Editing Bee County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Bee County
 | state                = Texas
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1858
 | seat wl              = Beeville
 | largest city wl      = Beeville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 880
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 880
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.1
 | area percentage      = 0.01%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 31047
 | density_sq_mi        = 35.3
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | ex image             = Bee courthouse.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250
 | ex image cap         = The [[Bee County Courthouse]] in Beeville was built in 1913.
 | web                  = https://www.co.bee.tx.us/
 | named for            = [[Barnard E. Bee, Sr.]]
 | district             = 27th
}}

'''Bee County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Texas]]. It is in [[South Texas]] and its [[county seat]] is [[Beeville, Texas|Beeville]].<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/20120712220218/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=July 12, 2012 }}</ref> As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 31,047.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bee County, Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/beecountytexas/PST120221|access-date=January 31, 2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> The Beeville, TX [[micropolitan statistical area]] includes all of Bee County. The county was founded December 8, 1857, and organized the next year.<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 [[Barnard E. Bee, Sr.]], a secretary of state of the [[Republic of Texas]].

==History==
On December 8, 1857, the [[Texas Legislature]] formed Bee County from sections of Refugio, Live Oak, San Patricio, Goliad, and Karnes Counties, naming it for Colonel Barnard Elliot Bee, who served the Republic of Texas as [[Sam Houston]]'s secretary of war and [[Mirabeau B. Lamar]]'s secretary of state.<ref>{{Cite book|title = The Historical Story of Bee County, Texas|last = Ezell|first = Camp|publisher = Beeville Publishing Co|year = 1973|location = Beeville, Texas|pages = 25}}</ref>

During the Anglo-American land speculation of the 1830s, the area's earliest settlers were mainly Irish immigrants, but by the late 1840s and early 1850s, the rise of Jacksonian expansionism inspired Southern whites from the North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi to occupy and build settlements in the area.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = The Origin of Anglo-American Cattle Ranching in Texas: A Documentation of Diffusion from the Lower South|last = Jordan|first = Terry G.|date = Jan 1969|journal = Economic Geography| volume=45 |issue = 45| pages=63–87 | doi=10.2307/143180 | jstor=143180 }}</ref>

As the constitution of the Republic of Texas no longer recognized the Catholic Church (or any church) as the state religion and slave-holding settlers came to dominate the area in the 1840s, small Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist congregations began forming with sustained missionary support from these denominations. Research suggests that Baptists and Methodists comprised 65% of all Texas congregations by 1870.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = A Comparative Approach to Western Religious History: Texas as a Case Study, 1845-1890|last = Pritchard|first = Linda K.|date = 1988|journal = The Western Historical Quarterly| volume=19 | issue=4 | pages=413–430 | doi=10.2307/968321 | jstor=968321 }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|880|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqmi}} (0.01%) is 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 19, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> The [[Aransas River]] forms in Bee County, southwest of Beeville and north of [[Skidmore, Texas|Skidmore]].

