Hale County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hale County
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The Hale County Courthouse in Plainview
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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 | 1888 |
| Seat | Plainview |
| Largest city | Plainview |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,005 sq mi (2,600 km2) |
| • Land | 1,005 sq mi (2,600 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) 0.01% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 32,522 |
| • Density | 32.360/sq mi (12.494/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 19th |
Hale County is a place in the U.S. state of Texas. It's like a big neighborhood or district within the state. In 2020, about 32,522 people lived there. The main town and "county seat" (where the county government is) is Plainview.
Hale County was officially created in 1876 and started its government in 1888. It's named after Lt. John C. Hale, a brave soldier from the Battle of San Jacinto. The county is also part of the Plainview, Texas area, which is a "micropolitan statistical area" – a fancy way to say it's a small city area with close ties to nearby towns.
Contents
History of Hale County
Long, long ago, around 7000 BC, the first people to live in this area were Paleo-Indians. Later, Native American groups like the Comanche also called this land home.
The Texas government officially formed Hale County in 1876 from a larger area called Bexar County. A few years later, in 1881, some brothers named T.W. and T.N. Morrison, along with W.D. Johnson, started big cattle ranches here.
In 1883, a minister from New York named Horatio Graves became the first permanent white settler in the county.
How Plainview Started
The city of Plainview began in 1886. A rancher named Zachery Taylor Maxwell moved his family and 2,000 sheep to this spot. He chose a place with two hackberry tree groves along an old military trail. The city got its name, Plainview, because of the wide, flat views of the land.
In 1888, Hale County officially set up its government, and Plainview became the county seat. By 1900, the county had 259 farms and ranches, and about 1,680 people lived there.
Growth and Discoveries
Big changes came to Plainview in 1906 when the Santa Fe Railway arrived. This made it easier for people and goods to travel. In the same year, Wayland Baptist College was founded, offering education to the community.
A few years later, in 1909, a businessman named Levi Schick opened the Schick Opera House, a place for entertainment. In 1912, the Texas Land and Development Company started working in Plainview. Their goal was to divide large areas of land into smaller farms and prepare them for new settlers.
An important discovery happened in 1944 at a place called the Plainview Site. Archeologists found not only old tools and bones but also the remains of about 100 extinct bison. These ancient bison were much larger than the "buffalo" we see today!
In 1946, oil was found in the Anton-Irish field, which is partly in Hale County and partly in Lamb County.
Famous Connections
A famous country music artist named Jimmy Dean started his business here. In 1969, he and his family members founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company and opened the Jimmy Dean Meat Company.
Geography of Hale County
Hale County covers a total area of about 1,005 square miles. Most of this is land, with only a tiny bit (0.1 square miles) covered by water.
Main Roads
Here are some of the major highways that run through Hale County:
Interstate 27/U.S. Highway 87
Interstate 27 Business
U.S. Highway 70
State Highway 194
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Neighboring Counties
Hale County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Swisher County (to the north)
- Floyd County (to the east)
- Lubbock County (to the south)
- Lamb County (to the west)
- Castro County (to the northwest)
- Hockley County (to the southwest)
- Crosby County (to the southeast)
People of Hale County
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 721 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,680 | 133.0% | |
| 1910 | 7,566 | 350.4% | |
| 1920 | 10,104 | 33.5% | |
| 1930 | 20,189 | 99.8% | |
| 1940 | 18,813 | −6.8% | |
| 1950 | 28,211 | 50.0% | |
| 1960 | 36,798 | 30.4% | |
| 1970 | 34,137 | −7.2% | |
| 1980 | 37,592 | 10.1% | |
| 1990 | 34,671 | −7.8% | |
| 2000 | 36,602 | 5.6% | |
| 2010 | 36,227 | −1.0% | |
| 2020 | 32,522 | −10.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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The population of Hale County has changed over the years. In 2000, there were 36,602 people living here. By 2020, the population was 32,522.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 16,526 | 13,647 | 10,693 | 45.15% | 37.62% | 32.88% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,044 | 1,803 | 1,381 | 5.58% | 4.97% | 4.25% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 139 | 103 | 99 | 0.38% | 0.28% | 0.30% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 107 | 133 | 149 | 0.29% | 0.37% | 0.46% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 7 | 19 | 30 | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.09% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 18 | 32 | 69 | 0.05% | 0.09% | 0.21% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 229 | 267 | 612 | 0.63% | 0.74% | 1.88% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 17,532 | 20,269 | 19,489 | 47.90% | 55.88% | 59.93% |
| Total | 36,602 | 36,273 | 32,522 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2000, the county had about 11,975 households. Many of these (40.40%) had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 2.86 people.
The population was spread out by age: about 30.20% were under 18, and 12.90% were 65 or older. The average age was 31 years.
The median income for a household in 2000 was $31,280. This means half the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 18% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Communities in Hale County
Hale County has several towns and cities:
Cities
- Abernathy (a small part is in Lubbock County)
- Hale Center
- Petersburg
- Plainview (this is the county seat)
Town
Census-designated place
Unincorporated community
Ghost town
Education in Hale County
Students in Hale County attend schools in several different school districts:
- Abernathy Independent School District
- Cotton Center Independent School District
- Hale Center Independent School District
- Lockney Independent School District
- Olton Independent School District
- Petersburg Independent School District
- Plainview Independent School District
The county is also served by South Plains College, which offers higher education.
Images for kids
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The Hale County Courthouse in Plainview
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Hale (Texas) para niños
