Robert Lee, Texas

Robert Lee, Texas
City
Robert Lee State Bank
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Coke
Area
• Total	1.1 sq mi (3.0 km2)
• Land	1.1 sq mi (3.0 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	1,827 ft (557 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	1,171
• Density	1,026.7/sq mi (396.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	76945
Area code	325
FIPS code	48-62564Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	1345308Template:GR

Oblique air photo of Robert Lee, TX, facing northeast, January 2009

The Coke County Courthouse at Robert Lee

The 1907 Coke County Jail

Robert Lee Baptist Church; pastor Danny White (2010)

Green space next to Robert Lee City Hall

Robert Lee is a city in and the county seat of Coke County, Texas, United States.Template:GR The founders named the city after Robert E. Lee, who is thought to have set up camp for a time near the current townsite on the Colorado River. Lee served in Texas from 1856 to 1861 as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Second Cavalry, during which time he distinguished himself as a scout and engineer. The population was 1,171 at the 2000 census.

The town of Robert Lee is located on the Colorado River. Just upstream from the town is E.V. Spence Reservoir, managed by the Colorado River Municipal Water District. From the mid-1960s until approximately 1996, the reservoir's population of striped bass attracted sportsmen from across the southwestern U.S., providing significant income to the town. In the late 1990s, however, water use policies changed and the reservoir water levels were continually lowered until the striped bass population could no longer be sustained.

In addition to a once-great fishery, the area around Robert Lee supports a significant population of white-tailed deer, which can be a nuisance to local ranchers and farmers, but attracts large numbers of hunters during the annual hunting seasons. A very diverse set of wildlife occurs in the area, both native and migratory. Several species of birds, reptiles, and mammals make this part of Texas their home on either a temporary or permanent basis.

There is also a rich Native American history in and around the town. Indian relics and artifacts such as arrowheads, spearpoints, and other tools are commonly found on lands near Robert Lee.

Geography

Robert Lee is located at 31°53′44″N 100°29′6″W (31.895687, -100.484912)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 1,171 people, 496 households, and 326 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,026.7 people per square mile (396.6/km²). There were 658 housing units at an average density of 576.9/sq mi (222.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.92% White, 0.26% African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 7.34% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.64% of the population.

There were 496 households, of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were nonfamilies. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city, the population was spread out with 22.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,750, and the median income for a family was $33,553. Males had a median income of $30,486 versus $19,615 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,672. About 12.0% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Robert Lee is served by the Robert Lee Independent School District and home to the Robert Lee High School Steers.

Notables from Robert Lee

• John Burroughs, Democratic governor of New Mexico, 1959–1960
• Dean E. Hallmark, born in Robert Lee on January 20, 1914, served as the command pilot of B-25 #6, the "Green Hornet," on Jimmy Doolittle's Tokyo Raid of April 18, 1942. He was captured by Japanese forces and executed on October 15, 1942. His remains were located after the war and interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

External links

• History - From "The Handbook of Texas Online"
• Unofficial city website
• Robert Lee Independent School District
• E.V. Spence Reservoir