Lampasas County, Texas

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

Lampasas County (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 21,627.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Lampasas.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county is named for the Lampasas River.

Lampasas County is part of the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan area.

History

Indigenous peoples were the first inhabitants of the area. Later known tribes in the area included Tonkawa, Lipan Apache and Comanche.<ref name="Lampasas County">Template:Cite web</ref> The Aguayo expedition is said to have passed through the county in 1721.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1756 a presidio was established by Don Pedro de Terreros with the assistance of elements of the Spanish Army, at the confluence of Lucy Creek and Arroya Cavalto. The effort was abandoned not long after, but the site remained as a base of operations by Thomas Isaac Cox, a member of Terreros' original expedition, for the purpose of obtaining hundreds of Texas mustangs for use by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.<ref>Template:Cite web Template:Cbignore</ref>

In 1853 Moses Hughes and his invalid wife, Hannah (Berry), became the first permanent settlers, seeking to take advantage of the medicinal springs.<ref name="Lampasas County, TX">Template:Cite book</ref> John Patterson was the first man to cultivate land in the county, in 1854.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1855 Elizabeth and George W. Scott laid out the town of Burleson, named for her father. The town was renamed Lampasas, when it became the county seat;<ref name="Lampasas County"/> the Sixth Texas Legislature formed Lampasas County, named after the Lampasas River, from parts of Travis, Bell, and Coryell Counties, in 1856.<ref name="Lampasas County, TX"/> In 1858 The northeastern corner of Lampasas County became part of Hamilton County.<ref name="Lampasas County"/> In 1887 Mills County received northern and northwestern sections of Lampasas County.<ref name="Lampasas County"/>

The Lampasas Guards were organized to ward off Indian attacks in 1859.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Indian raids increased in 1861, as able-bodied men were off fighting in the war.<ref name="Lampasas County, TX"/>

In 1872 Townsen's Mill was built by Perry and Jasper Townsen. This steam mill cut "rawhide" lumber and ground wheat and corn.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Henry A. Chadwick and son Milam built a sawmill, flour mill and cotton gin in 1874.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1875 the Farmers' Alliance was born in Lampasas in reaction against the cattle rustling and illegal land dealings prevalent in the county.<ref name="Lampasas County"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 1877 saw the gunfight at the Lampasas Saloon.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1882 The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway extended its line west from Belton to Lampasas.<ref name="Lampasas County, TX"/> The Texas Power and Light Company arrived in Lampasas County in the 1920s,<ref name="Lampasas County"/> and in 1934 the Lower Colorado River Authority brought electricity to the county.<ref name="Lampasas County"/> Lone Star Gas established services in the county in 1949.<ref name="Lampasas County"/>

During World War II in 1942, Fort Hood opened as a military training base. Hancock Park in Lampasas was temporarily turned over to the troops as a recreational area.<ref name="Lampasas County, TX"/>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert (0.2%) is covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Hamilton County (north)
Coryell County (northeast)
Bell County (southeast)
Burnet County (south)
San Saba County (west)
Mills County (northwest)

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Lampasas 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)	14,121	14,836	15,132	79.50%	75.40%	69.97%
Black or African American alone (NH)	511	581	700	2.88%	2.95%	3.24%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	88	127	115	0.50%	0.65%	0.53%
Asian alone (NH)	126	184	242	0.71%	0.94%	1.12%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	8	35	86	0.05%	0.18%	0.40%
Other Race alone (NH)	8	31	100	0.05%	0.16%	0.46%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH)	223	440	1,073	1.26%	2.24%	4.96%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,677	3,443	4,179	15.07%	17.50%	19.32%
Total	17,762	19,677	21,627	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, 17,762 people, 6,554 households, and 4,876 families were residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. The 7,601 housing units averaged Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 86.75% White, 3.10% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 6.55% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. About 15.07% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 6,554 households, 35.10% had children under 18 living with them, 60.70% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were not families. About 21.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66, and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, age distribution was 27.60% under 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,176, and for a family was $41,395. Males had a median income of $30,320 versus $20,637 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,184. About 10.70% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.70% of those under 18 and 14.80% of those 65 or over.