Editing Breckenridge, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Breckenridge, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Furniture Thurmon downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg
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  | switch             = Breckenridge;Stephens County;Texas;the United States
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<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Stephens County, Texas|Stephens]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 10.88
| area_land_km2      = 10.87
| area_water_km2     = 0.01
| area_total_sq_mi   = 4.20
| area_land_sq_mi    = 4.20
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 5187
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_density_km2 = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
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| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 1204
| coordinates        = {{coord|32|45|24|N|98|54|20|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 76424
| area_code          = [[Area code 254|254]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-10132<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1372709<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1372709}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://breckenridgetx.gov/}}
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Breckenridge''' is a city and [[county seat]] of [[Stephens County, Texas]], [[Texas]], United States. The estimated population was 5,349 as of February 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/breckenridge-tx-population|title = Breckenridge, Texas Population 2021 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)}}</ref><ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615012444/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-06-15 }}</ref> 

Breckenridge was a stop on the since defunct Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad, one of the properties of Frank Kell and Joseph A. Kemp  of [[Wichita Falls, Texas]]. The line was thereafter operated until 1969 by the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/eqwue|title=H. Allen Anderson, "Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad"|publisher=tshaonline.org|access-date=April 19, 2013}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Oil Rig, Main Street, Breckinridge, Texas, 1920.JPG|thumb|left|Oil rig, Main Street, Breckenridge, Texas, 1920]]
The town of Breckenridge originated in 1854 as Picketville, either named after the structure of its early homes or after rancher Bill Pickett, who lived in the area at the time. In 1876, [[Stephens County, Texas|Stephens County]] was established, and its territory included Picketville. The town was renamed "Breckenridge" after former U.S. Vice President and [[Confederate States Army|Confederate Army]] General [[John C. Breckinridge]], though with an altered spelling.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfb05 |title=BRECKENRIDGE, TX |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |access-date=June 21, 2017}}</ref>

Breckenridge was a major oil producer in the early 1920s.  The population jumped from around 1000 to 5000 in under five years. 
Briefly, it was the home of legendary figure of the Old West, John [["Doc" Holliday]]. Breckenridge's boomtown era was well documented by the hundreds of photographs of pioneer photographer Basil Clemons.

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 4.2&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi (10.8&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), of which 0.24% is covered by water.

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Breckenridge has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=96157&cityname=Breckenridge%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Breckenridge, Texas]</ref>

Around 5:20 pm local time on April 9, 2008, three tornadoes, including two "sisters", were confirmed to have hit at least a portion of the town.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cbs11tv.com/weathernewsstories/severe.weather.preparations.2.696015.html |title=Cbs11tv.com - Apparent Tornado Strikes Breckenridge, Injures 15 |access-date=2008-04-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122104456/http://cbs11tv.com/weathernewsstories/severe.weather.preparations.2.696015.html |archive-date=2008-11-22 }}</ref> Within the city limits, 15 citizens were reported as injured. Five buildings were destroyed, including the airport, which was a former Air Force training facility.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

{{Weather box
|location = Breckenridge, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1898–present
|single line = Yes
| collapsed   = yes
|Jan record high F = 90
|Feb record high F = 97
|Mar record high F = 98
|Apr record high F = 101
|May record high F = 109
|Jun record high F = 111
|Jul record high F = 112
|Aug record high F = 114
|Sep record high F = 111
|Oct record high F = 105
|Nov record high F = 93
|Dec record high F = 90

|Jan avg record high F = 80.0
|Feb avg record high F = 84.2
|Mar avg record high F = 89.0
|Apr avg record high F = 93.8
|May avg record high F = 97.8
|Jun avg record high F = 100.3
|Jul avg record high F = 103.8
|Aug avg record high F = 103.5
|Sep avg record high F = 99.8
|Oct avg record high F = 93.3
|Nov avg record high F = 85.4
|Dec avg record high F = 79.6
|year avg record high F = 105.8

|Jan high F = 57.4
|Feb high F = 61.4
|Mar high F = 69.6
|Apr high F = 78.0
|May high F = 84.7
|Jun high F = 91.7
|Jul high F = 96.0
|Aug high F = 95.9
|Sep high F = 88.5
|Oct high F = 79.0
|Nov high F = 67.4
|Dec high F = 58.8
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 42.8
|Feb mean F = 47.0
|Mar mean F = 55.1
|Apr mean F = 63.4
|May mean F = 72.0
|Jun mean F = 79.8
|Jul mean F = 83.6
|Aug mean F = 83.1
|Sep mean F = 75.5
|Oct mean F = 64.9
|Nov mean F = 52.9
|Dec mean F = 44.6
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 28.2
|Feb low F = 32.5
|Mar low F = 40.6
|Apr low F = 48.9
|May low F = 59.3
|Jun low F = 67.9
|Jul low F = 71.2
|Aug low F = 70.2
|Sep low F = 62.4
|Oct low F = 50.8
|Nov low F = 38.4
|Dec low F = 30.4
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 14.7
|Feb avg record low F = 17.9
|Mar avg record low F = 23.2
|Apr avg record low F = 32.3
|May avg record low F = 42.9
|Jun avg record low F = 57.7
|Jul avg record low F = 64.0
|Aug avg record low F = 61.7
|Sep avg record low F = 47.9
|Oct avg record low F = 34.0
|Nov avg record low F = 23.0
|Dec avg record low F = 15.9
|year avg record low F = 11.4

|Jan record low F = -6
|Feb record low F = -8
|Mar record low F = 7
|Apr record low F = 24
|May record low F = 33
|Jun record low F = 46
|Jul record low F = 51
|Aug record low F = 51
|Sep record low F = 38
|Oct record low F = 20
|Nov record low F = 14
|Dec record low F = -7

