Hale County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 32,522.[1] Its county seat is Plainview.[2] The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1888.[3] It is named for Lt. John C. Hale,[4] a hero of the Battle of San Jacinto. Hale County comprises the Plainview, Texas micropolitan statistical area.

Hale County
The Hale County Courthouse in Plainview
The Hale County Courthouse in Plainview
Map of Texas highlighting Hale County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°04′N 101°50′W / 34.07°N 101.83°W / 34.07; -101.83
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1888
SeatPlainview
Largest cityPlainview
Area
 • Total1,005 sq mi (2,600 km2)
 • Land1,005 sq mi (2,600 km2)
 • Water0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)  0.01%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total32,522
 • Density32/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district19th
Websitewww.halecounty.org

History

edit

In 7000 BC, Paleo-Indians were the first county inhabitants. Later Native American inhabitants included the Comanche.[5] The Texas Legislature formed Hale County from Bexar County in 1876.[5] A few years later (1881), brothers T.W. and T.N. Morrison, and W.D. Johnson, established the Cross L Ranch and the XIT to raise cattle.[6] In 1883, New York Methodist minister Horatio Graves became the first white permanent settler in the county.[6]

The city of Plainview has its beginnings in 1886 when rancher Zachery Taylor Maxwell moved his family and 2,000 sheep from Floyd County to the site of two hackberry groves[7] on the old military trail established by Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie. The city's name comes from the area's vista.[8] The county was organized in 1888, with Plainview as the county seat.[9] By 1900, the county had 259 farms and ranches, with a population of 1,680.[5]

The Santa Fe Railway came to Plainview in 1906,[10] and Wayland Baptist College was founded the same year.[11] In 1909, businessman Levi Schick opened the Schick Opera House.[12] The county's first motor-driven irrigation well was drilled five years later.[5] The Texas Land and Development Company was organized in Plainview in 1912. Its purpose was to entice settlers by dividing a large tract of land into individual farms, and preparing each farm for occupancy.[13]

The Plainview Site was discovered in 1944. In addition to bone and man-made artifacts, archeologists found the remains of 100 extinct bison about twice the size of modern "buffalo".[14]

Oil was discovered in 1946 in the Anton-Irish field of Lamb and Hale Counties.[15]

Country artist Jimmy Dean, his brother Don Dean, and cousin-in-law Troy Pritchard founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company and opened the Jimmy Dean Meat Company in 1969.[16] As of 2010, Hale County was one of 62 counties in Texas still legally barring the sale of alcohol.[17] As of March 7, 2008, Plainview has allowed the sale of packaged alcohol within the city limits.[18]

Geography

edit

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,005 square miles (2,600 km2), of which 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (0.01%) is covered by water.[19]

Major highways

edit

Adjacent counties

edit

Demographics

edit
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1890721
19001,680133.0%
19107,566350.4%
192010,10433.5%
193020,18999.8%
194018,813−6.8%
195028,21150.0%
196036,79830.4%
197034,137−7.2%
198037,59210.1%
199034,671−7.8%
200036,6025.6%
201036,227−1.0%
202032,522−10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[20]
1850–2010[21] 2010[22] 2020[23]
Hale County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[24] Pop 2010[22] Pop 2020[23] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 16,526 13,647 10,693 45.15% 37.62% 32.88%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,044 1,803 1,381 5.58% 4.97% 4.25%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 139 103 99 0.38% 0.28% 0.30%
Asian alone (NH) 107 133 149 0.29% 0.37% 0.46%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 7 19 30 0.02% 0.05% 0.09%
Other race alone (NH) 18 32 69 0.05% 0.09% 0.21%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 229 267 612 0.63% 0.74% 1.88%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17,532 20,269 19,489 47.90% 55.88% 59.93%
Total 36,602 36,273 32,522 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the census[25] of 2000, 36,602 people, 11,975 households, and 9,136 families resided in the county. The population density was 36 people/sq mi (14 people/km2). The 13,526 housing units averaged 14 units per square mile (5.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 66.77% White, 5.79% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 23.80% from other races, and 2.42% from two or more races. About 47.90% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 11,975 households, 40.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were not families. About 21% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the county, the population was distributed as 30.20% under the age of 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 18.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 102.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,280, and for a family was $35,250. Males had a median income of $26,007 versus $20,057 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,655. About 14.30% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.30% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

