Breckenridge, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Breckenridge, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Stephens |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.20 sq mi (10.88 km2) |
| • Land | 4.20 sq mi (10.87 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,204 ft (367 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,187 |
| • Density | 1,235.0/sq mi (476.75/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
76424
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| Area code(s) | 254 |
| FIPS code | 48-10132 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1372709 |
Breckenridge is a city in Stephens County, Texas, in the United States. It is also the main city, known as the county seat, of Stephens County. In February 2021, about 5,349 people lived there.
Breckenridge used to be a stop on the Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad. This train line was later run by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad until 1969.
Contents
History of Breckenridge
The town of Breckenridge started in 1854. It was first called Picketville. This name might have come from the way its first homes were built, or from a rancher named Bill Pickett. He lived in the area at that time.
In 1876, Stephens County was created. Picketville was part of this new county. The town was then renamed "Breckenridge." It was named after John C. Breckinridge. He was a former U.S. Vice President and a general in the Confederate Army. The spelling of the town's name was changed slightly.
Breckenridge became very important for oil in the early 1920s. The number of people living there grew from about 1,000 to 5,000 in less than five years. This was a huge change!
For a short time, a famous person from the Old West, John "Doc" Holliday, lived in Breckenridge. A photographer named Basil Clemons took many pictures of Breckenridge during its oil boom. These photos show what life was like back then.
Geography and Climate
Breckenridge covers about 4.2 square miles (10.8 square kilometers) of land. Only a tiny part of this area is covered by water.
Understanding Breckenridge's Climate
The weather in Breckenridge usually has hot, humid summers. The winters are generally mild to cool. According to climate experts, Breckenridge has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets a lot of rain, and the summers are warm and sticky.
On April 9, 2008, three tornadoes hit parts of the town. This happened around 5:20 PM local time. Fifteen people in the city were hurt. Five buildings were destroyed, including the airport. The airport used to be a training place for the Air Force.
| Climate data for Breckenridge, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1898–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 90 (32) |
97 (36) |
98 (37) |
101 (38) |
109 (43) |
111 (44) |
112 (44) |
114 (46) |
111 (44) |
105 (41) |
93 (34) |
90 (32) |
114 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 80.0 (26.7) |
84.2 (29.0) |
89.0 (31.7) |
93.8 (34.3) |
97.8 (36.6) |
100.3 (37.9) |
103.8 (39.9) |
103.5 (39.7) |
99.8 (37.7) |
93.3 (34.1) |
85.4 (29.7) |
79.6 (26.4) |
105.8 (41.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.4 (14.1) |
61.4 (16.3) |
69.6 (20.9) |
78.0 (25.6) |
84.7 (29.3) |
91.7 (33.2) |
96.0 (35.6) |
95.9 (35.5) |
88.5 (31.4) |
79.0 (26.1) |
67.4 (19.7) |
58.8 (14.9) |
77.4 (25.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.8 (6.0) |
47.0 (8.3) |
55.1 (12.8) |
63.4 (17.4) |
72.0 (22.2) |
79.8 (26.6) |
83.6 (28.7) |
83.1 (28.4) |
75.5 (24.2) |
64.9 (18.3) |
52.9 (11.6) |
44.6 (7.0) |
63.7 (17.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 28.2 (−2.1) |
32.5 (0.3) |
40.6 (4.8) |
48.9 (9.4) |
59.3 (15.2) |
67.9 (19.9) |
71.2 (21.8) |
70.2 (21.2) |
62.4 (16.9) |
50.8 (10.4) |
38.4 (3.6) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
50.1 (10.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 14.7 (−9.6) |
17.9 (−7.8) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
32.3 (0.2) |
42.9 (6.1) |
57.7 (14.3) |
64.0 (17.8) |
61.7 (16.5) |
47.9 (8.8) |
34.0 (1.1) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
15.9 (−8.9) |
11.4 (−11.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −6 (−21) |
−8 (−22) |
7 (−14) |
24 (−4) |
33 (1) |
46 (8) |
51 (11) |
51 (11) |
38 (3) |
20 (−7) |
14 (−10) |
−7 (−22) |
−8 (−22) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.57 (40) |
1.89 (48) |
