Carson County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Carson County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Texas
. It is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area
. In 2000, its population was 6,516. Carson is named for Samuel Price Carson
, the first secretary of state of the Republic of Texas
. The seat
of the county is Panhandle
. It was founded in 1876
, the county has a total area of 924 square miles (2,393.1 km²), of which 923 square miles (2,390.6 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) (0.10%) is water.
of 2000, there were 6,516 people, 2,470 households, and 1,884 families residing in the county. The population density
was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 2,815 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.82% White
, 0.58% Black
or African American
, 1.00% Native American
, 0.14% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 3.04% from other races
, and 1.41% from two or more races. 7.03% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,470 households out of which 35.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.30% were married couples
living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,285, and the median income for a family was $47,147. Males had a median income of $34,271 versus $23,325 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,368. About 5.40% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
hunter-gatherer
were the first inhabitants , followed by the Plains Apache
. Modern Apache
tribes followed them and were displaced by Comanches. The Comanches were defeated by the United States Army
in the Red River War
of 1874.
conquistador
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado explored the Llano Estacado
in 1541.
. The county was organized in 1888. Panhandle
, the only town at the time, became the county seat.
Ranching began to be established in the county in the 1880s. The JA Ranch
encompassed over a million acres (4,000 km²) within six adjoining counties. Richard E. McNalty established the Turkey Track Ranch in 1878.
One of the early failed attempts came in 1882 when Charles G. Francklyn purchased 637440 acres (2,579.6 km²) of railroad lands in adjoining counties to form the Francklyn Land and Cattle Company. The lands were later sold to the White Deer Lands Trust of British bondholders in 1886 and 1887.
Railroads began to reach the county by 1886 when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
subsidiary Southern Kansas Railway extended the line into Texas, making Panhandle City a railhead in 1888. In 1889, the Fort Worth and Denver Railway
linked Panhandle City with Washburn
in Armstrong County
. In 1904 the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf bought the line. In 1908 the Southern Kansas of Texas extended its line from Panhandle City to Amarillo, thus making the Kansas-Texas-New Mexico line a major transcontinental route. The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Texas Railroad
built across the southern edge of the county.
Pumping underground water with windmills resolved the issue of bringing water from Roberts County via the railroad.
White Deer
in 1909 became home to Polish
Catholic immigrants, who had first settled Panna Maria
in Karnes County
before migrating to Carson County.
Experimental drilling by Gulf Oil Corporation
led to the county's, and the Panhandle's, first oil and gas production in late 1921. Borger field was discovered in 1925, sparking much oil exploration and production of the Panhandle area. By the end of 2000 more than 178398900 barrels (28,363,158,542 l) of petroleum had been produced from county lands.
In September 1942 the Pantex Ordnance Plant was built on 16076 acres (65.1 km²) of southwestern Carson County land, to pack and load shells and bombs in support of the World War II
effort. Operations ceased August 1945, and in 1949 the site was sold to Texas Tech University at Amarillo
for agricultural experimentation. Pantex reopened in 1951 as a nuclear weapons assembly plant. In 1960, Pantex began high explosives development in support of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
in California. Pantex has a long-term mission to safely and securely maintain the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and dismantle weapons retired by the military.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area
Amarillo metropolitan area
The Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the Texas Panhandle that covers four counties - Armstrong, Carson, Potter, and Randall...
. In 2000, its population was 6,516. Carson is named for Samuel Price Carson
Samuel Price Carson
Samuel Price Carson was an American political leader and farmer in both North Carolina and Texas. He served as Congressional Representative from North Carolina...
, the first secretary of state of the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
. The seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of the county is Panhandle
Panhandle, Texas
Panhandle is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carson County. Panhandle is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. It was founded in 1876
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 924 square miles (2,393.1 km²), of which 923 square miles (2,390.6 km²) is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) (0.10%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 40
U.S. Highway 60
State Highway 152
State Highway 207- Farm to Market Road 293
Adjacent counties
- Hutchinson CountyHutchinson County, TexasHutchinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas in the northern portion of the Texas Panhandle. In 2000, its population was 23,857. Its seat is Stinnett . Hutchinson County is named for Andrew Hutchinson, an early Texas attorney....
(north) - Roberts County (northeast)
- Gray County (east)
- Armstrong CountyArmstrong County, TexasArmstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, and was formed in 1876 from Bexar County. It is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. As of 2000, the population is 2,148. Its county seat is Claude. Armstrong is named for one of several Texas pioneer families named Armstrong...
(south) - Potter County (west)
- Moore County (northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,516 people, 2,470 households, and 1,884 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 2,815 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.82% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.58% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.00% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.14% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.04% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.41% from two or more races. 7.03% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 2,470 households out of which 35.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.30% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were non-families. 22.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,285, and the median income for a family was $47,147. Males had a median income of $34,271 versus $23,325 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,368. About 5.40% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.90% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
Native Americans
PrehistoricPrehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
hunter-gatherer
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
were the first inhabitants , followed by the Plains Apache
Plains Apache
The Plains Apache are a Southern Athabaskan group that traditionally live on the Southern Plains of North America and today are centered in Southwestern Oklahoma...
