Editing Kermit, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Kermit, Texas
| official_name            = City of Kermit
| settlement_type          = City
| image_skyline            = File:County courthouse for Winkler County, near the New Mexico line in far-west Texas LCCN2014630676.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Winkler County Courthouse in Kermit
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = <!-- Maps -->
| nickname                 = K-Town {{citation needed|date=November 2018}}
| motto                    = <!-- Images -->
| image_map                = TXMap-doton-Kermit.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Kermit, Texas
| image_map1               = Winkler County Kermit.svg
| mapsize1                 = 250px
| map_caption1             = <!-- Location -->
| coordinates              = {{coord|31|51|14|N|103|5|32|W|type:city_region:US-TX|display=it}}
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Winkler County, Texas|Winkler]]

<!-- Government -->| established_title        = Incorporated
| established_date         = 1938

<!-- Area -->| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = David Holbrook<ref>[http://www.kermittexas.us/government/mayor.php City of Kermit Website] Retrieved 2013-08-09</ref>
| leader_title1            = City Manager
| leader_name1             = Frankie Davis<ref>[http://www.kermittexas.us/government/city_manager.php City of Kermit Website] Retrieved 2013-08-09</ref>
| 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_magnitude           = 
| area_total_sq_mi         = 2.52
| area_land_sq_mi          = 2.52
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| elevation_footnotes      = 
| elevation_ft             = 2861
| population_total         = 6267
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = 2486.90

<!-- General information -->| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 79745
| area_code                = [[Area code 432|432]]
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.kermittexas.us/}}
| leader_title2            = City Secretary
| leader_name2             = Diana Franco<ref>[http://www.kermittexas.us/government/city_secretary.php City of Kermit Website] Retrieved 2013-08-09</ref>
| leader_title3            = Chief of Police
| leader_name3             = Jaime Ramos<ref>[http://www.kermittexas.us/government/public_safety.php City of Kermit Website] Retrieved 2013-08-09</ref>
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = &minus;6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = &minus;5

<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 48-39004<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              = 1360598<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 6.52
| area_land_km2            = 6.52
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| population_density_km2   = 995.26
}}
'''Kermit''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Winkler County, Texas|Winkler County]], Texas, United States.<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/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> The population was 6,267 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST10&prodType=table American Fact Finder] {{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}Retrieved 2011-02-26</ref> The city was named after [[Kermit Roosevelt]] following a visit by his father, President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], to the county.

==History==

[[File:Winkler County Courthouse 1910.jpg|thumb|left|Old Winkler County Courthouse in Kermit, c. 1910<ref>Wylene Kirk, "Early Post Offices and Towns in the Permian Basin Area", Texas Permian Historical Annual 1 (August 1961). Roger M. and Diana Davids Olien, Oil Booms (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1982). A History of Winkler County (Kermit, Texas: Winkler County Historical Commission, 1984).
Julia Cauble Smith. Retrieved 2009-12-21
</ref>]]

===Establishment===

Kermit began as a convenient supply center for the scattered ranches of the area and became the seat of Winkler County when the county was organized in 1910. The first public school and the post office opened the same year. The town's namesake, [[Kermit Roosevelt]], once visited the T Bar Ranch in northern Winkler County to hunt [[Pronghorn|antelope]] a few months before the town was named. In 1916, the county suffered a drought. Many homesteaders and ranchers were forced to leave. In 1924, only Ern Baird's family remained in the town. Only one student attended school in the county for five months of 1924. Only three houses and the courthouse were in use by 1926.

===Discovery of oil===

On July 16, 1926, however, oil was discovered in Hendrick oilfield, near Kermit, and the town experienced a boom. In 1927, a population of 1,000 was reported; by 1929 that number increased to 1,500. On March 4, 1929, the Texas-New Mexico Railway reached the town.

===Great Depression and incorporation===

The [[Great Depression]] had little effect on the city throughout much of the 1930s, but the population decreased significantly in the early 1930s, and both population and business figures rose at the end of the 1930s, when 2,700 residents and 180 businesses were listed. On February 15, 1938, residents voted to incorporate. During the 1940s, the oil boom caused real estate prices to double. Housing was scarce, and some people lived in tents. A bank was opened by 1945. The grade school had to be enlarged, and a hospital was built.

