Chambers County, Texas
Chambers County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 35,096.[2] The county seat is Anahuac.[3]
Chambers County | |
---|---|
The Chambers County Courthouse in Anahuac | |
Location within the U.S. state of Texas | |
Texas's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 29°42′N 94°41′W | |
Country | United States |
State | Texas |
Founded | 1858 |
Seat | Anahuac |
Largest city | Mont Belvieu |
Area | |
• Total | 871 sq mi (2,260 km2) |
• Land | 597 sq mi (1,550 km2) |
• Water | 274 sq mi (710 km2) 31%% |
Population | |
• Estimate (2017) | 41,441[1] |
• Density | 69/sq mi (27/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional districts | 14th, 36th |
Website | www |
Chambers County is one of the nine counties that comprise Greater Houston, the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area.
History
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Luz, a Spanish mission in Texas, was established in 1756 near what is now Wallisville.[4]
Chambers County was founded in 1858. It is named for Thomas Jefferson Chambers,[5] a major general in the Texas Revolution.
In 2019, Atlas Air Flight 3591, a cargo flight operating for Amazon Air, crashed in the Trinity Bay, in Chambers County and near Anahuac, while flying from Miami to Houston.[6]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 871 square miles (2,260 km2), of which 597 square miles (1,550 km2) are land and 274 square miles (710 km2) (31%) are covered by water.[7]
The south and southwestern parts of the county lie in the Galveston Bay Area on the shores of Trinity Bay and East Bay. A small portion of the southeastern area lies on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Adjacent counties
- Liberty County (north)
- Jefferson County (east)
- Galveston County (southwest)
- Harris County (west)
National protected areas
- Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
- Moody National Wildlife Refuge
State and local protected areas
- Candy Cain Abshier Wildlife Management Area
- Turtle Bayou Nature Preserve
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1860 | 1,508 | — | |
1870 | 1,503 | −0.3% | |
1880 | 2,187 | 45.5% | |
1890 | 2,241 | 2.5% | |
1900 | 3,046 | 35.9% | |
1910 | 4,234 | 39.0% | |
1920 | 4,162 | −1.7% | |
1930 | 5,710 | 37.2% | |
1940 | 7,511 | 31.5% | |
1950 | 7,871 | 4.8% | |
1960 | 10,379 | 31.9% | |
1970 | 12,187 | 17.4% | |
1980 | 18,538 | 52.1% | |
1990 | 20,088 | 8.4% | |
2000 | 26,031 | 29.6% | |
2010 | 35,096 | 34.8% | |
2019 (est.) | 43,837 | [8] | 24.9% |
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1850–2010[10] 2010–2014[2] |
As of the census[11] of 2000, 26,031 people, 9,139 households, and 7,219 families were residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per sq mi (17/km2). The 10,336 housing units averaged 17 per sq mi (7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 81.88% White, 9.77% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 6.02% from |other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. About 10.79% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 9,139 households, 40.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.00% were not families. About 17.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82, and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the age distribution was 28.90% under 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,964, and for a family was $52,986. Males had a median income of $43,351 versus $25,478 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,863. About 8.30% of families and 11.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Chambers County is governed by a five-member commissioners' court, consisting of the county judge and four county commissioners. The county judge is elected to four-year terms in a countywide election. Commissioners are elected to four-year terms from single-member districts.
