Polk County, Texas

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,123.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Livingston.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county is named after President James K. Polk. The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation of the federally recognized tribe is in Polk County, where the people have been since the early 19th century. They were forcibly evicted by the federal government from their traditional territory in the Southeast.<ref name="alcou">Howard N. Martin, "ALABAMA-COUSHATTA INDIANS", Handbook of Texas Online, uploaded June 9, 2010, accessed November 18, 2014</ref> The 2000 census reported a resident population of 480 persons on the reservation. The tribe reports 1100 enrolled members.

History

Template:See also

File:Confederate memorial in Polk County, TX IMG 8279.JPG

Ike Turner Camp Confederate Monument, Livingston, Texas

Polk County, named for James Knox Polk of Tennessee, President of the United States, was created by an act of the first Legislature of the State of Texas, approved on March 30, 1846, out of Liberty County, and embraced that portion from the part designated as the "Northern Division" of said county. It was one of the first of a series of 23 counties, formulated, constituted, and established by the State of Texas, after annexation to the United States.<ref>Template:Cite book Template:PD-notice</ref>

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Polk County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref name="2010CensusP2">Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name="2020CensusP2">Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	30,723	32,830	34,808	74.69%	72.29%	69.45%
Black or African American alone (NH)	5,357	5,153	4,869	13.02%	11.35%	9.71%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	649	778	914	1.58%	1.71%	1.82%
Asian alone (NH)	156	180	340	0.38%	0.40%	0.68%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	3	7	0	0.01%	0.02%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	5	14	135	0.01%	0.03%	0.27%
Mixed or multiracial (NH)	379	492	1,712	0.92%	1.08%	3.42%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,861	5,959	7,345	9.39%	13.12%	14.65%
Total	41,133	45,413	50,123	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, 41,133 people, 15,119 households, and 10,915 families were residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. The 21,177 housing units averaged Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 79.64% White, 13.17% African American, 1.74% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 3.75% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. About 9.39% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 15,119 households, 28.8% had children under 18 living with them, 57.9% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were not families. About 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the age distribution was 22.9% under 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.70 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 109.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,495, and for a family was $35,957. Males had a median income of $30,823 versus $21,065 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,834. About 13.3% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those 65 or over.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert (4.7%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Angelina County (north)
Tyler County (east)
Hardin County (southeast)
Liberty County (south)
San Jacinto County (southwest)
Trinity County (northwest)

National protected area

Big Thicket National Preserve (part)

Education

School districts:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

The county is in the district for Angelina College.<ref>Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.165. ANGELINA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..</ref> Polk County College / Commerce Center was completed in 2013 and is located on the U.S. Highway 59 Bypass. Angelina College offers advanced curriculum study and technical training at this location. The facility provides public auditorium space and may be used as a mass shelter in a disaster event.<ref>[1], Polk County College Template:Webarchive</ref>

Government

	Name	Party
County Judge	Sydney Murphy	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 1	Guylene Robertson	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 2	Mark Dubose	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 3	Milton Purvis	Republican
Commissioner, Precinct 4	Jerry Cassity	Republican

Infrastructure

File:Polk County Judicial Center, Livingston, TX IMG 8276.JPG

Polk County Judicial Center, Livingston, Texas

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice Allan B. Polunsky Unit is located in West Livingston.<ref name="CDPMap"/><ref name="TCDJProfile">"Polunsky Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 7, 2010.</ref> This has been the location of the Texas men's death row since 1999.<ref>"Death Row Facts" Template:Webarchive, Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 7, 2010.</ref>

Transportation

Major highways

File:US 59.svg U.S. Highway 59
- File:I-69 (TX).svg Interstate 69 is currently under construction and will eventually follow the current route of U.S. 59 throughout most of Polk County.
File:US 190.svg U.S. Highway 190
File:US 287.svg U.S. Highway 287
File:Texas 146.svg State Highway 146
File:Texas FM 350.svg Farm to Market Road 350
File:Texas FM 356.svg Farm to Market Road 356
File:Texas FM 357.svg Farm to Market Road 357
File:Texas FM 942.svg Farm to Market Road 942
File:Texas FM 943.svg Farm to Market Road 943
File:Texas FM 1745.svg Farm to Market Road 1745

Mass transportation

Greyhound Lines operates the Livingston Station at the Super Stop Food Mart in Livingston.<ref>"Template:Cite web." Greyhound Lines. Retrieved on July 29, 2012. NOTE: The information for Livingston appears as a pop-up window.</ref>

Airport

West Livingston has the Livingston Municipal Airport, operated by the City of Livingston.<ref name="CDPMap">"West Livingston CDP, Texas Template:Webarchive." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.</ref><ref name="LivAirportProf">"Municipal Airport Template:Webarchive." City of Livingston. Retrieved on May 9, 2010.</ref>

Communities

Cities

Towns

Notable people

Percy Foreman - notable criminal defense attorney
John Wesley Hardin - Old West gunslinger
William P. Hobby - Governor of Texas, publisher of Houston Post
Sam Houston, general of the revolution to achieve independence and President of the Republic of Texas, spent much time in Polk County, including making peace treaties with the Alabama-Coushata Indians.<ref>"Tribal History", Alabama-Coushatta website</ref>
Margo Jones - stage director who launched the careers of Tennessee Williams and Ray Walston and directed Williams' The Glass Menagerie on Broadway<ref>"Margaret Virginia Margo Jones", Texas Escapes website</ref>
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, noted French explorer of the 17th century, was likely killed in Polk County.<ref>"René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle", Handbook of Texas Online, accessed November 18, 2014</ref>
Sally Mayes was a Broadway actress and singer. Livingston named a street in her honor.
Mark Moseley, professional football player, won Super Bowl XVII and was awarded 1982 MVP as a placekicker.
Moon Mullican - musician, "King of the Hillbilly Piano Players"
Captain (Ike) Isaac Newton Moreland Turner was a Confederate captain who joined the Civil War from Polk County, with units called the Texas Brigade; his remains were returned here from Georgia and were reinterred in his family cemetery on April 15, 1995.<ref>Randy Hill, "A Southern Homecoming" Template:Webarchive, n.d., USA Deep South website</ref>
Annette Gordon-Reed (born November 19, 1958, in Livingston, Texas) is an American historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and law professor noted for changing scholarship on Thomas Jefferson regarding his relationship with Sally Hemings and her children.

Politics

United States Congress

Senators		Name	Party	First Elected	Level
	Senate Class 1	John Cornyn	Republican	1993	Senior Senator
	Senate Class 2	Ted Cruz	Republican	2012	Junior Senator
Representatives		Name	Party	First Elected	Area(s) of Polk County Represented
	District 8	Morgan Luttrell	Republican	2022	Entire county

References

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External links

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