===Major highways===
* [[File:US 59.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 59 (Texas)|U.S. Highway 59]]
** [[File:I-69W (TX).svg|25px]] [[Interstate 69W]] is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places.
* [[File:US 181.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 181|U.S. Highway 181]]
* [[File:Texas 72.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 72|State Highway 72]]
* [[File:Texas 202.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 202|State Highway 202]]
* [[File:Texas 359.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 359|State Highway 359]]
* [[File:Texas FM 673.svg|20px]] [[Farm to Market Road 673]]
* [[File:Texas FM 799.svg|20px]] [[Farm to Market Road 799]]
* [[File:Texas FM 888.svg|20px]] [[Farm to Market Road 888]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Karnes County, Texas|Karnes County]]  (north)
* [[Goliad County, Texas|Goliad County]]  (northeast)
* [[Refugio County, Texas|Refugio County]]  (east)
* [[San Patricio County, Texas|San Patricio County]]  (southeast)
* [[Live Oak County, Texas|Live Oak County]]  (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1860= 910
|1870= 1082
|1880= 2298
|1890= 3720
|1900= 7720
|1910= 12090
|1920= 12137
|1930= 15721
|1940= 16481
|1950= 18174
|1960= 23755
|1970= 22737
|1980= 26030
|1990= 25135
|2000= 32359
|2010= 31861
|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 19, 2015}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF"/>
|2020=31047}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Bee 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 – Bee County, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48025&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref>{{Cite web |title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Bee County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US48025&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Bee County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US48025&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|11,352
|10,967
|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,600
|35.08%
|34.42%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |27.70%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|3,145
|2,525
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,316
|9.72%
|7.93%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.46%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|62
|70
|style='background: #ffffe6; |54
|0.19%
|0.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|148
|162
|style='background: #ffffe6; |211
|0.46%
|0.51%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.68%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|8
|10
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.02%
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.01%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|9
|38
|style='background: #ffffe6; |65
|0.03%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.21%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|185
|183
|style='background: #ffffe6; |407
|0.57%
|0.57%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.31%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|17,450
|17,906
|style='background: #ffffe6; |19,392
|53.93%
|56.2%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |62.46%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''32,359'''
|'''31,861'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''31,047'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], 31,047 people, 8,499 households, and 5,693 families resided in the county. As of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 United States census]], 31,861 people were living in the county; 78.8% were [[White American|White]], 8.1% [[African American|Black or African American]], 0.6% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.5% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islands American|Pacific Islander]], 9.7% of some other race, and 2.3% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. About 56.2% were [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics or Latinos]] (of any race).

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, 32,359 people, 9,061 households, and 6,578 families lived in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|37|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. The 10,939 housing units had an average density of {{convert|12|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 67.85% White, 9.90% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 19.15% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. About 53.93% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 9,061 households, 37.8% had children under 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were not families. About 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74, and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the population was distributed as 23.4% under 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 148.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 164.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,392, and for a family was $32,967. Males had a median income of $26,473 versus $20,666 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $10,625. About 19.70% of families and 24.00% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 18.30% of those age 65 or over.

==Government and infrastructure==
The [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] operates the Correctional Institutions Division Region IV Office on the grounds of [[Chase Field Naval Air Station]] in [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] Bee County.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/reg4.htm Correctional Institutions Division Region IV Director's Office] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121162804/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/reg4.htm |date=2008-01-21 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.</ref> In addition, [[Garza East Unit]] and [[Garza West Unit]], transfer facilities, are co-located on the grounds of the naval air station,<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ni.htm Garza East Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118183316/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ni.htm |date=2008-01-18 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.</ref><ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/nh.htm Garza West Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725201141/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/nh.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.</ref> and the [[McConnell Unit]] is also in an unincorporated area in Bee County.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ml.htm McConnell Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725201339/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ml.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.</ref> The Beeville Distribution Center is on the grounds of the air station.<ref name="ChaseFieldCent">"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/manufacturing-logistics/transport/transport-beeville-warehs.htm Beeville Distribution Center] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712211442/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/manufacturing-logistics/transport/transport-beeville-warehs.htm |date=2010-07-12 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on May 22, 2010.</ref>

In 1981 the county government provided firefighting services in [[unincorporated areas]], and there was a proposal to move that competency to four rural firefighting districts made largely on school district boundaries, each with taxing powers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fire Districts Reviews|newspaper=[[Victoria Advocate]]|place=[[Victoria, Texas]]|date=January 31, 1981|page=2D}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/141234977/ Clipping] at [[Newspapers.com]].</ref>

