Hamilton County, Texas

Hamilton County, Texas
The Hamilton County Courthouse in Hamilton, Texas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 4, 1980.
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1856
Named for	James Hamilton Jr.
Seat	Hamilton
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	836 sq mi (2,165 km²) 835 sq mi (2,163 km²) 1 sq mi (3 km²), 0.08%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	8,517 10/sq mi (4/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.co.hamilton.tx.us

Hamilton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 8,517. Hamilton County is named for James Hamilton Jr., a former governor of South Carolina who gave financial aid to the Republic of Texas. The county seat is Hamilton.

History

Indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of the area. Later Indian tribes settled in the area, including Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco and Comanche.

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 1856 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.

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

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 Comanche.

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.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 836 square miles (2,165.2 km²), of which 835 square miles (2,162.6 km²) is land and 1 square mile (2.6 km²) (0.08%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 84
• U.S. Highway 281
• State Highway 22
• State Highway 36

Adjacent counties

• Erath County (north)
• Bosque County (northeast)
• Coryell County (southeast)
• Lampasas County (south)
• Mills County (southwest)
• Comanche County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	489		—
1870	733		49.9%
1880	6,365		768.3%
1890	6,313		−0.8%
1900	13,520		114.2%
1910	15,315		13.3%
1920	14,676		−4.2%
1930	13,523		−7.9%
1940	13,303		−1.6%
1950	10,660		−19.9%
1960	8,488		−20.4%
1970	7,198		−15.2%
1980	8,297		15.3%
1990	7,733		−6.8%
2000	8,229		6.4%
2010	8,517		3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census Texas Almanac: 1850-2010

As of the census 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.

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.

Local 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. Northland Cable Television continues to offer all of the above stations in the cities of Hico and Hamilton.

Localities

Cities

• Evant
• Hamilton
• Hico

Other places

• Carlton
• Fairy
• Jonesboro
• McGirk
• Pottsville
• Shive

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hamilton County, Texas

External links

• Official Hamilton County Site
• Hamilton County from the Handbook of Texas Online