2.35 (60) |
2.33 (59) |
3.92 (100) |
3.68 (93) |
2.25 (57) |
2.53 (64) |
2.64 (67) |
2.88 (73) |
1.88 (48) |
1.78 (45) |
29.70 (754) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.5 (1.3) |
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) |
0.4 (1.0) |
1.6 (4.07) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 4.7 | 5.6 | 7.0 | 5.1 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 6.6 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 71.2 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Population of Breckenridge
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 497 | — | |
| 1890 | 462 | −7.0% | |
| 1920 | 1,846 | — | |
| 1930 | 7,569 | 310.0% | |
| 1940 | 5,826 | −23.0% | |
| 1950 | 6,610 | 13.5% | |
| 1960 | 6,273 | −5.1% | |
| 1970 | 5,944 | −5.2% | |
| 1980 | 6,921 | 16.4% | |
| 1990 | 5,665 | −18.1% | |
| 2000 | 5,868 | 3.6% | |
| 2010 | 5,780 | −1.5% | |
| 2020 | 5,187 | −10.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 5,187 people living in Breckenridge. There were 2,018 households and 1,267 families. Most of the people living in Breckenridge were White (60.21%). The next largest group was Hispanic or Latino (33.26%).
Education in Breckenridge
The schools in Breckenridge are part of the Breckenridge Independent School District.
Breckenridge High School's sports teams are called the Buckaroos. Their mascot is a cowboy riding a bucking horse. The junior high school teams are called the Broncos. The school colors are green and white.
The Breckenridge High School football team from 1958 was coached by Emory Bellard. This team was named the "team of the century" by a newspaper. The Buckaroos have a great record in Class 3A State Football Championships. They have won four times (in 1951, 1952, 1954, and 1958). They also tied for the championship in 1929 and 1959.
Breckenridge High School has also had state champions in girls' tennis and girls' golf. Their FFA and 4-H groups have won state and national awards. Students have also won academic state championships over the years.
In 2011, Breckenridge Junior High School received a special award. The U.S. Department of Education recognized it as a National Blue Ribbon School. This award is given to schools that achieve high levels of success.
Breckenridge is also home to a campus of the Texas State Technical College System (TSTC). This college offers many different courses. Some examples include:
- Environmental science technology
- Construction management technology
- Computer-aided drafting and design
- Digital imaging and design
- Software and business accounting
- Associate degree nursing
- Chemical-dependency counseling
- Health-information technology
TSTC also works with Breckenridge High School and other high schools in Texas. They offer "dual-credit" courses. This means high school students can earn both high school and college credits at the same time.
Notable People from Breckenridge
Many interesting people have come from Breckenridge, including:
- Paul Campbell – An NFL football player for the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Spot Collins – An NFL football player for the Boston Yanks.
- Jack Cox – A politician.
- Joe Crousen – A college football player and coach.
- John Hill – A politician.
- Emil Hurja – A newspaper editor and political consultant.
- Michael Jenkins – A sportscaster.
- Byron Katie – A speaker and author.
- Paul Lea – A doctor and NFL football player.
- Stephen McNallen – A writer and activist.
- Jim Montgomery – An NFL player for the Detroit Lions.
- Gene Offield – A football player and coach.
- Derrell Palmer – An NFL player for the Cleveland Browns.
- Don Robbins – A football coach.
- Kathleen Sloan – A violinist.
- Dean Smith – An Olympic track and field athlete and stuntman.
- Shane Stockton – A country musician.
- Gerald M. "Jerry" Tubbs – An NFL player for the Dallas Cowboys.
- Pamela Willeford – A diplomat.
Gallery
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IOOF Lodge and AF and AM Building
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YWCA Building
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Municipal Building
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Stephens County Courthouse
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First Christian Church
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National Theater
-
Swenson Museum
See also
In Spanish: Breckenridge (Texas) para niños
