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Benjamin, Texas
Knox County Courthouse in Benjamin
Knox County Courthouse in Benjamin
Country United States
State Texas
County Knox
Incorporated (city) 1928
Government
 • Type Council-manager
Area
 • Total 1.05 sq mi (2.72 km2)
 • Land 1.05 sq mi (2.72 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,476 ft (450 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 196
 • Density 186.7/sq mi (72.1/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
79505
Area code(s) 940
FIPS code 48-07636
GNIS feature ID 1351877

Benjamin is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Texas, United States. Its population was 196 at the 2020 census, making it the least-populated county seat in Texas.

History

The community was founded in 1884 by Hilory G. Bedford, president and controlling stockholder in the Wichita and Brazos Stock Company. He named it Benjamin after his son, who had been killed by lightning. To attract additional settlers, Bedford gave his stockholders a 50-acre tract of land and set aside 40 more acres for a town square. Benjamin was designed as the Knox County seat when it was organized in 1886; a school also opened in that year. A jail built in 1887 still stands as a private residence, and the old bank stands next to the sheriff's office. Benjamin was incorporated in 1928, and the population was 485 in the 1930 census. Two structures in the community, a courthouse (1938) and school building (1942), were constructed with Works Projects Administration labor. That courthouse replaced the previous stone structure built in 1888. The number of inhabitants reached a high of 599 in 1940, but that figure slowly decreased during the latter half of the 20th century.

Geography

Benjamin is situated at the junction of U.S. Highway 82 and State Highway 6 in central Knox County, roughly 90 miles north of Abilene, approximately 160 miles west of Fort Worth, and 85 miles southwest of Wichita Falls.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.0 sq mi (2.6 km2), all land.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Benjamin has a semiarid climate, BSk on climate maps.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1930 485
1940 599 23.5%
1950 530 −11.5%
1960 338 −36.2%
1970 308 −8.9%
1980 257 −16.6%
1990 225 −12.5%
2000 264 17.3%
2010 258 −2.3%
2020 196 −24.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
Benjamin Texas water tower
Water tower in Benjamin

2020 census

Benjamin racial composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race Number Percentage
White (NH) 154 78.57%
Black or African American (NH) 6 3.06%
Asian (NH) 1 0.51%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) 4 2.04%
Hispanic or Latino 31 15.82%
Total 196

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 196 people, 78 households, and 45 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

The Knox County Museum, located in the county courthouse, features a barbed wire exhibit and numerous other frontier artifacts. The Knox County Veterans Memorial, located at the corner of U.S. Highway 82 and State Highway 6, honors all Knox County veterans from the Spanish–American War through current conflicts.

Benjamin's Moorhouse Park, dedicated by the state highway department in 1965, and an area know the Narrows located four miles east of the city are also popular tourist attractions.

Notable person

Texas photographer Wyman Meinzer lives in Benjamin.

Education

The city of Benjamin is served by the Benjamin Independent School District and home to the Benjamin High School Mustangs.

See also

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

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