. Modern Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
tribes followed them and were displaced by Comanches. The Comanches were defeated by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in the Red River War
Red River War
The Red River War was a military campaign launched by the United States Army in 1874, as part of the Comanche War, to remove the Comanche, Kiowa, Southern Cheyenne, and Arapaho Native American tribes from the Southern Plains and forcibly relocate them to reservations in Indian Territory...
of 1874.
Early Explorations
SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado explored the Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
in 1541.
County Established and Growth
Carson County was established in 1876 from Bexar CountyBexar County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,392,931 people, 488,942 households, and 345,681 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,117 people per square mile . There were 521,359 housing units at an average density of 418 per square mile...
. The county was organized in 1888. Panhandle
Panhandle, Texas
Panhandle is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carson County. Panhandle is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the only town at the time, became the county seat.
Ranching began to be established in the county in the 1880s. The JA Ranch
JA Ranch
The JA Ranch, jointly founded by John George Adair and Charles Goodnight, is the oldest privately owned cattle ranch in the Palo Duro Canyon section of the Texas Panhandle southeast of Amarillo. At its peak size in 1883, the JA, still run by descendants of the Adair family, encompassed some of...
encompassed over a million acres (4,000 km²) within six adjoining counties. Richard E. McNalty established the Turkey Track Ranch in 1878.
One of the early failed attempts came in 1882 when Charles G. Francklyn purchased 637440 acres (2,579.6 km²) of railroad lands in adjoining counties to form the Francklyn Land and Cattle Company. The lands were later sold to the White Deer Lands Trust of British bondholders in 1886 and 1887.
Railroads began to reach the county by 1886 when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
subsidiary Southern Kansas Railway extended the line into Texas, making Panhandle City a railhead in 1888. In 1889, the Fort Worth and Denver Railway
Fort Worth and Denver Railway
The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a class I American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound influence on the early settlement and economic development of the region....
linked Panhandle City with Washburn
Washburn, Texas
Washburn is an unincorporated community in Armstrong County, Texas, United States. It is located along U.S. Highway 287 in northwestern Armstrong County, approximately 20 miles east of Amarillo. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 120 in 2000. Washburn...
in Armstrong County
Armstrong County, Texas
Armstrong County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, and was formed in 1876 from Bexar County. It is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area. As of 2000, the population is 2,148. Its county seat is Claude. Armstrong is named for one of several Texas pioneer families named Armstrong...
. In 1904 the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf bought the line. In 1908 the Southern Kansas of Texas extended its line from Panhandle City to Amarillo, thus making the Kansas-Texas-New Mexico line a major transcontinental route. The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Texas Railroad
Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad
The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad , known informally as the "Choctaw Route," was an American railroad located in located in Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The company, originally known as the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company, completed its main line between West Memphis, Arkansas and western...
built across the southern edge of the county.
Pumping underground water with windmills resolved the issue of bringing water from Roberts County via the railroad.
White Deer
White Deer, Texas
White Deer is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 1,007. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in 1909 became home to Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
Catholic immigrants, who had first settled Panna Maria
Panna Maria, Texas
Panna Maria is a small unincorporated community in Karnes County, Texas, United States. It is the oldest Polish settlement in the United States. A Franciscan missionary, Father Leopold Moczygemba, started recruiting Upper Silesians in 1852, when Silesia was part of the Kingdom of Prussia. The...
in Karnes County
Karnes County, Texas
Karnes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 15,446. Its county seat is Karnes City. Karnes County is named for Henry Karnes, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.-Geography:...
before migrating to Carson County.
Experimental drilling by Gulf Oil Corporation
Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
led to the county's, and the Panhandle's, first oil and gas production in late 1921. Borger field was discovered in 1925, sparking much oil exploration and production of the Panhandle area. By the end of 2000 more than 178398900 barrels (28,363,158,542 l) of petroleum had been produced from county lands.
In September 1942 the Pantex Ordnance Plant was built on 16076 acres (65.1 km²) of southwestern Carson County land, to pack and load shells and bombs in support of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
effort. Operations ceased August 1945, and in 1949 the site was sold to Texas Tech University at Amarillo
Texas Tech University at Amarillo
Texas Tech University at Amarillo is an official off campus teaching site of Texas Tech University located in Amarillo, Texas. It hosts master's degrees in systems and engineering management and manufacturing and engineering through both on-site and online courses as part of .-External links:*...
for agricultural experimentation. Pantex reopened in 1951 as a nuclear weapons assembly plant. In 1960, Pantex began high explosives development in support of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory , just outside Livermore, California, is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center founded by the University of California in 1952...
in California. Pantex has a long-term mission to safely and securely maintain the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and dismantle weapons retired by the military.
Cities and towns
- GroomGroom, TexasGroom is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 587 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- PanhandlePanhandle, TexasPanhandle is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carson County. Panhandle is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- SkellytownSkellytown, TexasSkellytown is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town was named for oilman William G...
- White DeerWhite Deer, TexasWhite Deer is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 1,007. It is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Carson County, Texas
External links
- Carson County government's website
- Carson County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of TexasUniversity of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
- Interactive Texas Map
- Texas Map Collection