Dallam County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dallam County
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The 1922 Dallam County Courthouse in Dalhart
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1891 |
| Seat | Dalhart |
| Largest city | Dalhart |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,505 sq mi (3,900 km2) |
| • Land | 1,503 sq mi (3,890 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,115 |
| • Density | 4.7276/sq mi (1.8253/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 13th |
Dallam County is the north-westernmost county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 7,115. Its county seat is Dalhart. The county was founded in 1876 and later organized in 1891. It is named for James Wilmer Dallam, a lawyer and newspaper publisher.
Dallam is the northernmost of the 10 Texas counties that from 1885 to 1912 constituted the legendary XIT Ranch. The ranch is still celebrated through the XIT Museum in Dalhart and the annual XIT Rodeo and Reunion held the first long weekend in August.
Contents
History
Dallam County was formed in 1876 from portions of Bexar County. It was named after James Wilmer Dallam, the lawyer who made the first digest of Texas laws. The first settlement in the area followed in 1870, which resulted in the Red River War of 1874 and 1875 with the native Comanche and Kiowa tribes. In 1900-01, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad company built a stretch from Enid, Oklahoma to Tucumcari, New Mexico, which ran through the county. The location where the tracks met those of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway was named Dalhart. The name is taken from the first letters of Dallam County and Hartley County, between which the town's area is divided. Within a short time, the small railroad stop turned into a sizable town and was named county seat in 1903.
Dallam County was one of the hardest hit areas in the Dust Bowl.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,505 square miles (3,900 km2), of which 1,503 square miles (3,890 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.1%) is water.
Major Highways
U.S. Highway 54
U.S. Highway 87
U.S. Highway 287
U.S. Highway 385
State Highway 102
Adjacent counties
- Cimarron County, Oklahoma (north)
- Sherman County (east)
- Hartley County (south)
- Union County, New Mexico (west)
- Moore County (southeast)
National protected area
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 112 | — | |
| 1900 | 146 | 30.4% | |
| 1910 | 4,001 | 2,640.4% | |
| 1920 | 4,528 | 13.2% | |
| 1930 | 7,830 | 72.9% | |
| 1940 | 6,494 | −17.1% | |
| 1950 | 7,640 | 17.6% | |
| 1960 | 6,302 | −17.5% | |
| 1970 | 6,012 | −4.6% | |
| 1980 | 6,531 | 8.6% | |
| 1990 | 5,461 | −16.4% | |
| 2000 | 6,222 | 13.9% | |
| 2010 | 6,703 | 7.7% | |
| 2020 | 7,115 | 6.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 3,726 | 3,119 | 55.59% | 43.84% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 81 | 74 | 1.21% | 1.04% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 34 | 51 | 0.51% | 0.72% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 37 | 10 | 0.55% | 0.14% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 3 | 0.07% | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 17 | 10 | 0.25% | 0.14% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 86 | 141 | 1.28% | 1.98% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,717 | 3,707 | 40.53% | 52.10% |
| Total | 6,703 | 7,115 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Communities
City
- Dalhart (county seat) (partly in Hartley County)
Towns
Unincorporated community
Ghost Town
Education
The following school districts serve Dallam County:
- Dalhart Independent School District
- Stratford Independent School District
- Texline Independent School District
 | Hypatia |
 | Agnodice |
 | Aglaonice |
 | Mary the Jewess |