===Oil boom days===
[[File:Kermit Watertowers.jpg|thumb|left|View of Kermit]]
In the 1950s, the town continued to grow; housing additions were built. By 1960, the city had a population of 10,465 and 260 businesses, and additional growth estimated to be over 12,000 during the decade. Flooding became a problem because of the flat terrain, so new crown streets were constructed to solve the flooding problem, and more housing additions were built. The town moved the last working wooden derrick in the [[Permian Basin (North America)|Permian Basin]] from [[Loving County]] to Pioneer Park in Kermit in 1966 as a symbol of the importance of the oil industry to the economy of Kermit and Winkler County. In the 1970s and 1980s, the population of Kermit bounced between 8,500 and 6,912, and the number of businesses moved between 200 and 116. Improvements were made in city services, and more housing additions were built.

On June 3, 1980, a 9-ft-wide (3 m) [[sinkhole]] opened on the property of [[Atlantic Richfield Company]] and got progressively larger.  Within four days, it had become a tourist attraction, with a crater measuring {{convert|400|by|200|ft|abbr=on}}, and as much as {{convert|30|ft|abbr=on}} deep.<ref>"W. Texas Sinkhole Still Growing; Some Are Amused, Some Scared", ''Miami Herald'', June 8, 1980, p3</ref>  The 1990 United States census set the population of Kermit at 6,875.

==Geography==
Kermit is located at {{coord|31|51|14|N|103|5|32|W|type:city}} (31.853995, 103.092336). According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|2.5|sqmi}}, all land.<ref>{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer Files 2016-Places-Texas|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html|website=US Census|access-date=7 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801212339/https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography.html|archive-date=1 August 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The city is located in a semiarid region of the Permian Basin.

===Climate===
This area has a large amount of sunshine year round due to its stable descending air and high pressure.  According to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system, Kermit has a [[Desert climate#Hot desert climates|hot arid climate]], ''BWh'' on climate maps,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Weatehrbase|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=38914&cityname=Kermit%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Climate Summary for Kermit, Texas}}</ref> slightly too warm to be a [[cool arid climate]] (''BWk'') and slightly too dry for [[semi-arid climate|semi-arid]] classification.
{{Weather box 
|location = [[Winkler County Airport]]
|single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 88
| Feb record high F = 92
| Mar record high F = 97
| Apr record high F = 105
| May record high F = 112
| Jun record high F = 117
| Jul record high F = 114
| Aug record high F = 114
| Sep record high F = 109
| Oct record high F = 105
| Nov record high F = 94
| Dec record high F = 87
| year record high F = 
| Jan high F = 59.6
| Feb high F = 64.9
| Mar high F = 73.1
| Apr high F = 82.2
| May high F = 90.0
| Jun high F = 96.9
| Jul high F = 96.9
| Aug high F = 95.8
| Sep high F = 89.4
| Oct high F = 80.5
| Nov high F = 68.5
| Dec high F = 61.1
| year high F = 80.1
| Jan low F = 29.0
| Feb low F = 33.1
| Mar low F = 40.5
| Apr low F = 49.5
| May low F = 59.0
| Jun low F = 68.0
| Jul low F = 70.8
| Aug low F = 69.5
| Sep low F = 62.7
| Oct low F = 51.0
| Nov low F = 37.5
| Dec low F = 30.0
| year low F = 50.2
| Jan record low F = -14
| Feb record low F = -6
| Mar record low F = 9
| Apr record low F = 20
| May record low F = 29
| Jun record low F = 45
| Jul record low F = 52
| Aug record low F = 56
| Sep record low F = 33
| Oct record low F = 22
| Nov record low F = 0
| Dec record low F = 2
| year record low F = 
|precipitation colour=green
| Jan precipitation inch = 0.47
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.40
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.49
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.64
| May precipitation inch = 1.31
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.47
| Jul precipitation inch = 1.68
| Aug precipitation inch = 1.43
| Sep precipitation inch = 1.62
| Oct precipitation inch = 1.50
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.45
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.44
| year precipitation inch = 11.71

| Jan snow inch = 1.3
| Feb snow inch = 0.5
| Mar snow inch = 0.3
| Apr snow inch = 0.4
| May snow inch = Trace
| Jun snow inch = Trace
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = Trace
| Nov snow inch = 0.3
| Dec snow inch = 0.4
| year snow inch = 3.1

|source 1 = <ref>{{cite web
|url=http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=maf |title=NOWData — NOAA Online Weather Data |access-date=August 30, 2016 |publisher=NOAA }}</ref>
|date=August 2016
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1940= 2584
|1950= 6912
|1960= 10465
|1970= 7884
|1980= 8015
|1990= 6875
|2000= 5714
|2010= 5708
|2020= 6267
}}