edit

Cities

edit

Town

edit

Census-designated place

edit

Unincorporated community

edit

Ghost town

edit

Politics

edit
United States presidential election results for Hale County, Texas[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 7,177 74.87% 2,279 23.77% 130 1.36%
2016 6,366 71.87% 2,101 23.72% 391 4.41%
2012 6,490 73.30% 2,243 25.33% 121 1.37%
2008 7,171 72.12% 2,708 27.24% 64 0.64%
2004 8,025 79.03% 2,078 20.46% 51 0.50%
2000 6,868 75.39% 2,158 23.69% 84 0.92%
1996 5,905 60.59% 3,204 32.88% 637 6.54%
1992 6,098 59.59% 2,761 26.98% 1,375 13.44%
1988 6,284 64.05% 3,502 35.69% 25 0.25%
1984 7,670 70.43% 3,202 29.40% 19 0.17%
1980 7,277 65.86% 3,610 32.67% 163 1.48%
1976 5,390 48.97% 5,580 50.70% 37 0.34%
1972 7,051 76.04% 2,135 23.02% 87 0.94%
1968 4,696 45.60% 3,293 31.98% 2,309 22.42%
1964 3,666 38.21% 5,910 61.60% 18 0.19%
1960 4,784 56.07% 3,695 43.31% 53 0.62%
1956 3,804 49.64% 3,848 50.22% 11 0.14%
1952 4,858 59.06% 3,351 40.74% 17 0.21%
1948 1,013 19.08% 3,995 75.24% 302 5.69%
1944 712 16.26% 3,066 70.02% 601 13.72%
1940 906 20.96% 3,405 78.76% 12 0.28%
1936 451 12.59% 3,109 86.80% 22 0.61%
1932 369 10.74% 3,029 88.13% 39 1.13%
1928 2,143 65.98% 1,098 33.81% 7 0.22%
1924 507 24.84% 1,446 70.85% 88 4.31%
1920 352 20.96% 1,279 76.18% 48 2.86%
1916 80 7.71% 908 87.48% 50 4.82%
1912 26 3.74% 554 79.71% 115 16.55%

Education

edit

School districts serving the county include:[27]

The county is in the service area of South Plains College.[28]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Hale County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 147.
  5. ^ a b c d Leffler, John. "Hale County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  6. ^ a b "Minister Horatio Graves". Plainsview and Hill County History. Plainview Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on June 18, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  7. ^ Turner, Matt Warnock (2009). Remarkable Plants of Texas: Uncommon Accounts of Our Common Natives. University of Texas Press. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-292-71851-7.
  8. ^ Davis, Charles G. "Plainview". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Society. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  9. ^ "Plainview, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  10. ^ "Santa Fe Railway". Texas Escapes. Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  11. ^ Brackney, William H (2008). Congregation and Campus: Baptists in Higher Education. Mercer University Press. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-88146-130-5.
  12. ^ "Schick Opera House - Plainview, Hale County, Texas". Texas Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  13. ^ Brunson, B R. "Texas Land and Development Company". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  14. ^ Gibbon, Guy E (1998). Archaeology of Prehistoric Native America : An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 655. ISBN 978-0-8153-0725-9.
  15. ^ Totten, Robert T (1956). "General Geology and Historical Development, Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles: ABSTRACT". AAPG Bulletin. 40. doi:10.1306/5ceae382-16bb-11d7-8645000102c1865d.
  16. ^ Calhoun, Fryar (August 1983). "Jimmy Dean". Texas Monthly: 120–123, 198–200, 206.
  17. ^ "Wet/Dry Status of Texas Counties as of November 2010". Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Archived from the original on February 19, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  18. ^ "After a year of alcohol... 03-15-09". Plainview Daily Herald. March 15, 2009. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  19. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  20. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  21. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  22. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hale County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Hale County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Hale County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  26. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  27. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hale County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022. - list
  28. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.198. SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
edit

34°04′N 101°50′W / 34.07°N 101.83°W / 34.07; -101.83