Booker, Texas facts for kids

Booker is a small town in Texas, United States. It is located in both Lipscomb and Ochiltree counties. In 2020, about 1,437 people lived there. The town was named after B.F. Booker, who was an engineer for a railway.

History of Booker

Booker started in 1909. It was first called LaKemp, Oklahoma, and was located in Oklahoma. This was about seven miles north of where the town is today.

Moving the Town

Ten years later, a new railway was being built. This railway went from Shattuck, Oklahoma, to Spearman, Texas. To be closer to the railway, the entire town of LaKemp decided to move. They moved seven miles across the state line into Texas.

The town was planned out in 1917, just before the big move. It was planned by Thomas C. Spearman. The town of Spearman, Texas, is named after him. When the town moved, its name changed from LaKemp to Booker. This was to honor B.F. Booker, one of the engineers who worked on the new railway. The railway tracks were removed around 2006 or 2007.

Geography of Booker

Booker is officially part of Lipscomb County. Most of the town is in the northwest part of that county. A small piece of the town also reaches west into Ochiltree County.

Land Area

According to the United States Census Bureau, Booker covers about 1.0 square mile (2.7 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the town limits.

Climate in Booker

Booker has a semi-arid climate. This means it is usually dry, but not a desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot. On climate maps, this type of weather is called "BSk."

People of Booker

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,437 people living in Booker. These people made up 496 households and 389 families.

Population Makeup

The people living in Booker come from many different backgrounds.

• About 37.72% of the people are White (not Hispanic).
• About 0.21% are Black or African American (not Hispanic).
• About 0.63% are Native American or Alaska Native (not Hispanic).
• About 0.07% are Asian (not Hispanic).
• About 2.09% are of mixed race (not Hispanic).
• About 59.29% of the people are Hispanic or Latino.

Streets of Booker

When you drive into Booker, you might see signs that say "Booker: Next 9 Exits." This is a fun way to show that many streets meet Texas State Highway 15 as it goes through town.

Street Names

The streets in Booker are set up in a neat way. The part of town south of where the railroad tracks used to be has streets named in a special order.

• Streets that run north-south and are west of Main Street are named after flowers and trees.
• Streets on the east side are named after Texas cities and important historical figures. There is only one exception to this naming rule.

Education in Booker

Students in Booker attend schools run by the Booker Independent School District.

Notable People from Booker

• Brent Guy is a well-known person from Booker. He used to be a head football coach at Utah State University. He also worked as a defensive coordinator for the University of Tulsa football team.

See also

In Spanish: Booker (Texas) para niños