===2020 census===

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Kermit racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4839004&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-19 |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>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><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)
|1,825
|29.12%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|115
|1.84%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|35
|0.56%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|65
|1.04%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|6
|0.1%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|66
|1.05%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|4,155
|66.3%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''6,267'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 6,267 people, 2,096 households, and 1,493 families residing in the city.

===2010 census===
At the 2010 census, 5,690 people resided in the city.  At the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2" /> 5,714 people, 2,097 households and 1,585 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|2,288.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 2,592 housing units averaged of 1,038.0 per square mile (400.3/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the city was 72.65% White, 2.05% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 22.52% from other races, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 47.83% of the population.

Of the 2,097 households,  38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were not families. About 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.18.

Age distribution was 29.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The [[median household income]] was $38,825, as opposed to $29,143 in 2000, and the median family income was $31,690. Males had a median income of $29,596 versus $18,380 for females. The  [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,949. About 15.7% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 27.8% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==

===Libraries===
*Winkler County Library

===Schools===
The City of Kermit is served by the [[Kermit Independent School District]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kisd.esc18.net/ |title=Kermit ISD Website |access-date=2009-12-27 |archive-date=2008-09-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907150404/http://kisd.esc18.net/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>  established in 1928, in a consolidation of two area school districts.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130103064018/http://www.hiddenancestors.com/winklertx/public_html/History-KHS-1954.htm February 4, 1954 Article found in Winkler County News. Written by Ida Belle Riggins]}} Retrieved 2011-02-27</ref> The district now has three campuses: Kermit Elementary (grades K–4), [[Kermit Junior High School|Kermit Junior High]] (grades 5–8), and [[Kermit High School]] (grades 9–12).

All of Winkler County is zoned to [[Odessa College]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm|title=Sec. 130.193. ODESSA COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.}}</ref>

===Newspapers===
*''[[Odessa American]]'' (shipped from [[Odessa, Texas]])

==Hazardous waste site==
In July, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave  Kermit a federal Superfund designation, marking it as one of the most [[hazardous waste]] sites in the country. The EPA said in a statement that a portion of the Santa Rosa Aquifer in Kermit has been added to the Superfund program's National Priorities List. The aquifer in the city west of Odessa has a contaminated groundwater plume a mile long and 1.5 miles wide.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2017-07-31/west-texas-groundwater-site-added-to-federal-superfund-list West Texas Groundwater Site Added to Federal Superfund List]</ref>

==Notable people==

* [[Claude Batchelor]], U.S. Army soldier convicted of collaborating with China
* [[William Frankfather]], actor
* [[Jim Sharp (bull rider)|Jim "Razor" Sharp]], two-time PRCA world-champion bull rider<ref>[http://www.texasrodeohalloffame.com/members/Sharp.php Texas Rodeo Hall of Fame] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716212548/http://www.texasrodeohalloffame.com/members/Sharp.php |date=2011-07-16 }} Retrieved 2011-2-22</ref>
* [[Jay Thomas]], Emmy-winning actor, born in Kermit (father was a West Texas oil man) and raised in [[New Orleans]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0858988/bio The Internet Movie Database] Retrieved 2011-2-21</ref>
* [[Del Thompson]], American football player
* [[John Weaver (political consultant)]], founder of [[The Lincoln Project]].
* [[John Varnell]], American football player

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

==External links==
{{commons category|Kermit, Texas}}
* [http://www.kermittexas.us/ City of Kermit website]
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfk02 Kermit in the Handbook of Texas]

{{Winkler County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Kermit, Texas|*]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Winkler County, Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]