Editing Toyah, Texas

{{short description|Town in Reeves County, Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{distinguish|Toyahvale, Texas}}

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Toyah, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Abandoned school in Toyah, Texas.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Historic high school in Toyah, July 2014
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-Toyah.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Toyah, Texas
| image_map1         = Reeves County Toyah.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = <!-- 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  = [[Reeves County, Texas|Reeves]]

<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Bobby Creamer
| 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_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 4.20
| area_land_km2      = 4.20
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 1.62
| area_land_sq_mi    = 1.62
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 61
| 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 = 
| elevation_m        = 888
| elevation_ft       = 2913
| coordinates        = {{coord|31|18|48|N|103|47|35|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 79785
| area_code          = [[Area code 432|432]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-73496<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1370063<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
| website            = 
| footnotes          = 
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
}}

'''Toyah''' is a town in [[Reeves County, Texas|Reeves County]], [[Texas]], United States. The population was 61 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==
On October 25, 1906<ref name="lynch"/> a black man in Toyah named J.I. "Slab" Pitts was dragged to death and then hanged for living with his white wife, Eva Ruff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://strangefruitandspanishmoss.blogspot.com/2015/09/october-26-1906-slab-pitt.html|title=Strange Fruit and Spanish Moss: October 26, 1906: "Slab" Pitt|last=Last|first=Anne M.|date=September 10, 2015|website=Strange Fruit and Spanish Moss|access-date=December 6, 2019}}</ref><ref name="lynch">{{cite web|title=Lynching of "Slab" Pitts|url=http://www.lynchingintexas.org/items/show/80|access-date=November 29, 2019}}</ref>

In September 1928, [[Amelia Earhart]] made an unscheduled five-day stop to adjust her carburetor. She relates in her journal that she landed in a small town near [[Pecos, Texas]], but according to a regional book, ''The Toyah Taproots'', several local, unnamed youngsters were seen in pictures around her airplane were later identified as being from Toyah.<ref name="earhart">{{cite web|title=Amelia Earhart in Toyah TX|url= http://www.texasescapes.com/15MinutesOfSeparation/Ignacy-Paderewski-and-Amelia-Earhart-in-Toyah-Texas.htm}}</ref>

Much of the town was destroyed by a tornado in 2004. Several abandoned homes, a deserted volunteer fire department and forgotten cars sit on the empty streets. Toyah High School also remains.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|1.6|sqmi|km2}}, all  land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
| 1910 = 1052
| 1930 = 553
| 1940 = 464
| 1950 = 409
| 1960 = 294
| 1970 = 245
| 1980 = 165
| 1990 = 115
| 2000 = 100
| 2010 = 90
| 2020 = 61
| 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><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census">{{cite web |date=May 2023 |title=Census Bureau profile: Toyah, Texas |url=https://data.census.gov/all?q=Toyah%20town,%20Texas |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=Jun 11, 2024}}</ref>
}}

At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 100 people, 47 households, and 28 families living in the town. The population density was {{convert|61.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 72 housing units at an average density of {{convert|44.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 84.00% White, 4.00% African American, 2.00% Native American, 4.00% from other races, and 6.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 51.00%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 47 households 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 36.2% of households were one person and 19.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.79.

The age distribution was 13.0% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 28.0% 65 or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 138.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.9 males.

The median household income was $16,500 and the median family income  was $15,313. Males had a median income of $19,375 versus $11,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,611. There were 47.8% of families and 52.9% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 100.0% of under 18 and 22.2% of those over 64.

==Education==
The Town of Toyah is served by the [[Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District]].

==See also==
{{portal|Texas}}
* [[List of municipalities in Texas]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Toyah, Texas}}


{{Reeves County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Towns in Reeves County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Texas]]
[[Category:Ghost towns in West Texas]]
[[Category:Lynching deaths in Texas]]