Editing Cross Plains, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Cross Plains, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-CrossPlains.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Cross Plains, Texas
| image_map1         = Callahan County CrossPlains.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
<!-- 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  = [[Callahan County, Texas|Callahan]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| 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|accessdate=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 3.11
| area_land_km2      = 3.11
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.20
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.20
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 899
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = −6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = −5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 1736
| coordinates        = {{Coord|32|07|27|N|99|09|56|W|region:US-TX_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code        = 76443
| area_code          = [[Area code 254|254]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-17816<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2412390<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412390}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|www.crossplains.org}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Cross Plains''' is a town in [[Callahan County, Texas|Callahan County]], [[Texas]], United States. The population was 899 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Cross%20Plains%20town,%20Texas |access-date=2024-05-24 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> down from 982 at the 2010 census.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4817816| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Cross Plains town, Texas| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=July 8, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213052228/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4817816| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> It is part of the [[Abilene, Texas]] [[Abilene, Texas metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
{{unreferenced section|date=February 2020}}

Cross Plains was once named "Turkey Creek", after the stream that now crosses the town's Treadaway Park. In its early years, Cross Plains had the basic necessities like a store, a [[cotton gin]] and [[gristmill]], but little else. Hugh Henry McDermett and J.C. McDermett, early settlers here, petitioned the federal government to establish a [[post office]] in Cross Plains. In 1878, the government granted the post office, named "Cross Plains" for the crossings of [[stagecoach]] and [[military road]]s prior to the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. East and West Caddo Peaks, located {{convert|5|mi|0}} west, were used as landmarks by early [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indians]], soldiers, and government [[surveying]] crews.

The town had one newspaper in 1902 (''The Herald''), but it soon went out of business. The second paper, ''The Cross Plains Review'', started in 1909 and continues to publish a weekly newspaper every Wednesday. The town moved from the west banks of Turkey Creek to its present site in January 1911, to be closer to the railroad. On January 12, 1911, a train full of prospective land buyers arrived in Cross Plains. Before the day was out, $75,000.00 worth of land had been purchased. Cross Plains was<ref>''Footsteps of Approaching Thousands''</ref> the last stop on the Texas Central [[Katy Railroad]] spur from [[De Leon, Texas|De Leon]] and [[Rising Star, Texas|Rising Star]]. The Katy abandoned the spur in the 1940s. An [[oil boom]] in 1925 increased the population, and by 1940 it was over 1,200. It has remained hovering around the 1,000 mark for the last 50 years.

=== 2005 wildfire ===

On December 27, 2005, a grass/range [[Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005-06|wildfire]] destroyed 116 homes in and around Cross Plains. On December 29, 2005, the [[Texas Department of Public Safety]] listed 85 single family homes, 25 mobile homes and 6 apartment units as being destroyed. An additional 36 homes were damaged. The First United Methodist Church building of Cross Plains was also destroyed. Two people died after being trapped in their houses.

==Geography==
Cross Plains is located in southeastern Callahan County. State highways [[Texas State Highway 36|36]] and [[Texas State Highway 206|206]] cross in the southern part of town, with Highway 36 leading northwest {{convert|45|mi}} to [[Abilene, Texas|Abilene]] and southeast {{convert|39|mi}} to [[Comanche, Texas|Comanche]], while Highway 206 leads northeast {{convert|23|mi}} to [[Cisco, Texas|Cisco]] and southwest {{convert|27|mi}} to [[Coleman, Texas|Coleman]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Cross Plains has a total area of {{convert|3.1|km2|order=flip}}, all  land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

=== Climate ===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Cross Plains has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=821214&cityname=Cross+Plains%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Cross Plains, Texas]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1920 = 700
| 1930 = 1507
| 1940 = 1229
| 1950 = 1305
| 1960 = 1168
| 1970 = 1192
| 1980 = 1240
| 1990 = 1063
| 2000 = 1068
| 2010 = 982
| 2020 = 899
| 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|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Cross Plains racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4817816&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=May 20, 2022 |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=May 18, 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|789
|87.76%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|9
|1.0%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|1
|0.11%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|1
|0.11%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|21
|2.34%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|78
|8.68%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''899'''
|
|}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 899 people, 477 households, and 294 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,068 people, 432 households, and 285 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|893.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 554 housing units at an average density of {{convert|463.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 97.28% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.47% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.69% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.56% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.34% of the population.

There were 432 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,235, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $22,188 versus $17,955 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,284. About 18.5% of families and 23.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 19.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The town is served by the [[Cross Plains Independent School District]] and is home to the [[Cross Plains High School (Texas)|Cross Plains High School]] Buffaloes.

In 2004, voters passed a $1.1 million bond package for new classrooms and gymnasium for the Cross Plains Independent School District.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

While CPISD has had an average enrollment of approximately 455 students in the 1990s-2000s, an average of 358 students have been enrolled each year since 2010.<ref>"Cross Plains ISD Student Enrollment Down One from 2014," published August 27, 2015, in the Cross Plains Review, Cross Plains, Texas</ref>

==Robert E. Howard==
[[File:Robert E. Howard House 5.jpg|thumb|The [[Robert E. Howard Museum]], former home of the author]]

The [[Pulp magazine|pulp fiction]] author [[Robert E. Howard]], creator of the character [[Conan the Barbarian]] among others, lived in Cross Plains from the age of 13 in 1919 until his death in 1936. His former home in Cross Plains is now a museum. Every year, Cross Plains holds the Robert E. Howard Days and a Barbarian Festival on the second weekend of June.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rehupa.com/?page_id=48 | title=Robert e. Howard Days }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crossplains.com/howard/ |title=Robert e. Howard, "Conan the Barbarian" |accessdate=June 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615123515/http://www.crossplains.com/howard/ |archivedate=June 15, 2007 }}</ref>

==Major highways==
* [[Image:Texas 36.svg|32px]] [[Texas State Highway 36|SH 36]]
* [[Image:Texas 206.svg|32px]] [[Texas State Highway 206|SH 206]]
* [[Image:Texas 279.svg|32px]] [[Texas State Highway 279|SH 279]]
* [[Image:Texas FM 374.svg|32px]] [[Farm to Market Road 374|FM 374]]
* [[Image:Texas FM 880.svg|32px]] [[Farm to Market Road 880|FM 880]]

The fire started {{convert|5|mi|0}} west of the city along Highway 36, and westerly winds of up to {{convert|30|mph}} spread the flames into town, burning a total of {{convert|7665|acre|km2|1}} of land.

The fire spared the nearly century-old house (now a [[museum]]) of [[Robert E. Howard]], author of the ''[[Conan the Barbarian]]'' books.

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

==External links==
* [http://www.crossplains.org City of Cross Plains official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070405094822/http://www.crossplains.com/ CrossPlains.com]
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjc21 Handbook of Texas]
* [http://www.barbarianfestival.net Barbarian Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229005621/http://barbarianfestival.net/ |date=December 29, 2010 }}

{{Callahan County, Texas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Abilene metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Callahan County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Texas]]