Editing Roberts County, Texas

{{Short description|County in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Roberts County
 | state                = Texas 
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = 1889 
 | seat wl              = Miami 
 | largest city wl      = Miami 
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 924 
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 924 
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.1 
 | area percentage      = 0.01 
 | census yr            = 2020 
 | pop                  = 827 {{loss}}
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2024
 | population_est       = 
 | density_sq_mi        = 1
 | ex image             = Roberts County, Texas, courthouse from E 1.JPG
 | ex image cap         = Roberts County courthouse in Miami
 | web                  = www.co.roberts.tx.us 
 | time zone            = Central
 | named for            = John S. Roberts and [[Oran Milo Roberts]]
 | district             = 13th
}}

'''Roberts 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 827,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Roberts County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48393|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 30, 2022}}</ref> making it the eighth-least populous county in Texas. Its [[county seat]] is [[Miami, Texas|Miami]], which is also the county's only incorporated community.<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|archive-date=May 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509170006/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1889.<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 26, 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=live}}</ref> It is named for [[Oran Milo Roberts]], a [[governor of Texas]]. Roberts County is one of four prohibition (entirely [[dry counties|dry]]) counties in the state of Texas.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 1, 2023 |title=Wet/Dry Status of Texas Counties |url=https://www.tabc.texas.gov/static/sites/default/files/2021-08/county-wet-dry-map.jpg}}</ref>

==History==
{{see also|Comancheria}}
The [[Plains Apache]] inhabited the [[Texas Panhandle]] until they were displaced by the [[Comanche]] who dominated the area until the 1870s. The Comanche hunted the large herds of [[American bison|buffalo]], which grazed on the prairie. In the [[Red River War]] of 1874–75, [[United States Army]] troops led by [[Ranald S. Mackenzie]] drove out the Comanches. Simultaneously, buffalo hunters killed the large herds in the area, destroying the food supply and livelihood of the Plains tribes, making way for permanent settlement by [[Anglo-Americans]].

In 1876, Roberts County was carved from the [[Bexar Territory]] and the Clay Land District.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mytexasgenealogy.com/tx-county-roberts.html|title=Roberts County, Texas|publisher=Genealogy, Inc|access-date=October 5, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914020426/http://www.mytexasgenealogy.com/tx-county-roberts.html|archive-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref> In 1887, the [[Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway|Southern Kansas Railway]] was built through Roberts County, and settlers followed.

Roberts County is the scene of a recent battle for [[water rights]], where the City of [[Amarillo, Texas]], the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority, and [[T. Boone Pickens]] have sought to purchase the water rights within the county. Between the three, they own 80% of the water rights.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25/b4089040017753.htm|title=There Will Be Water|first=Susan|last=Berfield|date=June 12, 2008|work=Business Week|access-date=October 4, 2010|archive-date=October 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009080350/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25/b4089040017753.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|924|sqmi|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|0.1|sqmi|abbr=on}} (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=May 9, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files|archive-date=April 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419031755/http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>

