Dallam County, Texas

Dallam County is the north-westernmost county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 6,703.[1] Its county seat is Dalhart.[2] The county was founded in 1876 and later organized in 1891.[3] It is named for James Wilmer Dallam, a lawyer and newspaper publisher.

Not to be confused with Dallas County, Texas.
Dallam County
U.S. county
The 1922 Dallam County Courthouse in Dalhart
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°17′N 102°35′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1891
SeatDalhart
Largest cityDalhart
Area
 • Total1,505 sq mi (3,900 km2)
 • Land1,503 sq mi (3,890 km2)
 • Water2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.1%%
Population
 (2015)
 • Total7,121
 • Density4.5/sq mi (1.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.dallam.org

Dallam is the northernmost of the 10 Texas counties that from 1885 to 1912 constituted the legendary XIT Ranch. The ranch is still celebrated through the XIT Museum in Dalhart and the annual XIT Rodeo and Reunion held the first long weekend in August.

History

Dallam County was formed in 1876 from portions of Bexar County. It was named after James Wilmer Dallam, the lawyer who made the first digest of Texas laws.[4] The first settlement in the area followed in 1870, which resulted in the Red River War of 1874 and 1875 with the native Comanche and Kiowa tribes. In 1900–01, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad company built a stretch from Liberal, Kansas, to Tucumcari, New Mexico, which ran through the county. The location where the tracks met those of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway was named Dalhart. The name is taken from the first letters of Dallam County and Hartley County, between which the town's area is divided. Within a short time, the small railroad stop turned into a sizable town and was named county seat in 1903.

Dallam County was one of the hardest-hit areas in the Dust Bowl.[5]

The XIT Museum in Dalhart

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,505 square miles (3,900 km2), of which 1,503 square miles (3,890 km2) are land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.1%) are covered by water.[6]

Dallam County is one of only three counties in Texas to border two other U.S. states (the others being Bowie and Cass). Dallam County forms part of the tripoint—of Texas-Oklahoma-New Mexico.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1890112—
190014630.4%
19104,0012,640.4%
19204,52813.2%
19307,83072.9%
19406,494−17.1%
19507,64017.6%
19606,302−17.5%
19706,012−4.6%
19806,5318.6%
19905,461−16.4%
20006,22213.9%
20106,7037.7%
2019 (est.)7,287[7]8.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1850–2010[9] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 6,222 people, 2,317 households, and 1,628 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km2). There were 2,697 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.64% White, 1.64% Black or African American, 0.90% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 12.41% from other races, and 2.20% from two or more races. 28.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In terms of ancestry, 19.6% were of German, 8,2% were of Irish, 7,1 % were of English, 5,5% were of American, 2,8% were of French, 2,7 % were of Scotch-Irish, 1,6% were of Dutch.

There were 2,317 households, out of which 39.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.80% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 20.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 102.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,946, and the median income for a family was $33,558. Males had a median income of $27,244 versus $19,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,653. About 11.30% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 24.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Dallam County is located within District 86 of the Texas House of Representatives. The seat has been held by Amarillo attorney John T. Smithee, a Republican, since 1985. Dallam County as a whole is heavily Republican in orientation.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 86.3% 1,389 12.2% 197 1.4% 23
2016 81.7% 1,261 14.4% 222 4.0% 61
2012 81.4% 1,248 16.5% 253 2.2% 33
2008 79.9% 1,269 19.0% 302 1.1% 18
2004 82.7% 1,473 17.1% 305 0.2% 4
2000 79.4% 1,385 19.6% 341 1.0% 18
1996 59.4% 970 29.6% 483 11.1% 181
1992 54.8% 922 25.8% 434 19.4% 327
1988 64.7% 1,205 34.6% 645 0.6% 12
1984 75.8% 1,594 23.6% 496 0.6% 13
1980 58.9% 965 38.6% 632 2.6% 42
1976 46.6% 936 51.3% 1,029 2.1% 42
1972 78.0% 1,271 20.1% 327 1.9% 31
1968 49.3% 990 29.3% 588 21.4% 430
1964 39.8% 700 60.2% 1,058 0.1% 1
1960 53.2% 961 46.2% 835 0.7% 12
1956 48.4% 1,018 51.1% 1,074 0.5% 11
1952 54.8% 1,464 44.8% 1,197 0.5% 12
1948 20.5% 399 77.4% 1,504 2.1% 40
1944 20.1% 323 69.4% 1,118 10.5% 169
1940 21.6% 427 78.0% 1,539 0.4% 8
1936 12.7% 220 83.2% 1,436 4.1% 71
1932 14.8% 341 84.1% 1,935 1.0% 24
1928 53.0% 618 46.2% 539 0.8% 9
1924 24.3% 254 48.4% 506 27.3% 285
1920 26.5% 195 65.0% 478 8.6% 63
1916 16.5% 81 74.1% 363 9.4% 46
1912 5.3% 18 72.4% 247 22.3% 76

Education

The following school districts serve Dallam County:

Communities

City

Towns

Unincorporated community

Ghost Town

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 99.
  5. Laskin, David (December 17, 2005). "Laying Bare Dust Bowl's Scar Tissue". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  7. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  9. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  11. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-21.

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