===Politics===
Bee County is somewhat moderate in comparison to surrounding counties in its support of Republicans in presidential elections. In 2016, Donald Trump won less than 56% of the vote. As recently as 1996, it gave a majority of its votes to the Democratic candidate. <!-- see below {{citation needed|date=August 2020}} -->
{{PresHead|place=Bee County, Texas|source=<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 vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|6,111|2,606|83|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|6,006|3,288|132|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|4,744|3,444|297|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|4,356|3,452|71|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,471|3,645|41|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|5,428|4,045|45|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,429|3,795|106|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|3,611|4,561|594|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,633|4,083|1,392|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,620|4,616|45|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|5,377|3,659|28|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|4,171|3,606|154|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,953|3,690|79|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,779|2,067|20|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|1,995|2,957|592|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,509|3,314|9|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|2,220|2,557|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,401|1,929|15|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,536|1,583|7|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|801|1,441|132|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|848|1,306|257|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|948|1,759|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|603|1,462|17|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|534|2,180|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,189|1,043|4|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|944|987|146|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|283|545|95|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|152|584|31|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|35|476|81|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenHead|place=Bee 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|5,639|2,845|188|Texas}}
{{U.S. SenFoot}}

==Education==
[[File:Bee County Library in Beeville, TX IMG 0982.JPG|thumb|The Joe Barnhart Bee County Library is located in downtown Beeville across the street from the courthouse.]]

These school districts serve Bee County:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48025_bee/DC20SD_C48025.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bee County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=February 15, 2024}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48025_bee/DC20SD_C48025_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Beeville Independent School District]]
* [[Mathis Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Pawnee Independent School District]] (partial, K-8)
* [[Pettus Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Refugio Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District]] (partial)
* [[Three Rivers Independent School District]] (partial)

[[Coastal Bend College]] (formerly Bee County College), a postsecondary institution, serves Bee County among other counties and areas.<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code Sec. 130.167. BEE COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.] The legislation calls it "Bee County College".</ref>

==Communities==
[[File:Bee County Courthouse in Beeville, TX IMG 0981.JPG|thumb|The Bee County [[Courthouse]] in [[Beeville, Texas|Beeville]] was designed by [[architect]] [[W.C. Stephenson]], formerly of [[Buffalo, New York]]]]

===City===
* [[Beeville, Texas|Beeville]] (county seat)

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
* [[Blue Berry Hill, Texas|Blue Berry Hill]]
* [[Normanna, Texas|Normanna]]
* [[Pawnee, Texas|Pawnee]]
* [[Pettus, Texas|Pettus]]
* [[Skidmore, Texas|Skidmore]]
* [[Tuleta, Texas|Tuleta]]
* [[Tulsita, Texas|Tulsita]]
* [[Tynan, Texas|Tynan]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Blanconia, Texas|Blanconia]]
* [[Cadiz, Texas|Cadiz]]
* [[Caesar, Texas|Caesar]]
* [[Clareville, Texas|Clareville]]
* [[Mineral, Texas|Mineral]]
* [[Monteola, Texas|Monteola]]
* [[Oaks, Texas|Oaks]]
* [[Olmos, Bee County, Texas|Olmos]]
* [[Orangedale, Texas|Orangedale]]
* [[Papalote, Texas|Papalote]]
* [[Yougeen, Texas|Yougeen]]
{{div col end}}

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

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

==External links==
* [https://www.co.bee.tx.us/ Bee County government] official website
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcb05|name= Bee County, Texas}}
* [http://texashistory.unt.edu/search/?q=%22United+States+-+Texas+-+Bee+County%22&t=dc.coverage Historic Bee County materials], hosted by the [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ Portal to Texas History]
* [http://www.beeville.net/History/index.htm Beeville History]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Bee County, Texas
|North     = [[Karnes County, Texas|Karnes County]]
|Northeast = [[Goliad County, Texas|Goliad County]]
|East      = [[Refugio County, Texas|Refugio County]]
|Southeast = [[San Patricio County, Texas|San Patricio County]]
|South     =
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Live Oak County, Texas|Live Oak County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Bee County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|28.42|-97.74|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Bee County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1858 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1858]]