Brady, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brady, Texas
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Brady City Hall
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| Nickname(s):
The Heart of Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | McCulloch |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.44 sq mi (29.63 km2) |
| • Land | 8.94 sq mi (23.16 km2) |
| • Water | 2.50 sq mi (6.47 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,736 ft (529 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,118 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
76825
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| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-09916 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409892 |
Brady is a city in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. It's often called the "Heart of Texas." This is because it's the city closest to the exact center of the state. That special spot is about 15 miles northeast of Brady. In 2020, about 5,118 people lived there. Brady is also the main city, or county seat, of McCulloch County.
Contents
Exploring Brady's Location and Climate
Where is Brady, Texas?
Brady covers a total area of about 11.5 square miles (29.6 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 9.2 square miles (23.16 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 2.3 square miles (6.47 square kilometers), is covered by water.
Main Roads in Brady
Several important highways pass through Brady, making it easy to get around. These include:
U.S. Highway 87
U.S. Highway 190
U.S. Highway 283
U.S. Highway 377
State Highway 71
Brady's Weather Patterns
Brady has a climate with hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for Brady, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–1897, 1911–1913, 1937–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 91 (33) |
99 (37) |
97 (36) |
102 (39) |
107 (42) |
110 (43) |
110 (43) |
108 (42) |
109 (43) |
103 (39) |
92 (33) |
91 (33) |
110 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 58.4 (14.7) |
62.4 (16.9) |
69.7 (20.9) |
77.2 (25.1) |
83.6 (28.7) |
90.0 (32.2) |
93.2 (34.0) |
93.7 (34.3) |
86.8 (30.4) |
78.4 (25.8) |
67.4 (19.7) |
59.6 (15.3) |
76.7 (24.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 46.9 (8.3) |
50.6 (10.3) |
58.0 (14.4) |
65.2 (18.4) |
73.1 (22.8) |
79.6 (26.4) |
82.5 (28.1) |
82.7 (28.2) |
76.0 (24.4) |
66.5 (19.2) |
56.1 (13.4) |
48.2 (9.0) |
65.5 (18.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.3 (1.8) |
38.9 (3.8) |
46.3 (7.9) |
53.1 (11.7) |
62.6 (17.0) |
69.2 (20.7) |
71.8 (22.1) |
71.6 (22.0) |
65.2 (18.4) |
54.6 (12.6) |
44.7 (7.1) |
36.8 (2.7) |
54.2 (12.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 0 (−18) |
1 (−17) |
7 (−14) |
26 (−3) |
37 (3) |
47 (8) |
54 (12) |
50 (10) |
33 (1) |
23 (−5) |
10 (−12) |
−2 (−19) |
−2 (−19) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.33 (34) |
1.71 (43) |
2.33 (59) |
2.05 (52) |
3.79 (96) |
2.88 (73) |
2.11 (54) |
2.21 (56) |
2.76 (70) |
2.71 (69) |
1.87 (47) |
1.63 (41) |
27.38 (695) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.3 (0.76) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.8 | 5.6 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 7.6 | 5.7 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 69.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Understanding Brady's Population
How Many People Live in Brady?
The population of Brady has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people have lived there since 1880:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 115 | — | |
| 1890 | 560 | 387.0% | |
| 1910 | 2,669 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,197 | −17.7% | |
| 1930 | 3,983 | 81.3% | |
| 1940 | 5,002 | 25.6% | |
| 1950 | 5,944 | 18.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,338 | −10.2% | |
| 1970 | 5,557 | 4.1% | |
| 1980 | 5,969 | 7.4% | |
| 1990 | 5,946 | −0.4% | |
| 2000 | 5,523 | −7.1% | |
| 2010 | 5,528 | 0.1% | |
| 2020 | 5,118 | −7.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Brady's Community Makeup (2020)
In 2020, the city of Brady had 5,118 residents. There were 1,978 households and 1,225 families living in the city. The table below shows the different groups of people living in Brady:
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 2,930 | 57.25% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 84 | 1.64% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 7 | 0.14% |
| Asian (NH) | 37 | 0.72% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 9 | 0.18% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 124 | 2.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,927 | 37.65% |
| Total | 5,118 |
A Look Back at Brady's History
Early Days and Growth
When people first settled in this area in the 1870s, the community was called Brady City. It was named after Brady Creek, which flows through the town. The name was shortened to Brady when the town officially became a city in 1906.
