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Barstow, Texas facts for kids

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Barstow, Texas
Aerial view of Barstow
Aerial view of Barstow
Country United States
State Texas
County Ward
Area
 • Total 0.66 sq mi (1.70 km2)
 • Land 0.66 sq mi (1.70 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
2,566 ft (782 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 265
 • Density 403.7/sq mi (155.88/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
79719
Area code(s) 432
FIPS code 48-05720
GNIS feature ID 1351550

Barstow is a small city in Ward County, Texas, United States. In 2020, 265 people lived there.

History of Barstow

Barstow was started in 1892 by George E. Barstow. He was a top expert in irrigation, which is a way to supply water to land or crops. In the same year, Barstow became the first main town, or county seat, of Ward County.

A courthouse was built in Barstow the next year. By 1900, the city's population grew to over 1,000 people. This was thanks to Mr. Barstow's efforts to get more people to move there.

Farming and Challenges

Irrigation worked so well that Barstow won a Silver Medal for its grapes at the 1904 World's Fair. But that same year, a big problem hit fruit and vegetable farming when the Pecos River Dam broke.

After the dam broke, there were many dry periods, called droughts. By 1918, it became impossible to farm in the area. The population dropped a lot. In 1910, there were 1,219 people, but by 1930, only 468 people lived in Barstow.

Geography of Barstow

Barstow is located at 31°27′45″N 103°23′44″W / 31.46250°N 103.39556°W / 31.46250; -103.39556. This means it is in the western part of Texas.

The United States Census Bureau says that the city covers about 0.7 square miles (1.7 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

People in Barstow

Historical population
Census Pop.
1920 490
1930 468 −4.5%
1940 558 19.2%
1950 683 22.4%
1960 707 3.5%
1970 614 −13.2%
1980 637 3.7%
1990 535 −16.0%
2000 406 −24.1%
2010 349 −14.0%
2020 265 −24.1%

According to the 2020 United States census, there were 265 people living in Barstow. There were 140 households and 88 families in the city at that time.

Education in Barstow

The schools in Barstow are part of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah Independent School District.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Barstow (Texas) para niños

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