Bee County, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bee County
U.S. county
The Bee County Courthouse in Beeville was built in 1913.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1858
Named for	Barnard E. Bee, Sr.
Seat	Beeville
Largest city	Beeville
Area
• Total	880 sq mi (2,300 km2)
• Land	880 sq mi (2,300 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)  0.01%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	31,047
• Density	35.3/sq mi (13.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	27th

Bee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in South Texas and its county seat is Beeville. As of the 2020 census, its population was 31,047. The Beeville, TX micropolitan statistical area includes all of Bee County. The county was founded December 8, 1857, and organized the next year. It is named for Barnard E. Bee, Sr., a secretary of state of the Republic of Texas.

History

On December 8, 1857, the Texas Legislature formed Bee County from sections of Refugio, Live Oak, San Patricio, Goliad, and Karnes Counties, naming it for Colonel Barnard Elliot Bee, who served the Republic of Texas as Sam Houston's secretary of war and Mirabeau B. Lamar's secretary of state.

During the Anglo-American land speculation of the 1830s, the area's earliest settlers were mainly Irish immigrants, but by the late 1840s and early 1850s, the rise of Jacksonian expansionism inspired Southern whites from the North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi to occupy and build settlements in the area.

As the constitution of the Republic of Texas no longer recognized the Catholic Church (or any church) as the state religion and slave-holding settlers came to dominate the area in the 1840s, small Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist congregations began forming with sustained missionary support from these denominations. Research suggests that Baptists and Methodists comprised 65% of all Texas congregations by 1870.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 880 square miles (2,300 km²), of which 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.01%) is covered by water. The Aransas River forms in Bee County, southwest of Beeville and north of Skidmore.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 59
  • Interstate 69W is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places.
• U.S. Highway 181
• State Highway 72
• State Highway 202
• State Highway 359
• Farm to Market Road 673
• Farm to Market Road 799
• Farm to Market Road 888

Adjacent counties

• Karnes County (north)
• Goliad County (northeast)
• Refugio County (east)
• San Patricio County (southeast)
• Live Oak County (west)

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, 31,047 people, 8,499 households, and 5,693 families resided in the county. As of the 2010 United States census, 31,861 people were living in the county; 78.8% were White, 8.1% Black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 9.7% of some other race, and 2.3% of two or more races. About 56.2% were Hispanics or Latinos (of any race).

As of the Census of 2000, 32,359 people, 9,061 households, and 6,578 families lived in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14 people/km²). The 10,939 housing units had an average density of 12 units per square mile (4.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 67.85% White, 9.90% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 19.15% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. About 53.93% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 9,061 households, 37.8% had children under 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were not families. About 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74, and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, the population was distributed as 23.4% under 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 148.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 164.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,392, and for a family was $32,967. Males had a median income of $26,473 versus $20,666 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,625. About 19.70% of families and 24.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 18.30% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Joe Barnhart Bee County Library is located in downtown Beeville across the street from the courthouse.

These school districts serve Bee County:

• Beeville Independent School District
• Mathis Independent School District (partial)
• Pawnee Independent School District (partial, K-8)
• Pettus Independent School District (partial)
• Refugio Independent School District (partial)
• Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District (partial)
• Three Rivers Independent School District (partial)

Coastal Bend College (formerly Bee County College), a postsecondary institution, serves Bee County among other counties and areas.

Communities

The Bee County Courthouse in Beeville was designed by architect W.C. Stephenson, formerly of Buffalo, New York

City

• Beeville (county seat)

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Bee para niños