Crockett, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Crockett, Texas
City
Downtown Crockett, Texas
Seal
Nickname(s):  Paradise in the Pines
Location of Crockett, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Houston
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	8.85 sq mi (22.93 km2)
• Land	8.85 sq mi (22.92 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	367 ft (112 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,332
• Density	721.39/sq mi (278.53/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	75835
Area code(s)	936
FIPS code	48-17744
GNIS feature ID	2410266

Crockett is a city in Houston County, Texas, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the county government is located. In 2020, about 6,332 people lived there. Houston County is the oldest county in Texas, and Crockett is the fifth-oldest city.

History of Crockett

Warfield House in Crockett

The town of Crockett was named after Davy Crockett. He camped nearby on his way to the Alamo. The town site was very close to the Old San Antonio Road.

In 1836, Andrew Edwards Gossett and his family donated land for the town. They named it after Davy Crockett, whom they knew. The town officially became a city in 1837. A post office opened the next year.

Crockett had stagecoach service to Nacogdoches. In 1839, Native American raids forced residents to hide in the fortified courthouse. During the Civil War, Crockett was a training center for Confederate soldiers.

Growth and Changes

The railroad arrived in 1872. This helped Crockett use the county's timber resources. By 1885, the town had 1,200 people. A school for black girls opened in 1886. This school later became Mary Allen Junior College. It operated until the 1970s.

Mining for lignite (a type of coal) began in 1904. It was most active around 1910. By the 1920s, many trees had been cut down. The population grew to over 3,000 by the mid-1920s. By 1936, it was nearly 4,500.

After World War II, Crockett's population continued to grow. This was different from many other towns in East Texas. By the 1960 census, about 5,000 people lived there.

One of the first loop roads in the country was built around Crockett. This road, Loop 304, helped traffic flow better. Famous Blues singer Lightnin' Hopkins was once arrested in Crockett.

Recently, Crockett's economy has grown. New stores have been built along Loop 304. Many old buildings downtown have been fixed up for offices. People are also interested in natural gas reserves nearby. This has led to new energy projects.

In 2023, a local store had a mural painted. The mural caused some discussion and was later removed.

Geography of Crockett

The historic Strode-Pritchett Cabin was moved to Crockett for the 1976 bicentennial. It features a painting of Davy Crockett by Lucas Short.

Crockett is located in the middle of Houston County. Several major roads meet in the city.

• U.S. Route 287 goes north 35 miles to Palestine. It goes southeast 46 miles to Corrigan.
• Texas State Highway 21 goes northeast 33 miles to Alto. It goes southwest 38 miles to Madisonville near Interstate 45.
• State Highway 7 goes east 54 miles to Nacogdoches. It goes west 33 miles to Centerville along I-45.
• State Highway 19 goes south from Crockett 48 miles to Huntsville.

The United States Census Bureau says Crockett covers 22.9 square kilometers (8.8 square miles). All of this area is land. The city is part of the Trinity River watershed. Water from the north side flows into Hurricane Bayou. This joins the Trinity River west of Crockett. Water from the south side flows into Gail Creek. This creek joins the Trinity at Lake Livingston.

The land in Crockett is hilly. Like many towns in East Texas, it has many forests. These forests mostly contain loblolly pine and pecan trees.

Climate

Crockett has hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

People in Crockett

In 2020, Crockett had 6,332 people living in 2,560 households. There were 1,421 families. The city is home to a diverse population.

In 2000, there were 7,141 people in Crockett. About 31.1% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.46 people. The average family had 3.08 people.

The median age in the city was 35 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 85.5 males.

Education

Public Schools

Most of Crockett is served by the Crockett Independent School District. A small part of the city is in the Latexo Independent School District.

Private Schools

Crockett has the Jordan School. This is a private school run by the local Episcopal Church. It teaches children in prekindergarten and kindergarten. They also work with Vista Academy, a charter school. Vista Academy teaches grades 1–6.

Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to Crockett:

• John Arledge, actor
• Les Beasley, gospel music performer
• Jerald Clark, retired Major League Baseball player (San Diego Padres)
• Phil Clark, retired Major League Baseball player and coach
• Ja'Gared Davis, NFL and CFL football player
• Myrtis Dightman, champion rodeo bull rider
• Jamie Easterly, pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, and Cleveland Indians
• Edd Hargett, quarterback for Texas A&M University, New Orleans Saints and Houston Oilers
• Sam Hinton, folk music singer
• Eugene Lockhart, Dallas Cowboys linebacker from the 1980s
• Cartier Martin, former NBA and international basketball player
• Rain Phoenix, actress, musician, and singer
• River Phoenix, actor, lived in Crockett
• Claude Riley, retired basketball player
• Kenny Rogers, country music singer
• Lucille Elizabeth Bishop Smith (1892–1985), entrepreneur, chef, and inventor
• Jim Turner, former U.S. representative from Texas
• Joe Washington, NFL player

See also

In Spanish: Crockett (Texas) para niños