Erath County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erath County
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Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville, Texas.
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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 | 1856 |
| Named for | George Bernard Erath |
| Seat | Stephenville |
| Largest city | Stephenville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,090 sq mi (2,800 km2) |
| • Land | 1,083 sq mi (2,800 km2) |
| • Water | 6.7 sq mi (17 km2) 0.6% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 42,545 |
| • Density | 39.03/sq mi (15.07/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 25th |
Erath County is a county located in the great state of Texas. In 2020, about 42,545 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Stephenville. The county is named after George Bernard Erath. He was an early surveyor and a soldier who fought in the Battle of San Jacinto.
Erath County is part of the Stephenville, Texas, area. This means it's connected to Stephenville for things like jobs and services.
Did you know Erath County is home to two of North America's biggest renewable natural gas plants? One is at Huckabay Ridge, near Stephenville. The other is close to Dublin at Rio Leche Estates. These plants help create clean energy!
Contents
A Look Back: Erath County's Story
Early People of Erath County
Long ago, Caddo tribe members, especially the Anadarko people, lived along the Trinity and Brazos Rivers. A French explorer named Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe became friends with the Anadarko in 1719. He even built a fort called Fort Saint Louis de los Cadodaquious.
The Anadarko people faced challenges from battles between the French and Spanish. Later, they also dealt with Anglo settlers. They suffered from diseases they had no protection against. By 1860, many of these tribes moved to Oklahoma. Erath County was also a place where Comanche tribes lived and sometimes raided. They also moved to Oklahoma after 1875.
How the County Began and Grew
Erath County was created in 1856 from parts of Bosque and Coryell counties. It was named after George Bernard Erath, who helped survey the land. In 1856, a man named John M. Stephen offered land for a new town. This town was named Stephenville after him, and it became the county seat.
Another community, Dublin, was started in 1854 by Jones Barbee. His children were among the first people buried in the county. The Barbee Cemetery is named after him. Jones Barbee traveled with his family from North Carolina. His family has a long history, with some of his great-grandchildren still living in the area today.
Dublin later became famous as the childhood home of Ben Hogan. He was a legendary golf champion who won the PGA, U.S. Open, and Masters golf tournaments!
In 1857, about 30 pioneers settled in the county. They were led by surveyors like George Erath. Erath was an immigrant from Vienna, Austria. He was also a Texas Ranger and fought in the Battle of San Jacinto.
Between 1875 and 1915, cotton was the main crop grown here. The biggest cotton harvest was in 1906. The arrival of the Texas Central Railroad in Dublin in 1879 helped farmers. In 1889, the Fort Worth and Rio Grande railroad reached Stephenville. These railroads made it easier to sell cotton in eastern markets.
However, by 1910, problems like soil erosion and the boll weevil bug caused farmers to try new things. They started dairy farms, fruit orchards, and grew peanuts and poultry.
The town of Thurber was created by the Johnson Coal Company. From 1888 to 1921, the Texas Pacific Coal Company mined coal near Thurber. This made it a top coal producer in Texas. Many miners were of Italian background. In the 1970s, the area began mining bituminous coal for use in making cement.
Tarleton State University was founded in 1893 as Stephenville College. It was renamed in 1899 after John Tarleton, a local rancher. He helped the school when it was having money problems.
In 2008, people in Erath County voted to allow the sale of beer and wine in stores.
The Erath County Courthouse
Erath County's first wooden courthouse from 1866 burned down. Many important county papers were lost. A second stone courthouse was built in 1877, but it was later taken down.
The current courthouse began construction in 1891. Architects James Riely Gordon and D. E. Laub designed this beautiful three-story building. It's a Victorian style showcase! The building was finished in 1893. It was made with limestone from the Leon River and red sandstone from Pecos County.
The courthouse has a tall 95-foot tower in the middle. It has a bell tower and a grand open space inside that goes from the first floor to the third. The inside is decorated with East Texas pine wood. It also has fancy iron stairways and marble floors. The building was updated in 1988.
Where is Erath County?
Erath County covers about 1,090 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,083 square miles, is land. The rest, about 6.7 square miles, is water.
Main Roads You'll Find
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You can travel through Erath County on several important roads:
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 67
U.S. Highway 281
U.S. Highway 377
State Highway 6
State Highway 108
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Neighboring Counties
Erath County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Palo Pinto County (to the north)
- Hood County (to the northeast)
- Somervell County (to the east)
- Bosque County (to the southeast)
- Hamilton County (to the south)
- Comanche County (to the southwest)
- Eastland County (to the west)
Who Lives in Erath County?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 2,425 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,801 | −25.7% | |
| 1880 | 11,796 | 555.0% | |
| 1890 | 21,584 | 83.0% | |
| 1900 | 29,966 | 38.8% | |
| 1910 | 32,095 | 7.1% | |
| 1920 | 28,385 | −11.6% | |
| 1930 | 20,804 | −26.7% | |
| 1940 | 20,760 | −0.2% | |
| 1950 | 18,434 | −11.2% | |
| 1960 | 16,236 | −11.9% | |
| 1970 | 18,141 | 11.7% | |
| 1980 | 22,560 | 24.4% | |
| 1990 | 27,991 | 24.1% | |
| 2000 | 33,001 | 17.9% | |
| 2010 | 37,890 | 14.8% | |
| 2020 | 42,545 | 12.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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In 2010, there were 37,890 people living in Erath County. About 14,569 households called the county home. Most people, about 85.6%, identified as White. About 19.2% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The population is quite diverse! About 22.29% of the people were under 18 years old. Around 19.40% were between 18 and 24. The median age in the county was 30.5 years old. This means half the people were younger than 30.5, and half were older.
Towns and Places in Erath County
Main Cities
- Dublin
- Stephenville (This is the county seat, meaning it's the main administrative town.)
Smaller Communities
A Ghost Town
- Duffau (A ghost town is a town that used to be busy but is now mostly abandoned.)
News and Radio
Erath County has two local newspapers: The Stephenville Empire-Tribune and The Dublin Citizen. You can also watch local TV news from the Dallas/Fort Worth and Waco/Temple/Killeen areas.
There are five radio stations with main studios in Erath County: KEQX 89.5, KTRL 90.5, KSTV-FM 93.1, KXTR-LP 100.7, and KSTV (AM) 1510. Two of these, KTRL and KXTR-LP, are run by Tarleton State University.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Erath para niños