Chambers County Commissioners' Court
Office | Name | Political party | First elected | Area(s) represented | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
County judge | Jimmy Sylvia | Republican | 1996 | Countywide | |
Commissioner, precinct 1 | Jimmy E. Gore | Republican | 2016 | Hankamer, Winnie, Seabreeze, Stowell, Wallisville, Winnie | |
Commissioner, precinct 2 | Mark Tice | Republican | 2018 | Anahuac, Beach City, Cove, Double Bayou, Oak Island, Smith Point | |
Commissioner, precinct 3 | Gary R. Nelson | Republican | 2006 | Mont Belvieu, Old River-Winfree | |
Commissioner, precinct 4 | Billy Combs | Republican | 2018 | Baytown, Beach City |
Elected officials
Office | Name | Political party | |
---|---|---|---|
County attorney | Ashley Cain Land | Republican | |
County clerk | Heather H. Hawthorne | Republican | |
District attorney | Cheryl Swope Lieck | Republican | |
District clerk | Patti Henry | Republican | |
Sheriff | Brian Hawthorne | Republican | |
Tax assessor-collector | Denise Hutter | Republican | |
Treasurer | Nicole Whittington | Republican | |
County surveyor | Michael W. Chandler |
Constables
Office | Name | Political party | Area(s) represented | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Constable, precinct 1 | Dennis Dugat | Republican | Stowell, Winnie | |
Constable, precinct 2 | John Mulryan | Republican | Anahuac, Turtle Bayou, Wallisville | |
Constable, precinct 3 | Donnie Standley | Republican | Double Bayou, Oak Island, Smith Point | |
Constable, precinct 4 | Ben L. "Butch" Bean | Republican | Mont Belvieu, Old River-Winfree | |
Constable, precinct 5 | Bradley W. Moon | Republican | Hankamer, Wallisville | |
Constable, precinct 6 | Kirk W. Ritch | Republican | Baytown, Beach City, Cove |
United States Congress
Senators | Name | Political party | First elected | Level | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senate Class 2 | John Cornyn | Republican | 2002 | Senior Senator | |
Senate Class 1 | Ted Cruz | Republican | 2012 | Junior Senator | |
Representatives | Name | Political Party | First Elected | Area(s) Represented | |
Texas's 14th District | Randy Weber | Republican | 2012 | A small, unpopulated portion of the county that extends to the Gulf of Mexico, across the Intercoastal Waterway. | |
Texas's 36th District | Brian Babin | Republican | 2014 | All populated areas of the county |
Texas Senate
District | Senator | Political party | First elected | Area(s) represented | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Brandon Creighton | Republican | 2014 | Countywide, district also covers all of Jefferson County and portions of Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery Counties |
Texas House of Representatives
District | Representative | Political party | First elected | Area(s) represented | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | Mayes Middleton | Republican | 2018 | Countywide, district also covers portions of Galveston County |
State board of education
District | Member | Political party | First elected | Area(s) represented | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | Matt Robinson | Republican | 2018 | Countywide, district also covers all of Brazoria, Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, Sabine, San Augustine, and Tyler Counties and portions of Fort Bend County |
Justices of the peace
Office | Name | Political party | |
---|---|---|---|
Justice of the peace, precinct 1 | Yale Devillier | Republican | |
Justice of the peace, precinct 2 | Randy Van Deventer | Republican | |
Justice of the peace, precinct 3 | Tracy Woody | Republican | |
Justice of the peace, precinct 4 | Blake Sylvia | Republican | |
Justice of the peace, precinct 5 | David Hatfield | Republican | |
Justice of the peace, precinct 6 | Larry Ray Cryer | Republican |
District courts
Office | Name | Political party | Area(s) represented | |
---|---|---|---|---|
253rd District Court | Chap B. Cain, III | Republican | Countywide, district also covers Liberty County | |
344th District Court | Randy McDonald | Republican | Countywide |
1st Court of Appeals
Name | Political party | First elected | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Chief justice | Sherry Radack | Republican | 2004, appointed in 2002 | |
Place 2 | Gordon Goodman | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 3 | Veronica Rivas-Molloy | Democrat | 2020 | |
Place 4 | April Farris | Republican | 2020 (appointed) | |
Place 5 | Amparo Guerra | Democrat | 2020 | |
Place 6 | Sarah Beth Landau | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 7 | Julie Countiss | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 8 | Richard Hightower | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 9 | Peter Kelly | Democrat | 2018 |
