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Hamilton County
The Hamilton County Courthouse in Hamilton, Texas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 4, 1980.
The Hamilton County Courthouse in Hamilton, Texas. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 4, 1980.
Map of Texas highlighting Hamilton County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Founded 1858
Named for James Hamilton Jr.
Seat Hamilton
Largest city Hamilton
Area
 • Total 836 sq mi (2,170 km2)
 • Land 836 sq mi (2,170 km2)
 • Water 0.5 sq mi (1 km2)  0.06%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 8,222
 • Density 9.835/sq mi (3.7973/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 25th

Hamilton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 8,222. The county seat is Hamilton. The county was created in 1858. It is named for James Hamilton Jr., a former governor of South Carolina who gave financial aid to the Republic of Texas.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

Major highways

  • US 84.svg U.S. Highway 84
  • US 281.svg U.S. Highway 281
  • Texas 6.svg State Highway 6
  • Texas 22.svg State Highway 22
  • Texas 36.svg State Highway 36
  • Texas 220.svg State Highway 220

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
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%
2020 8,222 −3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

2020 census

Hamilton County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 7,495 6,805 88.00% 82.77%
Black or African American alone (NH) 38 32 0.45% 0.39%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 31 37 0.36% 0.45%
Asian alone (NH) 31 36 0.36% 0.44%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 2 0.01% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 3 17 0.04% 0.21%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 55 248 0.65% 3.02%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 863 1,045 10.13% 12.71%
Total 8,517 8,222 100.00% 100.00%

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 can be of any race.

Communities

Cities

Town

Unincorporated communities

Ghost Town

Notable people

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Hamilton (Texas) para niños

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