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McCulloch County, Texas facts for kids

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McCulloch County
U.S. county
The McCulloch County Courthouse in Brady
Map of Texas highlighting McCulloch 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 1876
Named for Benjamin McCulloch
Seat Brady
Largest city Brady
Area
 • Total 1,073 sq mi (2,780 km2)
 • Land 1,066 sq mi (2,760 km2)
 • Water 7.8 sq mi (20 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 7,630
 • Density 7.111/sq mi (2.7455/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 11th

McCulloch County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 census, its population was 7,630. Its county seat is Brady. The county was created in 1856 and later organized in 1876. It is named for Benjamin McCulloch, a famous Texas Ranger and Confederate general.

The geographical center of Texas lies within McCulloch County, near Brady.

History

  • 5000 BC – 1500 AD - Early Native American inhabitants included Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, Comanche, and Tawakoni.
  • 1788 - José Mares expedition from San Antonio to Santa Fe
  • 1831, November 21 - In the Brady vicinity, James Bowie, Rezin P. Bowie, David Buchanan, Cephas D. Hamm, Matthew Doyle, Jesse Wallace, Thomas McCaslin, Robert Armstrong, James Coryell with two servants, Charles and Gonzales, held at bay for a day and a night 164 Caddo and Lipans. After 80 warriors have been killed, the Indians withdrew.
  • 1852 - Camp San Saba was established to protect settlers from Indians.
  • 1856 - The Sixth Legislature forms McCulloch County from Bexar, named for Benjamin McCulloch.
  • 1876 - The Voca Waterwheel Mill was built.
  • 1880 - The Brady Sentinel was established by D.F. Hayes, county’s first newspaper. Later, it was absorbed by the Heart o’ Texas News run by R.B. Boyle.
  • 1886-1912 - County Swedish colonies of East Sweden, West Sweden and Melvin were established.
  • 1897-1910 - The Brady Enterprise or McCulloch County Enterprise was published.
  • 1899 McCulloch County sandstone courthouse built. Romanesque Revival style by architects Martin & Moodie.
  • 1900 - The Milburn Messenger was edited by T.F. Harwell. Cotton became a major county crop.
  • 1903 - The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway came to McCulloch.
  • 1904-1907 - W.D. Currie published the Mercury Mascot.
  • 1906-1910 - The McCulloch County Star was published.
  • 1909 - The Brady Standard, edited by F.W. Schwenker, began publication, and absorbed the McCulloch County Star and the Brady Enterprise in 1910.
  • 1909 - The Rochelle Record was started by W.D. Cowan.
  • 1915 - The Melvin Rustler began publication.
  • 1917 - J. Marvin Hunter founded the Melvin Enterprise.
  • 1920’s - McCulloch County billed itself as "the Turkey Center of the Universe", and held an annual Turkey Trot.
  • 1923 - Hunter also founded the Frontier Times in Melvin, and later moved it to Bandera.
  • 1923 - Dan Collins Taylor, a rodeo performer and promoter was born in Doole in McCulloch County. He died there in 2010.
  • 1930’s - Tenant farming in the county peaked at 60%.
  • 1932 - The Colorado River flooded, cresting at 62.2 feet (19.0 m).
  • 1938 - Brady Creek flooded, cresting at 29.1 feet (8.9 m). The San Saba River flooded, cresting at 39.8 feet (12.1 m).
  • 1941 - Curtis Field, named for Brady Mayor Harry L. Curtis, opened with 80 students as a flying school.
  • 1943 - A county prisoner of war camp was set up and included Rommel's Afrika Corps, as well as members of the S.S. and the Gestapo.
  • 1946 - Crockett State School took over the former POW camp and used it as a training school for delinquent black girls.
  • 1954-1960 - Forty-eight restraining structures were installed in the county to control flooding.
  • 1963 - Brady Creek Reservoir was constructed to partially control flooding on the San Saba River. Tourist Information Marker placed, declaring McCulloch the geographical center of Texas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,073 square miles (2,780 km2), of which 1,066 square miles (2,760 km2) is land and 7.8 square miles (20 km2) (0.7%) is water.

Major highways

  • US 87.svg U.S. Highway 87
  • US 190.svg U.S. Highway 190
  • US 283.svg U.S. Highway 283
  • US 377.svg U.S. Highway 377
  • Texas 71.svg State Highway 71

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870 173 —
1880 1,533 786.1%
1890 3,217 109.8%
1900 3,960 23.1%
1910 13,405 238.5%
1920 11,020 −17.8%
1930 13,883 26.0%
1940 13,208 −4.9%
1950 11,701 −11.4%
1960 8,815 −24.7%
1970 8,571 −2.8%
1980 8,735 1.9%
1990 8,778 0.5%
2000 8,205 −6.5%
2010 8,283 1.0%
2020 7,630 −7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1850–2010 2010 2020

2020 census

McCulloch County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,568 4,904 67.22% 64.27%
Black or African American alone (NH) 133 92 1.61% 1.21%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 23 7 0.28% 0.09%
Asian alone (NH) 28 39 0.34% 0.51%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 0 0.01% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 9 12 0.11% 0.16%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 45 207 0.54% 2.71%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,476 2,369 29.89% 31.05%
Total 8,283 7,630 100.00% 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

City

Town

Unincorporated communities

Education

The following school districts serve McCulloch County:

  • Brady ISD (small portion in Concho County)
  • Lohn ISD
  • Mason ISD (mostly in Mason County; small portions in Kimble, Menard, and San Saba Counties)
  • Rochelle ISD

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de McCulloch para niños

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