes together to do it whether it is for a friend, a stranger or simply a common cause.
Civic, social and support organizations abound in the city, and the interaction of these groups brings the diverse talents of their members together to support a worthy cause or promote a special event for public education and enjoyment.
RETIREMENT
Where else to retire but in the beautiful river city of San Angelo. Because of the four retirement facilities with independent living units which accommodate over 1,000 people, retirement has flourished in San Angelo and continues to expand. In addition, there are six nursing homes providing a total of more than 600 beds.
RECREATION
A warm, dry climate means San Angeloans have plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors. Many of them take advantage of the local golf courses. The city has one 18-hole and two 9-hole public courses and three 18-hole courses at local country clubs.
Tennis is also a favorite recreational activity, with 23 lighted public courts throughout the city and four private clubs.
Hunters are drawn to the area by white tail deer, turkey, quail and dove, and fishing is popular with three local lakes and three more nearby. There are also rivers and creeks ideal for fishing, rafting and canoeing.
FINE ARTS
San Angelo Cultural Affairs Council
Hotel Cactus, 36 E. Twohig, (325) 653-6793
San Angelo Symphony
P.O. Box 5922, (325) 658-5877
San Angelo Civic Ballet, Inc.
Hotel Cactus, 36 E. Twohig, (325) 653-8877
Angelo Civic Theatre
1936 Sherwood Way, (325) 949-4400
Arts at ASU
(325) 942-2000
San Angelo Philharmonic Society
(325) 949-1751
BUSINESS
A diversity of businesses helps keep San Angelo's economy stable even in unstable times. Manufacturing, service, health care, energy and agriculture combine with the public sector to give San Angelo regularly one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state.
Large employers include Verizon, which has a regional headquarters in the city, and Ethicon, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary that manufactures surgical supplies. Other major employers include Goodyear Proving grounds, Hirschfeld Steel, Sitel, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where more than 600 civilians provide support for 3,400 military personnel.
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE
Goodfellow was originally built to train pilots before World War II but now has a much more diverse training mission. They provide intelligence, fire fighting and special instruments training. While Goodfellow has a tremendous impact on the local economy, its effect on everyday life in San Angelo is just as great. The excellent base-community relations are known throughout the military, with military personnel involved in the entire range of community life. This relationship is a major reason more than 2,800 military retirees make their home here.
HIGHWAYS
San Angelo is located on four major highways which provide links to Interstate 20 and Interstate 10. U.S. 87 runs through San Angelo and large portion of the highway is four lanes with more construction under consideration. U.S. 277 also connects San Angelo directly with Abilene 90 miles to the north and when Mexico 170 miles to the south. To facilitate faster access to the city, Loop 306 provides quick access to any part of the city.
HEALTHCARE
San Angelo has two major regional medical centers: Shannon Health System and San Angelo Community Medical Center. Shannon Healthcare system provides the Shannon Clinic (325-658-1511) to provide the local community with fifty-four physicians and staff to provide family practice, pediatrics and obstetrics, internal medicine and surgical specialties
Shannon Regional Services (325-657-5727) provides a network of clinics to areas such as Ballinger, Big Spring, Brady, Coleman, Menard, Robert Lee, Sterling City, and San Angelo. They also provide Medivac 1, Shannon's airborne intensive care unit to fly critical patients from outlying areas to Shannon Medical Center or other hospitals in the region.
Shannon Medical Center (325-653-6741) is a 247-bed acute care facility that forms the cornerstone of the Shannon Health System. With all private rooms, the hospital offers a wide range of services including open-heart surgery, skilled nursing, same-day surgery, rehabilitation, oncology, and home health care.
San Angelo Community Medical Center (325-949-9511) provides care with a 191-bed hospital. They provide a Day surgery unit, trauma center, walk-in clinic, accredited and approved tumor registry, cardiac cath lab, CT scanner, advanced nuclear medicine, 30-day surgery unit, and a sophisticated perinatal unit to include an intensive care nursery.
EDUCATION
San Angelo Independent School District prides itself on the first-rate quality of its schools. Community support, dedicated staff, parental involvement, outstanding facilities and innovative programs are factors that make our schools excellent learning environments.
The District's instructional program includes opportunities which are tailored to individual needs, interests and skills. In addition, extensive co-curricular and athletic activities are available.
Stressing physical fitness in all schools, SAISD offers an annual Little Olympics competition for elementary students in the spring. Boasting one of the state's finest athletic facilities with a seating capacity of 17,000, SAISD's stadium is also used by Angelo State University.
Support for schools is a high priority for San Angelo residents. Some of the volunteer organizations are Volunteers in Public Schools, Adopt-a-School, Parent-Teacher Association, San Angelo Schools Foundation, Project Graduation, Texas Scholars Program, and other special projects.
Angelo State University, with an enrollment of approximately 6,300, attracts students from every region of Texas, 45 states and 27 foreign countries. Located on a beautiful 268-acre, $128 million campus, ASU offers 44 undergraduate programs in 31 disciplines and 19 graduate programs in 16 disciplines.
SPECIAL EVENTS
San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo - February/March
The week long event offers bronc riders, bull riders, calf ropers, barrel racers, calf scramblers, steer wrestlers and entertainers. Visitors enjoy exhibits, a parade and a carnival. During rodeo week, hundreds of arts and crafts items are on display in the Exhibition Building. The event is conducted at the San Angelo Fairgrounds and Coliseum. For more information, contact the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo office at (325) 653-7785.
Texas Wine Festival - April
The largest non-competitive wine tasting festival in the state is sponsored by the San Angelo Cultural Affairs Council and features only Texas wines. For more information call (325) 653-6793.
Sonrisas Polo in the Park - April
Traditional Polo match held at Hoolihan's Acres, located just east of Mertzon on US 67. Sponsored by Sonrisas Therapeutic Riding, Inc., the polo match brings in the top American players. For more information call (325) 949-4837.
Juneteenth - June
Each June a number of activities are help in Martin Luther King Park for a city wide Juneteenth celebration. Events include music and a parade. Juneteenth celebrates the freeing of slaves in Texas.
July 4th Pop Concert at the River Stage - July
Sponsored by the San Angelo Symphony Society, this tribute to America's Birthday through music, laser lights and fireworks is held on the banks of the Concho River at the downtown River Stage. For more information call (325) 658-5877.
Roping Fiesta - October
Each year, the San Angelo Roping Fiesta attracts some of the top ropers and money winners in the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association. Held in November, the roping event has become one of the city's most popular annual events. The two day event is sponsored by the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo Association and is held at the fair grounds arena. For more information call (325) 653-7785.
Christmas at Old Fort Concho - December
Held on the first weekend in December, Christmas at Old Fort Concho is an annual three day event held to celebrate San Angelo's heritage and the holiday season. The Fort's buildings feature a central theme carrying out ethnic traditions of the late 1800's, as more than 100 merchants display their holiday merchandise. Food and beverage booths can be found at the Fort during this celebration. Continuous entertainment is conducted on the grounds during Christmas at Old Fort Concho including dancers, singers, bands and Las Posadas, the traditional story of Mary & Joseph looking for a room. Also, a central feature of the Christmas event is the winter rendezvous, a living history display of military and civilian enactments, that portray the life and times of the West Texas frontier. Wagon rides, cowboy poets, special food presentations, cavalry and infantry demonstrations and camps fires are all part of this Christmas celebration. For an admission fee, visitors can enter all buildings at the Fort. Ticket booths are located in several spots on the Fort Concho grounds. For more information call (325) 481-2646.