Editing Sanderson, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Sanderson, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = 2019 Terrell County Courthouse.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Terrell County Courthouse in Sanderson
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| pushpin_map        = Texas#USA
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the state of Texas
| image_map          = Terrell County Sanderson.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption1       = Location in Terrell County

<!-- 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  = [[Terrell County, Texas|Terrell]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = <!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 10.8
| area_land_km2      = 10.8
| area_water_km2     = 0.0
| area_total_sq_mi   = 4.2
| area_land_sq_mi    = 4.2
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.0

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[United States Census, 2020|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 664
| population_density_km2 = 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       = 2868
| coordinates        = {{coord|30|09|03|N|102|24|29|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gnis/>
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 79848
| area_code          = [[Area code 432|432]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-65084<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        = 1346563<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1346563}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
}}
'''Sanderson''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in and the [[county seat]] of [[Terrell 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}}</ref> The population was 664 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. Sanderson was created in 1882 as a part of neighboring [[Pecos County, Texas|Pecos County]]. It became the seat of  Terrell County in 1905.

==History==
Sanderson was founded in 1882. It was a division point for the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]], where refueling and crew changes on its main transcontinental route took place. Mohair and wool production on surrounding ranches formed a significant part of the economy. The community entered in an economic decline when the operations involving sheep and goats decreased.

A devastating flood in June 1965 killed 26 people and washed away homes and businesses near the usually dry Sanderson Creek. Since then, many flood-control dams have been erected across the arroyos upstream from the town.<ref>Swanya Howell Pitts, "SANDERSON, TX," Handbook of Texas Online</ref>

An illustrated tour brochure guides visitors past 50 historic sites,<ref>Terrell County~Cactus Capital of Texas</ref> including several notable buildings remaining from the town's more prosperous era. The 1906 Courthouse was built to designs by [[Henry Phelps]], but the still-graceful building was much modified in 1932, in 1950, and again in 1983. Facing the courthouse square is the little-changed 1931 [[Art Deco]]-style Sanderson High School, designed by [[Ralph W. Cameron]], one of San Antonio's leading architects of the period. A handsome Deco frieze above the entranceway illustrates TRUTH CULTURE PROGRESS SUCCESS. Nearby is a [[Classical Revival]] structure built as a Masonic Lodge, but used for many years now as a private residence.

After regulations changed in 1995, the Southern Pacific ended the practice of changing train crews (and overnighting them) in Sanderson. By 2013, the community had lost most of the businesses it had during its peak, and the population was half of what it had been at its peak.<ref name=MacCormack>MacCormack, John. "[http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/In-fading-town-the-news-is-back-5094966.php In fading town, the news is back]." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. December 27, 2013. Retrieved on December 27, 2013. - [http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/In-fading-town-the-news-is-back-5092898.php Also available from] the ''[[San Antonio Express-News]]''. "In fading town, the news is back", December 25, 2013.</ref>

Two tornadoes struck Sanderson on June 2, 2024, significantly damaging or destroying several homes and injuring 12 people. These tornadoes were rated EF1 and EF3 on the [[Enhanced Fujita scale]].<ref>{{cite report|author=National Weather Service in Midland/Odessa, Texas|title=On June 3rd, the National Weather Service sent a survey team to investigate a tornado report from severe weather that impacted portions of Terrell County on June 2nd, including the town of Sanderson|url=https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/wx/afos/p.php?pil=PNSMAF&e=202406041557|publisher=Iowa Environmental Mesonet|date=June 4, 2024|access-date=June 4, 2024}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of 4.2&nbsp;square miles (10.9&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), all  land.

Sanderson is located on [[U.S. Route 90]], {{convert|120|mi|km}} west of [[Del Rio, Texas|Del Rio]].<ref name=MacCormack/>