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 1.57
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.89
|Mar precipitation inch = 2.35
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.33
|May precipitation inch = 3.92
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.68
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.25
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.53
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.64
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.88
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.88
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.78
|year precipitation inch = 29.70

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 4.7
|Feb precipitation days = 5.6
|Mar precipitation days = 7.0
|Apr precipitation days = 5.1
|May precipitation days = 8.0
|Jun precipitation days = 7.2
|Jul precipitation days = 4.6
|Aug precipitation days = 5.9
|Sep precipitation days = 5.8
|Oct precipitation days = 6.6
|Nov precipitation days = 5.3
|Dec precipitation days = 5.4

|Jan snow inch = 0.2
|Feb snow inch = 0.1
|Mar snow inch = 0.3
|Apr snow inch = 0.5
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.1
|Dec snow inch = 0.4
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.1
|Feb snow days = 0.2
|Mar snow days = 0.1
|Apr snow days = 0.1
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.1
|Dec snow days = 0.2

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00411042&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Breckenridge, TX
|access-date = April 30, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=fwd
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Dallas
|access-date = April 30, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1880 = 497
| 1890 = 462
| 1920 = 1846
| 1930 = 7569
| 1940 = 5826
| 1950 = 6610
| 1960 = 6273
| 1970 = 5944
| 1980 = 6921
| 1990 = 5665
| 2000 = 5868
| 2010 = 5780
| 2020 = 5187
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Breckenridge racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4810132&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|3,123
|60.21%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|89
|1.72%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|19
|0.37%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|49
|0.94%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|1
|0.02%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|21
|0.4%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|160
|3.08%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|1,725
|33.26%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''5,187'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 5,187 people, 2,018 households, and 1,267 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000,  5,868 people, 2,274 households, and 1,546 families were residing in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,412.8 people/sq&nbsp;mi (545.9/km<sup>2</sup>). The 2,776 housing units had an average density of {{convert|668.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race (U.S. Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 83.88% White, 0.34% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.46% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 11.35% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 20.64% of the population.

Of the 2,274 households, 36.5% had children under 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were not families. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or over. The average household size was 2.55, and the average family size was 3.16.

In the city, the age distribution was 30.2% under 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65  or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,697, and for a family was $35,164. Males had a median income of $25,923 versus $20,467 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,014. About 16.9% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.9% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[File:Burch Hotel.JPG|thumb|150px|right|Burch Hotel in downtown Breckenridge]]
The City of Breckenridge is served by the [[Breckenridge Independent School District]].

Breckenridge High School's mascot is a Buckaroo (a cowboy riding a bucking horse). The junior high school's mascot is a Bronco. The school colors are green and white. 
The Breckenridge High School football team of 1958, coached by [[Emory Bellard]], was voted the ''Ft. Worth Star Telegram'' team of the century. The Buckaroos are undefeated in six Class 3A State Football Championships, winning four times in 1951, 1952, 1954, and 1958 with ties in 1929 and 1959.  Breckenridge High School has also produced girls tennis state champions, girls golf state champions, FFA and 4-H state and national champions, and academic state champions over the past few decades.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Education recognized Breckenridge Junior High School as a National Blue Ribbon School.

Breckenridge is also the home of a West Texas campus of the  [[Texas State Technical College System]]. Environmental science technology, construction management technology, computer-aided drafting and design, digital imaging and design, software and business accounting, associate degree nursing, chemical-dependency counseling, and health-information technology are some of the courses offered at the Breckenridge TSTC campus. TSTC partners with BHS and other Texas high schools to offer dual-credit courses.

==Notable people==
*[[Paul Campbell (American football)|Paul Campbell]], [[NFL]] football player for the [[Philadelphia Eagles]]
*[[Spot Collins]], NFL football player for the [[Boston Yanks]]
*[[Jack Cox (Texas politician)|Jack Cox]], politician
*[[Joe Crousen]], college football player and coach
*[[John Hill (Texas politician)|John Hill]], politician
*[[Emil Hurja]], newspaper editor and political consultant
*[[Michael Jenkins (sportscaster)|Michael Jenkins]], sportscaster
*[[Byron Katie]], speaker and author
*[[Paul Lea]], physician and NFL football player
*[[Stephen McNallen]], new religious movement proponent and white nationalist activist
*[[Jim Montgomery (American football)|Jim Montgomery]], NFL player for the [[Detroit Lions]]
*[[Gene Offield]], football player and coach
*[[Derrell Palmer]], NFL player for the [[Cleveland Browns]]
*[[Don Robbins]], football coach 
*[[Kathleen Sloan]], violinist
*[[Dean Smith (sprinter)|Dean Smith]], Olympic track and field athlete and stuntman
*[[Shane Stockton]], county musician
*[[Jerry Tubbs|Gerald M. "Jerry" Tubbs]] NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys
*[[Pamela Willeford]], diplomat

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="130px">
Image:IOOF Lodge downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|IOOF Lodge and AF and AM Building
Image:YWCA downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|YWCA Building
Image:Municipal Building downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|Municipal Building
Image:Stephens County downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|Stephens County Courthouse
Image:First Christian Church Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|First Christian Church
Image:National Theater downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|National Theater
Image:Swenson Museum downtown Breckenridge Wiki-1.jpg|Swenson Museum 
</gallery>

==References==
<references />
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Breckenridge, Texas}}
* [https://www.breckenridgetexas.com/ City of Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce Website]
* [https://www.breckenridgetx.gov/ City of Breckenridge Official Website]
* [http://www.smhtx.com Stephens Memorial Hospital Official Website]

{{Stephens County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Stephens County, Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]
[[Category:John C. Breckinridge]]