Editing Archer County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Archer County
 | state                = Texas
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1880
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Archer City
 | largest city wl      = Archer City
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 925
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 903
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 22
 | area percentage      = 2.4
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 8560
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.co.archer.tx.us/
 | named for            = [[Branch Tanner Archer]]
 | ex image             = Archer courthouse.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = The [[Archer County Courthouse and Jail|Archer County Courthouse]] in Archer City: The Romanesque style structure was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1977.
 | district             = 13th
}}
[[File:EdaphosaurusHarvard.jpg|thumb|This ''[[Edaphosaurus boanerges]]'' fossil skeleton from Archer County is on display in [[Harvard Museum of Natural History]].]]
[[File:Edaph boanerg2.jpg|thumb|''Edaphosaurus boanerges'' life restoration]]
'''Archer County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 8,560.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Archer County, Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/archercountytexas/PST120221|access-date=January 31, 2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Archer County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48009|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=February 23, 2021}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Archer City, Texas|Archer City]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> It is part of the [[Wichita Falls, Texas|Wichita Falls]] [[Wichita Falls metropolitan area|metropolitan statistical area]].

==History==
In 1858, the [[Texas Legislature]] established Archer County from portions of [[Fannin County, Texas|Fannin County]], and it organized in 1880.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Texas: Individual County Chronologies|work=Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=[[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]]|date=2008|access-date=May 20, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513024355/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/TX_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is named for [[Branch Tanner Archer]], a commissioner for the [[Republic of Texas]].

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|925|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|903|sqmi|abbr=on}} are land and {{convert|22|sqmi|abbr=on}} (2.4%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 18, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 82.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 82 in Texas|U.S. Highway 82]]
* [[Image:US 277.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 277#Texas|U.S. Highway 277]]
* [[Image:US 281.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 281#Texas|U.S. Highway 281]]
* [[Image:Texas 25.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 25|State Highway 25]]
* [[Image:Texas 79.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 79|State Highway 79]]
* [[Image:Texas 114.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 114|State Highway 114]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Wichita County, Texas|Wichita County]] (north)
* [[Clay County, Texas|Clay County]] (east)
* [[Jack County, Texas|Jack County]] (southeast)
* [[Young County, Texas|Young County]] (south)
* [[Baylor County, Texas|Baylor County]] (west)
* [[Wilbarger County, Texas|Wilbarger County]] (northwest)

==Geology==
{{see also|Geology of Wichita Falls, Texas}}
Archer County is part of the [[Red Beds of Texas and Oklahoma|Texas Red Beds]], which are [[stratum|strata]] of red-colored sedimentary rock from the [[Cisuralian|Early Permian]]. One of the most prominent red-bed fossil sites in the county is the Geraldine Bonebed.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9DIloiBThhIC&dq=eryops+archer+county&pg=PA94 The Book Of Life: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of Life on Earth.] W.W. Norton: 2001, pg. 94. Retrieved August 28, 2017.</ref> The fossils of Permian-period vertebrates in the Texas Red Beds were first discovered by [[Edward Drinker Cope]] in 1877.<ref>
Cope, E. D. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/982295 Descriptions of extinct vertebrata from the Permian and Triassic formations of the United States.] Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 1877. Volume 17:182–195. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.</ref><ref>Case, E.C.[https://www.jstor.org/stable/30060764 The Red Beds between Wichita Falls, Texas, and Las Vegas, New Mexico, in Relation to Their Vertebrate Fauna.] The Journal of Geology, vol. 22, no. 3, 1914, pp. 243–259. JSTOR. Accessed on August 28, 2017.</ref> Subsequent research has revealed rare fossils of Permian period amphibians such as ''[[Trimerorhachis]]'',<ref>Henry,
 Randy. [https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/tx/home/?cid=nrcs144p2_003201 NRCS and Landowner Team Up With Houston Museum after Rare Species Discovery.] Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessed on August 28, 2017.</ref> and rich deposits of other Permian [[tetrapod]]s such as ''[[Dimetrodon]]'' and ''[[Diadectes]]''.<ref>Caulfield, Dave. [http://www.newschannel6now.com/story/30368034/prehistoric-predators-fossil-findings-in-seymour-redefining Prehistoric Predators: Fossil Findings in Seymour 'Redefining'.] Newschannel 6: October 25, 2015. Accessed on August 28, 2017.</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 596
|1890= 2101
|1900= 2508
|1910= 6525
|1920= 5254
|1930= 9684
|1940= 7599
|1950= 6816
|1960= 6110
|1970= 5759
|1980= 7266
|1990= 7973
|2000= 8854
|2010= 9054
|2020= 8560
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br />1850–2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=April 18, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Archer County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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 may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Archer County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48009&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Archer County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48009&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Archer County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48009&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|8,263
|8,182
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,356
|93.33%
|90.37%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |85.93%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|7
|34
|style='background: #ffffe6; |30
|0.08%
|0.38%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.35%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|47
|47
|style='background: #ffffe6; |71
|0.53%
|0.52%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.83%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|11
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18
|0.12%
|0.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|3
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.03%
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|3
|4
|style='background: #ffffe6; |21
|0.03%
|0.04%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|89
|91
|style='background: #ffffe6; |322
|1.01%
|1.01%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.76%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|431
|675
|style='background: #ffffe6; |742
|4.87%
|7.46%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8.67%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''8,854'''
|'''9,054'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''8,560'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the census<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, 8,854 people, 3,345 households, and 2,515 families resided in the county. The population density was {{convert|10|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. The 3,871 housing units averaged {{convert|4|/mi2|/km2}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 95.54% White, 0.08% African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.28% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. About 4.87% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 3,345 households, 37.20% had children under 18 living with them, 65.00% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.80% were not families. Of all unmarried partner households, 89.8% were heterosexual, 1.9% were same-sex male, and 8.3% were same-sex female. About 21.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone who was 65 or older living alone. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the age distribution was 28.20% under 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,514, and for a family was $45,984. Males had a median income of $31,386 versus $22,119 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,300. About 6.80% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 10.80% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
These school districts serve Archer County:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48009_archer/DC20SD_C48009.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48009_archer/DC20SD_C48009.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Archer County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 29, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48009_archer/DC20SD_C48009_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Archer City Independent School District]]
* [[Holliday Independent School District]]
* [[Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Jacksboro Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Olney Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Windthorst Independent School District]]