===Climate===
Sanderson has a [[semi-arid climate#Hot semi-arid climates|hot semiarid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''BSh'') bordering both on a [[semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates|cool semiarid climate]] (''BSk'') and a [[desert climate#Hot desert climates|hot desert climate]] (''BWh'').<ref name="US COOP Stations">{{Cite web|publisher=[[Western Regional Climate Center]], [[Desert Research Institute]]|title=US COOP Station Map|url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/coopmap/|access-date=Mar 27, 2016}}</ref> Winters feature mild, sunny days and cold or freezing nights, while summers are hot with occasional thunderstorms providing the only significant source of precipitation apart from occasional remnant hurricanes moving inland from the Gulf of Mexico. 
{{Weather box|width=auto 
|location=Sanderson, Texas (Jan 1, 1897–Mar 31, 2013)
|single line=Y
|Jan record high F=87
|Feb record high F=94
|Mar record high F=96
|Apr record high F=101
|May record high F=109
|Jun record high F=110
|Jul record high F=107
|Aug record high F=106
|Sep record high F=106
|Oct record high F=102
|Nov record high F=94
|Dec record high F=85
|year record high F=110
|Jan high F=60.8
|Feb high F=64.5
|Mar high F=72.9
|Apr high F=81.5
|May high F=87.3
|Jun high F=92.0
|Jul high F=92.6
|Aug high F=92.4
|Sep high F=86.9
|Oct high F=78.8
|Nov high F=69.2
|Dec high F=61.3
|year high F=78.4
|Jan mean F=46.1
|Feb mean F=49.6
|Mar mean F=57.6
|Apr mean F=66.6
|May mean F=73.7
|Jun mean F=79.6
|Jul mean F=81.0
|Aug mean F=80.4
|Sep mean F=74.6
|Oct mean F=65.1
|Nov mean F=54.7
|Dec mean F=46.8
|year mean F=64.7
|Jan low F=31.4
|Feb low F=34.8
|Mar low F=42.3
|Apr low F=51.7
|May low F=60.2
|Jun low F=67.3
|Jul low F=69.4
|Aug low F=68.4
|Sep low F=62.3
|Oct low F=51.4
|Nov low F=40.2
|Dec low F=32.3
|year low F=51.0
|Jan record low F=7
|Feb record low F=4
|Mar record low F=12
|Apr record low F=22
|May record low F=37
|Jun record low F=40
|Jul record low F=49
|Aug record low F=54
|Sep record low F=40
|Oct record low F=21
|Nov record low F=12
|Dec record low F=3
|year record low F=3
|rain colour=green
|Jan rain inch=0.46
|Feb rain inch=0.54
|Mar rain inch=0.42
|Apr rain inch=0.79
|May rain inch=1.62
|Jun rain inch=1.73
|Jul rain inch=1.42
|Aug rain inch=1.50
|Sep rain inch=2.14
|Oct rain inch=1.49
|Nov rain inch=0.59
|Dec rain inch=0.42
|Jan snow inch=0.2
|Feb snow inch=0.0
|Mar snow inch=0.1
|Apr snow inch=0.0
|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=0.0
|Dec snow inch=0.1
|unit rain days=0.01 in
|Jan rain days=3
|Feb rain days=3
|Mar rain days=2
|Apr rain days=2
|May rain days=4
|Jun rain days=4
|Jul rain days=3
|Aug rain days=4
|Sep rain days=5
|Oct rain days=4
|Nov rain days=2
|Dec rain days=2
|source 1 = [[Western Regional Climate Center]], [[Desert Research Institute]]<ref name="SanWeather">{{Cite web|publisher=Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute|title=SANDERSON, TEXAS (418022), Period of Record Monthly Climate Summary |url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?tx8022|access-date=Mar 27, 2016}}</ref>
|date=Mar 2016
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 2000 = 861
| 2010 = 837
| 2020 = 664
|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 by Decade|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 1850–1900<ref name=1900CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1900/bulletins/demographic/49-population-tx.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1910<ref name=1910CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tx-p1.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1920<ref name=1920CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1920/bulletins/demographics/population-tx-number-of-inhabitants.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1930<ref name=1930CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1930/population-volume-1/03815512v1ch10.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch09.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br>
1950<ref name=1950CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-1/vol-01-46.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/33255142v1p45ch02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/00496492v1p45s1ch02.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 1980<ref name=1980CensusTX>{{Cite web|title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1980/volume-1/texas/1980a_txab-01.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref><br> 2010<ref name=2010CensusTX>{{Cite web|title=2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-45.pdf|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
}}

Sanderson first appeared as a [[census designated place]] in the [[1980 U.S. Census]].<ref name=1980CensusTX/>

===2020 census===
''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>

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Sanderson racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4865084&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|274
|41.27%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|8
|1.2%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|5
|0.75%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|2
|0.3%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|17
|2.56%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|358
|53.92%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''664'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 664 people, 312 households, and 199 families residing in the CDP.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 861 people, 356 households, and 237 families resided in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|206|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 635 housing units averaged 151.7/sq&nbsp;mi (58.5/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the CDP was 86.88% White, 2.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 9.18% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 51.45% of the population.

Of the 356 households, 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were not families. About 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the CDP, the population was distributed as 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $23,594, and for a family was $29,500. Males had a median income of $22,946 versus $14,453 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $13,714. About 21.8% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 33.5% of those under age 18 and 31.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Sanderson is served by the [[Terrell County Independent School District]] and is home to the [[Sanderson High School (Texas)|Sanderson High School]] Eagles.

The high school and junior high school each have a [[six-man football]] team.<ref name=MacCormack/>

==Media==
The ''[[Terrell County Sun]]'''s first issue was published in late November 2013. It was established to replace the previous paper, the ''[[Terrell County News-Leader]]'', which closed in July 2013. Between the closing of the ''News-Leader'' and the opening of the ''Sun'', the only source of local news was a bulletin board. Kenn Norris, the county commissioner, stated that the ''[[San Angelo Standard-Times]]'' was previously distributed in the community.<ref name=MacCormack/>

Norris stated in 2013 that no radio reception exists in Sanderson. He stated that the television in the community as of 1989 came from Colorado.<ref name=MacCormack/>

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
* {{jct|state=TX|US|90}}
* {{jct|state=TX|US|285}}
* [[Sanderson station]], served by Amtrak’s ''[[Sunset Limited]]'' and ''[[Texas Eagle]]'', operating between Los Angeles and New Orleans or Chicago
* [[Terrell County Airport]] is nearby, providing general aviation service

==In popular culture==
Sanderson is the location of the trailer park where Llewellyn Moss lives in the 2005 [[Cormac McCarthy]] novel and 2007 [[Coen Brothers]] film ''[[No Country for Old Men (film)|No Country for Old Men]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/film/the_coen_brothers/reviews/10921|work=Uncut|title=Reviews}}</ref> It is also the destination of the truckload of down-on-their-luck Mexicans looking for work in McCarthy's third [[The Border Trilogy|Border Trilogy]] book '' [[Cities of the Plain (novel)|Cities of the Plain]] '' (1998).<ref>Chapter I,  pp. 35-37</ref>

==See also==
*[[Baxter's Curve Train Robbery]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hjs07 Sanderson in Handbook of Texas]

{{Terrell County, Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Terrell County, Texas]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]