The county is relatively flat except for the [[Canadian River]] valley. Most of the land is used for cattle ranching. The county contains the {{convert|68000|acre|km2|adj=on}} Mesa Vista Ranch, which seeks to protect quail, dove, and pheasant habitat along the creek beds south of the Canadian River.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mesavistaranch.com/pdf/TBPbooklet3web.pdf|title=Mesa Vista Ranch|access-date=October 4, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501151133/http://mesavistaranch.com/pdf/TBPbooklet3web.pdf|archive-date=May 1, 2011}}(11.9MB)</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 60.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 60 in Texas|U.S. Highway 60]]
* [[Image:Texas 70.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 70|State Highway 70]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Ochiltree County, Texas|Ochiltree County]] (north)
* [[Lipscomb County, Texas|Lipscomb County]]  northeast)
* [[Hemphill County, Texas|Hemphill County]] (east)
* [[Gray County, Texas|Gray County]] (south)
* [[Carson County, Texas|Carson County]] (southwest)
* [[Hutchinson County, Texas|Hutchinson County]] (west)
* [[Hansford County, Texas|Hansford County]] (northwest)
* [[Wheeler County, Texas|Wheeler County]] (southeast)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 32
|1890= 326
|1900= 620
|1910= 950
|1920= 1469
|1930= 1457
|1940= 1289
|1950= 1031
|1960= 1075
|1970= 967
|1980= 1187
|1990= 1025
|2000= 887
|2010= 929
|2020= 827
|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|title=Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010|publisher=Texas Almanac|access-date=May 9, 2015|archive-date=February 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226003918/http://www.texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable"style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Roberts 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 – Roberts County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=0500000US48393&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=[[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) – Roberts County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48393&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) – Roberts County, Texas|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48393&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|850
|929
|style='background: #ffffe6; |717
|95.83%
|90.53%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |86.70%
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|3
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.34%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%
|-
|&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|0
|3
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2
|0.00%
|0.32%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|1
|2
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.11%
|0.22%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|5
|9
|style='background: #ffffe6; |55
|0.56%
|0.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.65%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|28
|74
|style='background: #ffffe6; |50
|3.16%
|7.97%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |6.05%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''887'''
|'''929'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''827'''
|'''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|archive-date=December 27, 1996|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961227012639/http://www.census.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> of 2000, 887 people, 362 households, and 275 families were residing in the county. The [[population density]] was less than {{convert|1|/km2|/mi2|abbr=on}}. The 449 housing units averaged less than {{convert|1|/mi2|/km2}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 96.51% White, 0.34% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 1.35% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. About 3.16% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 362 households, 31.8% had children under 18 living with them, 70.7% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were not families. About 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45, and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the age distribution was 25.0% under 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,792, and for a family was $50,400. Males had a median income of $33,125 versus $23,611 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $20,923. About 5.00% of families and 7.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.

The largest self-reported ancestry groups in Roberts County, Texas are:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://statisticalatlas.com/county/Texas/Roberts-County/Ancestry |title=The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas |access-date=July 17, 2021 |archive-date=July 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717015211/https://statisticalatlas.com/county/Texas/Roberts-County/Ancestry |url-status=live }}</ref>

* 23.7% English
* 18.4% German
* 15.2% Irish
* 8.8% American
* 2.0% Scots-Irish
* 1.0% Polish
* 1.0% Russian
* 0.9% Czech
* 0.9% Welsh
* 0.7% Dutch
* 0.5% French

==Government and politics==

{{PresHead|place=Roberts County, Texas|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=December 22, 2008|archive-date=March 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|547|20|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|529|17|4|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|524|20|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|468|33|7|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|477|41|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|461|46|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|472|72|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|421|122|41|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|391|126|100|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|441|135|5|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|539|106|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|482|150|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|350|202|10|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|467|71|12|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|311|90|113|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|297|198|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|339|104|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|279|118|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|379|91|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|76|317|25|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|89|289|40|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|55|408|3|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|27|426|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|36|451|4|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|243|104|0|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|104|241|2|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|60|173|6|Texas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|27|220|4|Texas}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|16|183|38|Texas}}

Roberts County was one of the earliest counties in Texas to begin supporting the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. The last [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] to win the county in a presidential election was [[Harry S. Truman]] in 1948, when he carried nearly 76% of its ballots. No Democrat has since exceeded the 40% of the vote that Texas native [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] won in the county in his [[1964 United States presidential election|1964]] national landslide. [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976 was the last Democrat to win even 30% of the county's vote, [[Bill Clinton]] in 1996 to win 20%, [[Al Gore]] in 2000 to win 10%, and [[Barack Obama]] in 2012 to win 5%.

