Hico, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hico, Texas
City
Hico (2014)
Location within Hamilton County and Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Hamilton
Incorporated	1883
Area
• Total	1.82 sq mi (4.73 km2)
• Land	1.82 sq mi (4.72 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,060 ft (320 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,335
• Density	733.5/sq mi (282.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	76457
Area code	254
FIPS code	48-33548
GNIS ID	2410754

Hico (pronounced HY-koh) is a small city in central Texas, United States. It is located in Hamilton County. In 2020, about 1,335 people lived there.

For many years, Hico was a busy place for selling cattle and cotton. Today, the main ways people make a living are through ranching (raising animals) and tourism (people visiting for fun).

History of Hico

Hico was named after a town in Kentucky called Hico. The first Hico in Texas was built near Honey Creek.

Later, a train line called the Texas Central (part of the old Katy Railroad) was built nearby. So, the people of Hico moved their town about 2.5 miles (4 km) closer to the train tracks.

Hico officially became a city in 1883. It quickly grew into an important shipping center for Hamilton County. In 1903, a speaker named Mordecai Ham from Kentucky held his first Texas meetings in Hico. He went on to hold many more meetings across the state.

Geography and Climate

Hico is in the northern part of Hamilton County. A small piece of the city even goes into a neighboring county called Erath County.

How to Get Around Hico

U.S. Route 281 goes through Hico. It is known as Walnut Street and North 2nd Street in the city. This highway can take you to Stephenville to the northwest or Hamilton to the south. Hamilton is the main town, or county seat, of Hamilton County.

Texas State Highway 6 also passes through Hico as Second Street. It joins US 281 when it leaves the city to the northwest. Highway 6 leads east to Meridian and west-northwest to Dublin.

Land Area

The United States Census Bureau says that Hico covers about 1.8 square miles (4.7 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Interesting Land Features

About 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north of Hico, you can see what looks like the remains of an impact crater. This is a big hole in the ground that was made by something hitting the Earth a long time ago. Scientists believe it formed after the Cretaceous Period.

Hico's Weather

Hico has hot and humid summers. Its winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. It means the area gets a lot of rain and has warm temperatures for most of the year.

Population of Hico

2020 Census Information

In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 1,335 people living in Hico. There were 619 households and 269 families in the city.

The table below shows the different groups of people living in Hico according to the 2020 census.

This picture shows downtown Hico, Texas, around 1910. You can see a wagon team in the street.

Education in Hico

Students in Hico attend schools that are part of the Hico Independent School District. The school teams are known as the Hico Tigers and Lady Tigers.

Notable People from Hico

Many interesting people have connections to Hico:

• Mary Billings was the first woman Universalist minister in Texas.
• William Garrison is a Major General in the U.S. Army. He lives on his ranch near Hico.
• Mattie Parker was born and grew up in Hico. She became the mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, in 2021.
• Brushy Bill Roberts (1879–1950) was a man who claimed to be the famous outlaw Billy The Kid.

Gallery

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  Hico, Texas: "Where Everybody Is Somebody"

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  Historic district in Hico

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  Koffee Kup Restaurant in Hico

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  First Baptist Church of Hico on U.S. Highway 281 South

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  First United Methodist Church in Hico

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  Midland Hotel

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  Connolly Building

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  Billy the Kid statue

See also

In Spanish: Hico (Texas) para niños