Hamilton County, Texas

Hamilton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 8,517.[1] The county seat is Hamilton.[2] The county was created in 1858.[3] It is named for James Hamilton Jr.,[4] a former governor of South Carolina who gave financial aid to the Republic of Texas.

Hamilton County
U.S. county
The Hamilton County Courthouse in Hamilton, Texas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 4, 1980.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°42′N 98°07′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1858
Named forJames Hamilton Jr.
SeatHamilton
Largest cityHamilton
Area
 • Total836 sq mi (2,170 km2)
 • Land836 sq mi (2,170 km2)
 • Water0.5 sq mi (1 km2)  0.06%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total8,517
 • Density10/sq mi (4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district25th
Websitewww.hamiltoncountytx.org

History

Indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of the area. Later Native American tribes settled in the area, including Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco and Comanche.[5]

In 1821, shortly after Mexico claimed its independence from Spain, Anglo settlers from the North came to Texas, claiming Mexican citizenship.

Following Texas's independence from Mexico (1836) and its annexation by the United States (1845), Robert Carter and family became the first permanent white settlers in the county in 1854. The next year, settlers James Rice, Henry Standefer, Frederic Bookerman, William Beauchamp, and Asa Langford formed a community that later becomes the town of Hamilton. Asa Langford began Langford's Cove, which later grows into present-day Evant. In 1858 the Sixth Texas Legislature formed Hamilton County, named after James Hamilton Jr., from parts of Comanche, Bosque, and Lampasas counties. In 1858, Hamilton was named the county seat.

Despite growing white settlements in Texas, Indian tribal presences remained. In 1867, Comanche raiders attacked a school where Ann Whitney was the teacher. She helped students escape before finally succumbing to 18 Comanche arrows.[6][7]

In 1882, the Hico community initiated the annual Hico Old Settlers' Reunion.[8]

By 1900, cotton cultivation had spread to almost 47,500 acres (192 km2) of county land. By 1907, the Stephenville North and South Texas Railway had connected Hamilton with Stephenville. The St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas connected Hamilton with Gatesville and Comanche in 1911.

In 1934, the Civil Works Administration's payroll included 747 Hamilton County men, who together earned about $2,000 per day.

In 1950, Ollie P. Roberts (also known as Ollie L. Roberts, "Brushy Bill" Roberts, or William Henry Roberts), a resident of Hico during the late 1940s, claimed to have been the outlaw Billy The Kid. The assertion is based on a legend that Patrick F. Garrett helped Billy fake his own death. Hico Chamber of Commerce responded by opening a Billy The Kid Museum.[9]

In 2009, Hamilton was invaded by the West Texas Rattlesnake.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 836 square miles (2,170 km2), of which 836 square miles (2,170 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) (0.06%) is water.[10]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1860489—
187073349.9%
18806,365768.3%
18906,313−0.8%
190013,520114.2%
191015,31513.3%
192014,676−4.2%
193013,523−7.9%
194013,303−1.6%
195010,660−19.9%
19608,488−20.4%
19707,198−15.2%
19808,29715.3%
19907,733−6.8%
20008,2296.4%
20108,5173.5%
2019 (est.)8,461[11]−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1850–2010[13] 2010–2014[1]

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 8,229 people, 3,374 households, and 2,324 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4 per km2). There were 4,455 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2 per km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.81% White, 0.15% (12) Black or African American, 0.44% (36) Native American, 0.15% (12) Asian, 0.05% (4) Pacific Islander, 4.36% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 7.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,374 households, out of which 27.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.89. As of the 2010 census, there were about 2.9 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.[15]

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 23.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,150, and the median income for a family was $39,494. Males had a median income of $26,703 versus $20,192 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,800. About 10.60% of families and 14.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.20% of those under age 18 and 13.80% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Media

Hamilton County is currently listed as part of the Dallas-Fort Worth DMA. Local media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Although located in Central Texas and a neighboring county of the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area. Meaning all of the Waco/Temple/Killeen market stations also provide coverage for Hamilton County. They include: KCEN-TV, KWTX-TV, KXXV-TV, KWKT-TV, KNCT (TV), and KAKW-DT.

Communities

Cities

Town

Unincorporated communities

Ghost Town

Politics
Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 83.1% 3,616 14.7% 641 2.2% 94
2016 84.5% 3,060 13.2% 479 2.2% 81
2012 82.2% 2,918 16.6% 591 1.2% 43
2008 76.1% 2,876 22.8% 863 1.0% 39
2004 76.6% 2,856 22.7% 845 0.8% 29
2000 72.5% 2,447 26.0% 878 1.5% 51
1996 49.3% 1,493 39.6% 1,200 11.2% 338
1992 37.8% 1,232 33.8% 1,100 28.4% 927
1988 55.7% 1,718 43.9% 1,355 0.4% 13
1984 65.0% 2,118 34.7% 1,130 0.3% 10
1980 51.5% 1,683 46.7% 1,526 1.8% 58
1976 36.9% 1,176 62.1% 1,981 1.0% 32
1972 73.8% 1,931 26.2% 685 0.0% 1
1968 44.7% 1,266 39.4% 1,116 16.0% 452
1964 32.9% 1,006 67.0% 2,048 0.1% 2
1960 58.2% 1,592 41.5% 1,136 0.3% 9
1956 60.1% 1,709 39.5% 1,124 0.4% 10
1952 61.8% 2,130 38.1% 1,313 0.2% 5
1948 20.4% 478 73.8% 1,725 5.8% 136
1944 13.8% 344 71.6% 1,790 14.6% 365
1940 22.4% 655 77.5% 2,263 0.1% 4
1936 9.5% 202 90.5% 1,929 0.1% 1
1932 6.2% 164 93.6% 2,474 0.2% 4
1928 48.4% 927 51.6% 989
1924 8.7% 202 87.5% 2,035 3.9% 90
1920 25.2% 422 64.3% 1,075 10.5% 175
1916 13.8% 201 84.3% 1,231 2.0% 29
1912 5.4% 67 80.3% 992 14.3% 177

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 148.
  5. Handbook of Texas, Hamilton County
  6. Texas Historical Markers, Ann Whitney Archived 2012-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Texas Escapes, Details of Comanche Attack
  8. Hico Old Settlers' Reunion Archived 2010-03-25 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Billy The Kid Legend Archived 2010-03-30 at the Wayback Machine
  10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  11. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  12. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  13. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  15. Where Same-Sex Couples Live, June 26, 2015, retrieved July 6, 2015
  16. William Henry Roberts at Find a Grave
  17. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-07-25.

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