14th Court of Appeals
Name | Political party | First elected | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Chief justice | Tracy E. Christopher | Republican | 2020 | |
Place 2 | Kevin Jewell | Republican | 2016 | |
Place 3 | Jerry Zimmerer | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 4 | Charles A. Spain | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 5 | Frances Bourliot | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 6 | Meagan Hassan | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 7 | Ken Wise | Republican | 2014, Appointed in 2013 | |
Place 8 | Margaret "Meg" Poissant | Democrat | 2018 | |
Place 9 | Randy Wilson | Republican | 2020 (appointed) |
Politics
All elected county offices are represented by Republicans as of 2020 with the retirement of the Precinct 5 Constable Cecil. R. "Popeye" Oldham, a Democrat, who was last elected in 2016. Bradley Moon won the Republican primary on March 3, 2020, and had no opponent for the November 3, 2020, general election.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | 79.2% 13,339 | 17.5% 2,948 | 3.3% 549 |
2012 | 80.0% 11,787 | 18.9% 2,790 | 1.1% 158 |
2008 | 75.1% 9,988 | 24.0% 3,188 | 0.9% 116 |
2004 | 74.0% 8,618 | 25.4% 2,953 | 0.7% 78 |
2000 | 69.0% 6,769 | 29.5% 2,888 | 1.5% 149 |
1996 | 52.4% 4,101 | 36.7% 2,876 | 10.9% 854 |
1992 | 40.6% 3,398 | 33.9% 2,832 | 25.5% 2,136 |
1988 | 54.5% 3,694 | 44.8% 3,035 | 0.8% 52 |
1984 | 61.8% 4,322 | 37.7% 2,632 | 0.5% 35 |
1980 | 54.1% 3,140 | 43.4% 2,517 | 2.6% 149 |
1976 | 37.8% 1,835 | 60.3% 2,927 | 1.9% 90 |
1972 | 66.4% 2,390 | 33.5% 1,206 | 0.2% 6 |
1968 | 29.4% 1,061 | 33.7% 1,217 | 36.9% 1,329 |
1964 | 34.6% 1,023 | 65.0% 1,921 | 0.4% 12 |
1960 | 44.7% 1,260 | 54.1% 1,524 | 1.1% 32 |
1956 | 63.5% 1,520 | 35.9% 860 | 0.5% 13 |
1952 | 57.2% 1,497 | 42.6% 1,116 | 0.2% 4 |
1948 | 21.7% 302 | 56.5% 787 | 21.8% 303 |
1944 | 13.5% 179 | 78.1% 1,038 | 8.4% 112 |
1940 | 14.6% 219 | 85.3% 1,279 | 0.1% 2 |
1936 | 12.0% 134 | 87.8% 984 | 0.3% 3 |
1932 | 9.7% 91 | 89.8% 843 | 0.5% 5 |
1928 | 51.4% 256 | 48.6% 242 | |
1924 | 42.3% 239 | 55.8% 315 | 2.0% 11 |
1920 | 49.4% 278 | 42.6% 240 | 8.0% 45 |
1916 | 26.2% 101 | 61.9% 239 | 11.9% 46 |
1912 | 1.6% 4 | 86.5% 217 | 12.0% 30 |
Education
Public school districts
Higher education
Public libraries
The Chambers County Library System operates three libraries in the county.
- Chambers County Library (main branch) in Anahuac
- Juanita Hargraves Memorial Branch in Winnie
- Sam and Carmena Goss Memorial Branch in Mont Belvieu
Transportation
Major highways
- Interstate 10
- State Highway 61
- State Highway 65
- State Highway 99 - Grand Parkway (under construction)
- State Highway 146
- See List of Highways in Chambers County for more roadways in Chambers County.
Airports
The county operates two airports in unincorporated areas:
- Chambers County Airport is east of Anahuac.
- Chambers County-Winnie Stowell Airport serves Stowell and Winnie.
In addition, RWJ Airpark, a privately owned airport for public use, is located in Beach City.
The Houston Airport System stated that Chambers County is within the primary service area of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, an international airport in Houston in Harris County.[13]
Communities
Cities
- Anahuac (county seat)
- Baytown (mostly in Harris County)
- Beach City
- Cove
- Mont Belvieu (small part in Liberty County)
- Old River-Winfree (small part in Liberty County)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
See also
References
- "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Chambers County, Texas".
- "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- Alvarez, Elizabeth Cruce (Nov 8, 2011). Texas Almanac 2012–2013. Texas A&M University Press. pp. Contents. ISBN 9780876112571. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
- Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 74.
- "Human remains found after Atlas Air cargo plane crashes in Chambers Co". KTRK-TV. 2019-02-23. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
- "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
- Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
- "Master Plan Executive Summary Archived July 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." George Bush Intercontinental Airport Master Plan. Houston Airport System. December 2006. 2-1 (23/130). Retrieved on December 14, 2010.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chambers County, Texas. |
- Chambers County government's website
- Chambers County in Handbook of Texas Online from The University of Texas at Austin
- Chambers County, TXGenWeb Focuses on genealogical research in Chambers County.