[[Megargel Independent School District]] once served portions of Archer County,<ref>[[Texas Education Agency]]: See map of [https://web.archive.org/web/20040625173809/http://penick.tea.state.tx.us/schooldistrictlocator/adobe/counties/archer.pdf Archer County]. Retrieved on April 9, 2020.</ref> but it closed in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kauz.com/news/local/2883291.html |title=Mergargel School Closes Its Doors |publisher=[[KAUZ-TV]] |accessdate=July 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928064158/http://www.kauz.com/news/local/2883291.html |archivedate=September 28, 2007 }}</ref>

The county is in the service area of [[Vernon College]].<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA].</ref>

==Ranching industry==
The Seymour Division of the sprawling 320,000-deeded-acre (1400&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) La Escalera Ranch is located north of [[Seymour, Texas]] in [[Baylor County]] with portions in Archer County. The Seymour Division consists of {{convert|34,000|acre|ha|abbr=off}}, which formerly was known as the Cross Bar Ranch when it was owned by the Claude Cowan Sr. Trust. The ranch was purchased in January 2005 by the [[Gerald Lyda]] family and La Escalera Limited Partnership, and is managed by partner Jo Lyda Granberg and her husband K. G. Granberg of Seymour. La Escalera Ranch also extends over much of [[Pecos County]] and portions of [[Reeves County|Reeves]] and [[Brewster County|Brewster]] Counties. It is known for its herd of Black Angus cattle and its abundant wildlife.

Joseph Sterling Bridwell, a Wichita Falls philanthropist and oilman, also owned a ranch in Archer County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbrdd|title=Jack O. Loftin, "Joseph Sterling Bridwell"|publisher=[[Texas State Historical Association]] online|access-date=April 30, 2013|date=June 12, 2010}}</ref>

== Dairy industry ==
Archer County is one of the more prominent areas of dairy product production in Texas. The two southeastern Archer County cities of Scotland and Windthorst have 37 functioning dairy farms nearby as of 2019. The dairy industry moved to the area in the early 1900s and has persisted through the years. Though this area has many operating dairies, the number of dairy cattle makes up a fractions of the numbers that are raised in the other dairy pockets of Texas such as Dalhart/Dumas and the Stephenville area. Every dairy farm in the Scotland/Windthorst area is family owned, and this is from where most of the economy of the two cities derives.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

==Politics==
Archer County is represented in the [[Texas House of Representatives]] by Republican [[James Frank]], a [[business]]man from Wichita Falls.
Archer County is heavily Republican, and has voted for the presidential candidate of that party in every election since 1980.

{{PresHead|place=Archer County, Texas|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,592|520|20|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,300|446|50|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,786|394|103|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,600|525|39|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,595|740|30|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,556|878|17|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,951|993|53|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,974|1,235|446|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,560|1,284|1,123|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,010|1,627|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,487|1,089|11|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,804|1,444|41|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|966|1,577|18|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,494|632|26|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|636|1,308|413|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|441|1,766|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|680|1,341|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|825|1,067|7|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|937|1,272|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|191|1,599|65|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|194|1,674|229|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|276|1,904|1|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|146|1,672|4|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|97|1,555|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|799|865|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|146|883|88|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|169|449|27|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|104|527|40|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|25|457|47|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Archer County, Texas|Seat=1|source=<ref>{{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-senate-results}}</ref>}}
<!-- U.S. SenRow should be {{U.S. SenRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|4,483|562|64|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}

==Communities==
===Cities===
*[[Archer City, Texas|Archer City]] (county seat)
*[[Holliday, Texas|Holliday]]
*[[Scotland, Texas|Scotland]]

===Towns===
*[[Lakeside City, Texas|Lakeside City]]
*[[Megargel, Texas|Megargel]]
*[[Windthorst, Texas|Windthorst]] (partly in [[Clay County, Texas|Clay County]])

===Unincorporated communities===
*[[Dads Corner, Texas|Dads Corner]]
*[[Dundee, Texas|Dundee]]
*[[Mankins, Texas|Mankins]]

===Ghost towns===
*[[Anarene, Texas|Anarene]]
*[[Huff, Texas|Huff]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
*[[List of museums in North Texas]]
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Archer County, Texas]]
*[[Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Archer County]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Archer County, Texas}}
*[http://www.co.archer.tx.us/ Archer County government]
*{{Handbook of Texas|id=hca05|name=}}
*[http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/government/archer-county Archer County] from the [[Texas Almanac]]
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080705020030/http://www.hiddenancestors.com/archertx/ Archer County]}} from the TXGenWeb Project
*[http://texashistory.unt.edu/search/?q=%22United+States+-+Texas+-+Archer+County%22&t=dc.coverage Historic Archer County materials], hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Archer County, Texas
|North     = [[Wichita County, Texas|Wichita County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Clay County, Texas|Clay County]]
|Southeast = [[Jack County, Texas|Jack County]]
|South     = [[Young County, Texas|Young County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Baylor County, Texas|Baylor County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Archer County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|33.61|-98.69|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Archer County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1880 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Wichita Falls metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1880]]