Reagan County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Reagan County
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The Reagan County Courthouse in Big Lake
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1903 |
| Named for | John Henninger Reagan |
| Seat | Big Lake |
| Largest city | Big Lake |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,176 sq mi (3,050 km2) |
| • Land | 1,175 sq mi (3,040 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) 0.06% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,385 |
| • Density | 2.8784/sq mi (1.1114/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 23rd |
Reagan County is a county on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,385. The county seat is Big Lake. The county is named after John Henninger Reagan (1818-1905), who was the postmaster general of the Confederate States and also a U.S. senator, U.S. representative, and first chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas.
Contents
History
- First inhabitants Paleo-Indian, Suma-Jumano, Kiowa and Comanche.
- 1650 Captains Hernán Martín and Diego del Castillo explore the region.
- 1684 Juan Domínguez de Mendoza and Nicolás López report on local Indians.
- 1858 -1861 Butterfield Overland Mail crosses the center of the county.
- 1878 Camp Grierson’s Spring is established as a subpost of Fort Concho and named in honor of Col. Benjamin H. Grierson.
- 1903 Reagan County is carved from Tom Green County and named for United States Senator John Henninger Reagan. Stiles, named after local rancher William G. Stiles, becomes the first county seat.
- 1911 The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient of Texas Railway is completed.
- 1923 Oil is discovered at the Big Lake Oilfield in the Permian Basin. Big Lake Oilfield, located on University of Texas System land, opens the Permian Basin to oil production and endows the Permanent University Fund. The rig is named Santa Rita #1 for The Patron Saint of the Impossible. Big Lake is incorporated as a city.
- 1924 Boom town community of Best plunges into vice and violence, necessitating the Texas Rangers intervention. The Rangers destroy buildings that are being used as gambling houses, and saloons.
- 1925 Voters move the county seat to Big Lake.
- 1926 Texon is established by the Big Lake Oil Company for its employees and their families and is devoted to family life.
- 1951 A renewed oil boom from the Spraberry Trend production.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,176 square miles (3,050 km2), of which 1,175 square miles (3,040 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.06%) is water. The Spraberry Trend, the third-largest oil field in the United States by remaining reserves, underlies much of the county.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 67
State Highway 137
Ranch to Market Road 33
Adjacent counties
- Glasscock County (north)
- Sterling County (northeast)
- Tom Green County (east)
- Irion County (east)
- Crockett County (south)
- Upton County (west)
- Midland County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 392 | — | |
| 1920 | 377 | −3.8% | |
| 1930 | 3,028 | 703.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,997 | −34.0% | |
| 1950 | 3,127 | 56.6% | |
| 1960 | 3,782 | 20.9% | |
| 1970 | 3,239 | −14.4% | |
| 1980 | 4,135 | 27.7% | |
| 1990 | 4,514 | 9.2% | |
| 2000 | 3,326 | −26.3% | |
| 2010 | 3,367 | 1.2% | |
| 2020 | 3,385 | 0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 1,219 | 968 | 36.20% | 28.60% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 65 | 33 | 1.93% | 0.97% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 7 | 12 | 0.21% | 0.35% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1 | 19 | 0.03% | 0.56% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 1 | 6 | 0.03% | 0.18% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 23 | 63 | 0.68% | 1.86% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,051 | 2,283 | 60.91% | 67.44% |
| Total | 3,367 | 3,385 | 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
- Big Lake (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
Ghost Town
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Reagan para niños
