Upton County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Upton County
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The Upton County Courthouse in Rankin
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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 | 1910 |
| Seat | Rankin |
| Largest city | McCamey |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,242 sq mi (3,220 km2) |
| • Land | 1,241 sq mi (3,210 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) 0.01% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,308 |
| • Density | 2.6634/sq mi (1.0284/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 23rd |
Upton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,308. Its county seat is Rankin. The county was created in 1887 and later organized in 1910. It is named for two brothers: John C. and William F. Upton, both colonels in the Confederate Army.
Contents
History
Native Americans
Indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of the area. Later Indian tribes included Comanches, Apache.
Trails
One of the first routes bringing people through the area was the Chihuahua Trail connecting Mexico's state of Chihuahua with Santa Fe, New Mexico. The trail served as a trade route for nomadic tribes of Indians and Spaniards, as well as traders from both Mexico and Texas.
The Butterfield Overland Mail crossed the area 1858–1861.
Cattle drive Goodnight-Loving Trail. served cowboys 1866-1888. The trail began at Young County, Texas and passed along the Pecos River, Fort Sumner, New Mexico, and Colorado before ending in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Establishment of the county
Upton was formed in 1887 from Tom Green County, Texas. The county was named after John C. Upton and his brother William F. Upton. of Tennessee. Cattleman George Elliott became the first to establish a homestead in Upton County in 1880. Beginning as open range, the land was shared with sheepmen by the 1890s. The United States Census counted fifty-two people living in the county in 1890, and only forty-eight in 1900; most of these were either members of three families, or were in their employ. The agricultural sector of the county has been out-paced by cattle and sheep ranching. In 1982, about 92 percent of the land in Upton County was in farms and ranches, but less than 1 percent of the county was considered prime farmland, and only 2 percent of the county was cultivated. In the fall of 1911, the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway reached the townsite of Rankin, and by January 1912, most of the people living in Upland had moved to Rankin.
Oil
Wildcatter George McCamey's Baker No. 1 in September 1925 opened up the McCamey Oil Field, established the town of McCamey and brought the subsequent oil boom to Upton County. The Yates Oil Field in Crockett and Pecos counties resulted in a financial boon for the town of Rankin, which served as a supply and service center. The resulting financial windfall benefitted infrastructure in Rankin. In 1946, Mike Benedum began wildcatting in Upton County and opened up what would become known as the Benedum Oil Field. The Weir No. 1 gushed in 1961 and enabled Upton County to continue as an outstanding Texas production area.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,242 square miles (3,220 km2), of which 1,241 square miles (3,210 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.01%) 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
U.S. Highway 385
State Highway 329
State Highway 349
Adjacent counties
- Midland County (north)
- Reagan County (east)
- Crockett County (south)
- Crane County (west)
- Ector County (northwest)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 52 | — | |
| 1900 | 48 | −7.7% | |
| 1910 | 501 | 943.8% | |
| 1920 | 253 | −49.5% | |
| 1930 | 5,968 | 2,258.9% | |
| 1940 | 4,297 | −28.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,307 | 23.5% | |
| 1960 | 6,239 | 17.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,697 | −24.7% | |
| 1980 | 4,619 | −1.7% | |
| 1990 | 4,447 | −3.7% | |
| 2000 | 3,404 | −23.5% | |
| 2010 | 3,355 | −1.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,308 | −1.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 1,611 | 1,318 | 48.02% | 39.84% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 49 | 59 | 1.46% | 1.78% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 28 | 11 | 0.83% | 0.33% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 4 | 0.00% | 0.12% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 4 | 3 | 0.12% | 0.09% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 19 | 116 | 0.57% | 3.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,644 | 1,797 | 49.00% | 54.32% |
| Total | 3,355 | 3,308 | 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
Unincorporated community
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Upton para niños
