Hungerford, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hungerford, Texas
CDP
Location of Hungerford, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Wharton
Area
• Total	1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2)
• Land	1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	105 ft (32 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	390
• Density	217/sq mi (83.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	77448
Area code(s)	979
FIPS code	48-35420
GNIS feature ID	1338297

Hungerford is a small community in Wharton County, Texas, United States. It is called a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. Major roads like U.S. Route 59 and Texas State Highway 60 meet here. The Kansas City Southern Railway Co. also runs through Hungerford. In 2020, about 390 people lived there. The town began in the 1870s when a nearby settlement moved to be closer to the new railroad.

Where is Hungerford?

Hungerford is located in northeastern Wharton County, Texas. Its exact coordinates are 29°23′57″N 96°4′37″W.

The community covers an area of about 1.8 square miles (4.7 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no water.

A Look at Hungerford's History

Early Days and Land Grants

The land where Hungerford is today was once part of a large area given to early settlers. One of these settlers was Alexander Jackson, who was part of the "Old Three Hundred" colonists. These colonists received land from Stephen F. Austin when Texas was still part of Mexico. Jackson's land stretched from the Colorado River northeast past West Bernard Creek.

After the Texas Revolution, a temporary military base called Post West Bernard Station was set up about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) northwest of where Hungerford is now. Its job was to fix weapons captured during the Battle of San Jacinto and to watch for any possible attacks from the Mexican army.

How Hungerford Started

In 1872, a small village named Quinan was founded a short distance west of today's Hungerford. Quinan even had its own post office, which opened in 1874 in John C. Habermacher's general store. Habermacher's wife, Annie Thatcher, was Alexander Jackson's granddaughter.

In 1882, the New York, Texas and Mexican Railway built its tracks through a new town called Hungerford. This new town was very close to Quinan. Most of the businesses and even the post office from Quinan moved to Hungerford in 1883 to be near the railroad. The town was named after Daniel E. Hungerford, whose daughter was married to John William Mackay, a big investor in the railroad.

Growth and Changes Over Time

By 1885, Hungerford was growing. It had about 200 residents, several churches, a cotton gin (a machine that separates cotton fibers from seeds), a gristmill (for grinding grain), and a school. In 1908, the famous J. D. Hudgins Ranch made Hungerford its main office.

In 1926, the Strouhal Tire Recapping Company opened in Hungerford. That year, the town had 13 businesses, including three general stores. Several schools in the area taught 259 Black students and 189 White students, with 13 teachers in total.

By 1961, Hungerford had a population of 450 people and 18 businesses. However, trains no longer stopped in the town. In 1973, the local school district closed, and its students began attending schools in four nearby towns.

In the 1980s, the population was around 500. Many businesses were seasonal, focusing on hunting and harvesting crops like cotton, grain, and pecans. In 1980, a center called Teen Challenge of South Texas New Life Rehabilitation Center bought the former school for Black students. This center helps people make positive life changes. By 2018, it was known as the Straightway Training Center, continuing to help people.

In 1986, the Texas Historical Commission placed four special markers in Hungerford to remember important historical events. In the late 1980s, U.S. Route 59 was changed to go around Hungerford instead of through it. In 2000, the population of Hungerford was 645 people.

• 

  New York, Texas & Mexican Railroad historical marker

• 

  Post West Bernard Station historical marker

• 

  Quinan Community historical marker

• 

  J. D. Hudgins Ranch historical marker

Population Information

In 2000, there were 645 people living in Hungerford. These people lived in 169 households, and 117 of those were families. The population density was about 352 people per square mile (136 people per square kilometer).

• About 33% of households had children under 18 living with them.
• About 46% were married couples living together.
• About 19% had a female head of household with no husband present.
• About 30% were not families.

The average household had about 3 people, and the average family had about 3.7 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 37.7% were under 18 years old.
• 7.4% were between 18 and 24.
• 26.7% were between 25 and 44.
• 18.0% were between 45 and 64.
• 10.2% were 65 years or older.

The median age in Hungerford was 30 years old. This means half the people were younger than 30 and half were older.

The median income for a household was $46,544, and for a family, it was $55,781. About 15.2% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 3.7% of those under 18 and 19.0% of those 65 or older.

See also

In Spanish: Hungerford (Texas) para niños