In the late 1700s, a Spanish explorer named José Mares traveled across the creek near where Brady is today. The first settlers on Brady Creek were Henry and Nancy Fulcher. They gave land for the town in the mid-1870s. A store was built in 1875, and a post office opened in 1876. Brady grew quickly after it was chosen as the county seat for McCulloch County on May 15, 1876. By 1877, about 50 people lived there, and a stone courthouse was finished in 1878.
The Brady Sentinel, a local newspaper, started weekly publication in 1880. By 1884, Brady had two churches, a school, three stores, two hotels, and 300 residents.
Ranching and Railroads
Before 1900, raising livestock was the main job in the Brady area. Ranchers would take their cattle to markets in Kansas. Other trade happened with nearby towns like Brownwood and Lampasas. More farms and fences appeared as new people moved in during the late 1880s and 1890s. Besides cattle, chickens, sheep, goats, cotton, and pecans also became important ways for people to earn money.
When the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway arrived in 1903, Brady became a major shipping center for Central Texas. Another railway, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe, came to Brady in 1912. By 1914, the town had grown to include four churches, two schools, two banks, and many businesses, with 2,669 residents.
Community Events and Changes
In 1926, Brady residents celebrated the opening of Richards Park with a big two-day barbecue. This event was so popular that it became an annual "July Jubilee" celebration.
During World War II, Curtis Field opened north of Brady as a pilot-training school. A camp for German prisoners of war was also built east of town. It held over 300 German soldiers.
Brady's population grew slowly from the 1920s to the 1950s, reaching about 6,800 people in 1958. However, in 1959, one of the railway lines was closed, which made it harder for Brady to connect with outside markets. The population then dropped to 5,338 by 1961 and stayed around that number. Brady Reservoir was finished in 1963. It helps control floods, provides water for the city, and is a place for fun activities. More railway lines were closed in 1972, leaving Brady with only one connection to the main line.
In 1988, Brady had 5,925 residents and 142 businesses. It was mostly a farming and ranching community. Industries included a mohair plant and sand mining. The Francis King Art Gallery and Museum displays art and old cars. The stone courthouse, built in 1900, was updated in 2009. A horse racetrack, G. Rollie White Downs, opened in 1989 but closed in 1990. Brady's population was 5,946 in 1990, and it decreased to 5,528 in 2010.
Learning in Brady: Education
About 1,200 students in Brady and Melvin attend schools in the Brady Independent School District.
- Brady Elementary serves students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The principal is Christy Finn.
- Brady Middle School is for grades 6–8. Shona Moore is the principal.
- Brady High School teaches grades 9–12. Russell Baldwin is the principal.
Hector Martinez is the superintendent for the district. Brady High School is recognized by the Texas Education Agency for its quality.
Famous People from Brady
Some notable individuals have connections to Brady:
- Scott Appleton: A football player who won the Outland Trophy in 1963.
- Rita Crocker Clements: A political organizer and former First Lady of Texas.
- Norma Jean: A country music singer who appeared on The Porter Wagoner Show and the Grand Ole Opry.
- Terry Manning: A music producer who lived in Brady as a child.
- James Earl Rudder: A teacher at Brady High School who later became president of Texas A&M University.
- Dan Collins Taylor: A rodeo performer from Doole, near Brady.
Images for kids
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Trucountry Inn
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Fire Station
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Downtown
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Downtown
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Courthouse
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Palace Theater
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United States Post Office
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Train Depot
See also
In Spanish: Brady (Texas) para niños
