Sarita was created in 1904 as the headquarters of the Kenedy Ranch and was named by its founder, John G. Kenedy, after his daughter. The town grew to about 300 residents by 1916, when a major hurricane swept through the area and many settlers moved away. Although the town was made county seat when Kenedy County was created in 1921, it has not grown appreciably since then. Today, Sarita is home to a Catholic church, a school, several homes, a post office, and the Lebh Shomea House of Prayer, all centered on the headquarters of the Kenedy Ranch, but no businesses are active other than the ranch. The 1921 Kenedy County Courthouse is a two-story white Beaux-Arts structure on a large green and the most prominent building in town; many county employees actually live in Kleberg County just to the north, as there is limited housing available in Sarita or Kenedy County. Across the street sits the whitewashed, two-story headquarters of the Kenedy Pasture Company, which owns most of the land in the county and employs many of Sarita's citizens. The building also houses the Kenedy Ranch Museum.
"Occupation" hoax
In 2014, a fake news website called National Report published an article claiming that a militia of "over one hundred armed La Raza militants" had occupied Sarita, forcing original residents out of their homes and using the town as a base of operations. The hoax report circled on the Internet.
Geography
Sarita is located in northern Kenedy County at 27°13′18″N, 97°47′21″W. It is along U.S. Route 77, south of Kingsville, south of Corpus Christi, and north of Harlingen. The United States Border Patrol Sarita checkpoint on US 77 is located some south of the town of Sarita.
Cityscape
Gary Cartwright of Texas Monthly said that Sarita's only landmarks were a green sign reading "Sarita", a water tower, and a blinking yellow light. Sarita has an elementary school and a Catholic church. The only lodging establishment, as of 2004, is a bed and breakfast operated by justice of the peace Patti Fain. The only venue that sells soft drinks is a vending machine at the Kenedy County courthouse. Sarita does not have any convenience stores, shops, or cafes. The nearest grocery store is in Kingsville, though there are convenience stores at gas stations in Riviera to the north along US 77. The nearest major medical center is in Corpus Christi.
