Houston County, Texas

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Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 22,066.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Crockett.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Houston County was one of 46 entirely dry counties in the state of Texas, until voters in a November 2007 special election legalized the sale of alcohol in the county.

Houston County was the first new county created under the nine-year Republic of Texas on June 12, 1837. The original boundaries of Houston County also included all of present-day Anderson and Trinity Counties, and portions of present-day Henderson and Polk Counties.

The county is named for Sam Houston, President of the Republic of Texas and Governor of Texas.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Other than being named for the same person, Houston County is not related to the City of Houston, which is located about Template:Convert to the south, in Harris County.

History

File:Houston County (TX) Museum IMG 1010.JPG

The Houston County Museum is located in a restored railroad depot south of Crockett.

The Four C Mill operated in Houston County during the first two decades of the 20th century. R. M. Keith, agent of the Central Coal and Coke Company in Kansas City, Missouri, began buying virgin timber in the fall of 1899. Lumber to construct the new mill was cut by a small sawmill purchased in early 1901 from J. H. Ratcliff. Keith organized the Louisiana and Texas Lumber Company to operate the Four C. The mill was producing 300,000 board feet of lumber daily by June 1902. Ratcliff Lake, now a United States Department of Interior recreational site, was the millpond for the Four C. The Texas Southeastern Railroad laid track from Lufkin to haul out the lumber. The town of Ratcliff was separated from the Four C by a fence, built to discourage the mill workers from spending their money outside the company town. The 120,000 acres were in time exhausted, and by 1920, the mill shut down.<ref name=THC>Texas Historical Commission, Historic Marker, Houston County, Texas, east of Kennard, Texas</ref>

Geography

File:Another view of Ratcliff Lake, Ratcliff, TX IMG 0983.JPG

Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area is located in the Davy Crockett National Forest in Houston County east of Crockett.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert (0.5%) are covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Anderson County (north)
Cherokee County (northeast)
Angelina County (east)
Trinity County (southeast)
Walker County (south)
Madison County (southwest)
Leon County (west)

National protected area

Davy Crockett National Forest (part)

Demographics

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**Houston County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
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Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2000	% 2010	Template:Partial
White alone (NH)	14,775	14,811	12,957	63.73%	62.41%	58.72%
Black or African American alone (NH)	6,442	6,129	5,163	27.79%	25.83%	23.40%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	51	75	94	0.22%	0.32%	0.43%
Asian alone (NH)	53	95	138	0.23%	0.40%	0.63%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	4	1	8	0.02%	0.00%	0.04%
Other race alone (NH)	2	25	58	0.01%	0.11%	0.26%
Multiracial (NH)	119	232	577	0.51%	0.98%	2.61%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,739	2,364	3,071	7.50%	9.96%	13.92%
Total	23,185	23,732	22,066	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> 23,185 people, 8,259 households, and 5,756 families were residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert; it had the second-lowest population density for all counties in Deep East Texas, behind only Newton County. The 10,730 housing units averaged Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 68.57% White, 27.93% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 2.23% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. About 7.50% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 8,259 households, 28.7% had children under 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were not families. About 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the age distribution was 23.2% under 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 115.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,119, and for a family was $35,033. Males had a median income of $29,143 versus $19,885 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,525. About 15.6% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under 18 and 18.2% of those 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

File:Revised Austonio Baptist Church, Houston County, TX IMG 3296.JPG

Austonio Baptist Church off Texas State Highway 21 in Houston County

Eastham Unit, a Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison for men, is located in an unincorporated area in the county.<ref name="Profile">"Eastham Unit Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on July 16, 2010.</ref>

The Crockett State School, a Texas Youth Commission juvenile correctional facility for boys, was located in Crockett.<ref>"Crockett State School Template:Webarchive." Texas Youth Commission. Retrieved on August 8, 2010,</ref> but was closed on August 31, 2011.<ref name="3closing">"TYC Announces Closure of Three Facilities Template:Webarchive." Texas Youth Commission. Retrieved on July 3, 2011.</ref>

Transportation

Major highways

Houston County is served by US Highway 287 and State Highways 7, 19, and 21. All of these highways intersect at the Courthouse Square in downtown Crockett. SH 21 follows the 300-year-old route of Old San Antonio Road. Texas State Highway Loop 304 circles the city of Crockett.

Rail

Freight rail service is provided by Union Pacific Railroad. The Crockett Depot, built in 1909, has been restored and now serves as the Houston County Museum.

Air

Houston County Airport (KDKR), located 3 miles east of Crockett on SH 7, features a 4,000-foot runway. On-site aircraft services are provided by East Texas Aircraft.

Public transportation

Demand and response public transportation within Houston County is provided by Brazos Transit District.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns

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Education

Five school districts are located entirely in the county:

In addition, small portions of Groveton Independent School District and Elkhart Independent School District, located in Trinity County and Anderson County, respectively, extend into Houston County.

The county is in the district for Angelina College.<ref>Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.165. ANGELINA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..</ref>

References

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External links

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Bromberg_Mendel.htm in Aldrich, Armistead Albert, History of Houston County, Texas, Together with Biographical Sketches of Many Pioneers and Later Citizens of Said County, Who Have Made Notable Contributions to its Development and Progress, San Antonio: The Naylor Company, 1943.

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