In recent years, Roberts County has become almost unanimously Republican. In 2008, 92% of voters voted for Republican [[John McCain]] versus only 7.92% for Democrat [[Barack Obama]], making it one of the most Republican counties in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/statesub.php?year=2008&fips=48393&f=0&off=0&elect=0|title=2008 Presidential General Election Results - Roberts County, TX|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=July 29, 2018|archive-date=July 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729230605/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/statesub.php?year=2008&fips=48393&f=0&off=0&elect=0|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]], Republican [[Donald Trump]] received 94.58% of the vote,<ref>{{cite web | title=2016 Presidential General Election Results – Texas | url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/index.html | publisher=Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas | access-date=December 16, 2016 | archive-date=December 29, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229043829/http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/index.html | url-status=live }}</ref> the largest margin in a county for a Republican in the U.S. that election.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Coleman | first1=Mary | title='Most Pro-Trump County in U.S.' Getting New, Unwanted Attention | url=http://www.newschannel10.com/story/33740071/roberts-county-dealing-with-unwanted-attention-after-being-dubbed-most-pro-trump-county-in-the-us | date=November 17, 2016 | website=newschannel10.com | access-date=December 17, 2016 | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220162106/http://www.newschannel10.com/story/33740071/roberts-county-dealing-with-unwanted-attention-after-being-dubbed-most-pro-trump-county-in-the-us | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Texas Home To 'Reddest County In America' | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/texas-home-to-reddest-county-in-america/ | date=November 17, 2016 | publisher=[[CBS|CBS DFW]] | access-date=December 17, 2016 | archive-date=December 20, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220164803/http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/11/17/texas-home-to-reddest-county-in-america/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/roberts-county-year-pro-trump-town-america/story?id=52364233|title=A year in the most pro-Trump town in America|date=January 17, 2018|website=ABC News|access-date=June 28, 2020|archive-date=June 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200628201555/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/roberts-county-year-pro-trump-town-america/story?id=52364233|url-status=live}}</ref> Roberts was again Trump's strongest county in 2020, and he won it by an even stronger margin: 96.2%.

The county is governed by an elected county judge and four commissioners (each elected by a precinct within the county).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.roberts.tx.us/ips/cms/countyoffices/commissionersCourt.html|title=Commissioners Court|access-date=October 5, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514143349/http://www.co.roberts.tx.us/ips/cms/countyoffices/commissionersCourt.html|archive-date=May 14, 2011}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Communities==
* [[Miami, Texas|Miami]] (county seat)
* [[Wayside, Roberts County, Texas|Wayside]]

==Education==
School districts include [[Miami Independent School District]] and [[Pampa Independent School District]].<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48393_roberts/DC20SD_C48393.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Roberts County, TX|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|date=December 22, 2020|access-date=2025-04-27}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st48_tx/schooldistrict_maps/c48393_roberts/DC20SD_C48393_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

Roberts County is in the service area of [[Frank Phillips College]] (known in legislation as Borger Junior College).<ref>[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.169.  BORGER JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.]</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[Dry counties]]
* [[List of museums in the Texas Panhandle]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Roberts County, Texas]]
* [[List of Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (Mason-Rusk)#Roberts County|Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Roberts County]]

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

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040919233828/http://www.co.roberts.tx.us/ Roberts County government’s website]
* {{Handbook of Texas|id=hcr08|name=Roberts County}}
* [http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48393 Roberts County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623014028/http://www.txcip.org/tac/census/profile.php?FIPS=48393 |date=June 23, 2015 }}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Roberts County, Texas
|North     = [[Ochiltree County, Texas|Ochiltree County]]
|Northeast = [[Lipscomb County, Texas|Lipscomb County]]
|East      = [[Hemphill County, Texas|Hemphill County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Gray County, Texas|Gray County]]
|Southwest = [[Carson County, Texas|Carson County]]
|West      = [[Hutchinson County, Texas|Hutchinson County]]
|Northwest = [[Hansford County, Texas|Hansford County]]
}}

{{Roberts County, Texas}}
{{Texas counties}}
{{Texas}}

{{coord|35.83|-100.81|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Roberts County, Texas| ]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Pampa, Texas micropolitan area]]
[[Category:Texas Panhandle]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1889]]