Von Ormy is a small city in southwest Bexar County, Texas, set along the Medina River roughly 16 miles southwest of downtown San Antonio. With a population of about 1,250, it is a compact residential community of approximately 1.9 square miles that incorporated in 2008, making it one of Bexar County's newer municipalities. The area's history runs far deeper than its incorporation. Human settlement along the Medina River dates back thousands of years, and the site was known as Medina Crossing before postmaster Branson Bywater renamed it Von Ormy in 1886 for Count Norbert von Ormay, an Austrian nobleman who lived in the area. During the Texas Revolution, the location served as a campsite for Santa Anna's army, and in 1906 the International-Great Northern Railroad built the first steel bridge over the Medina River here. Ruins of the historic Santisima Trinidad Mission remain visible today. Modern Von Ormy is primarily a residential and commuter community. Most residents work in the San Antonio area, traveling along Interstate 35, which runs through the city with exits at 140 and 141. The city has drawn statewide attention for its decision to phase out and eventually abolish its municipal property tax, becoming a benchmark for local tax and limited-government policy in Texas. That reputation, combined with the Medina River setting and small-town scale, gives Von Ormy a distinctive identity among the communities at the southern edge of Bexar County. It appeals to residents who want a quieter, more independent place to live without giving up the employment, shopping, and cultural reach of San Antonio just up the highway.