Jefferson, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jefferson, Texas
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The Old Post Office in Jefferson
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Marion |
| Founded | 1841 |
| Named for | Thomas Jefferson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.48 sq mi (11.59 km2) |
| • Land | 4.45 sq mi (11.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 220 ft (70 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,875  |
| • Density | 420/sq mi (160/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
75657
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| Area code | 903, 430 |
| FIPS code | 48-37528 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410138 |
| Website | City of Jefferson |
Jefferson is a historic city located in Marion County, Texas, in the northeastern part of the state. It's known for its rich past and beautiful old buildings. In 2020, about 1,875 people lived there. Jefferson is also the county seat of Marion County.
Contents
Exploring Jefferson's Past
When you visit Jefferson, you'll see historic markers on almost every old building and house. They tell stories about the city's past.
How Jefferson Began
Jefferson was founded around 1841 on land that once belonged to the Caddo Native American people. Back then, a huge natural log jam, over 100 miles long, blocked the Red River in Louisiana. This log jam was called the Great Red River Raft.
The Great Raft acted like a giant dam. It raised the water levels of Caddo Lake and the Red River. This higher water allowed large riverboats to travel all the way to Jefferson from big cities like St. Louis and New Orleans. They traveled through the Mississippi River and the Red River.
A Busy River Port
Between 1845 and 1872, Jefferson was one of the most important ports in all of Texas. The town grew very quickly after the American Civil War. Some reports say its population reached over 30,000 people. During this time, Jefferson was the sixth-largest town in Texas.
The End of River Travel
People tried for many years to clear the Red River Raft. But they didn't succeed until 1873, when nitroglycerin was discovered. The Army Corps of Engineers used nitroglycerin to finally clear the raft from the Red River.
Clearing the raft caused the water levels of Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou to drop. This meant that riverboats could no longer easily reach Jefferson. When river traffic was at its busiest, Jefferson had over 7,000 residents. After the raft was cleared, the population dropped to just over 3,000.
The Sterne Fountain
In 1913, the Sterne Fountain was given to the city. It honors Jacob and Ernestine Sterne, a Jewish couple who moved to Jefferson before the Civil War. They were important citizens who ran the post office and helped with many community projects. The fountain has a statue of Hebe, the Greek goddess of Youth. The statue was made by Giuseppe Moretti.
The Jay Gould Legend
There's a famous story about Jay Gould, a powerful railroad owner. The legend says that Gould wanted to build his railroad through Jefferson. But the town leaders supposedly refused because they relied on river traffic. Gould is said to have warned that "grass would grow in the streets" without the railroad. Many people also believed Gould helped clear the Red River Raft, which led to Jefferson's decline as a river port. However, much of this story is not true. Today, the town has Gould's old railcar on display as a tourist attraction.
Modern Jefferson Events
Since 2000, Jefferson has hosted the annual Pulpwood Queens Book Club Girlfriend Weekend. This event brings authors from all over the country to the city. Jefferson is also home to the famous TJ Blackburn Syrup Works, which has been making syrup since 1927.
Jefferson's Location and Weather
Jefferson is a city with a total area of about 4.4 square miles (11.59 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Climate in Jefferson
Jefferson has a climate with hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for Jefferson, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1903–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
92 (33) |
89 (32) |
94 (34) |
97 (36) |
107 (42) |
107 (42) |
112 (44) |
109 (43) |
97 (36) |
87 (31) |
88 (31) |
112 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 56.9 (13.8) |
61.2 (16.2) |
69.1 (20.6) |
76.6 (24.8) |
83.4 (28.6) |
90.6 (32.6) |
94.0 (34.4) |
94.5 (34.7) |
88.7 (31.5) |
78.7 (25.9) |
67.0 (19.4) |
58.9 (14.9) |
76.6 (24.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 45.5 (7.5) |
49.1 (9.5) |
56.8 (13.8) |
64.1 (17.8) |
72.3 (22.4) |
79.9 (26.6) |
83.1 (28.4) |
82.7 (28.2) |
76.2 (24.6) |
65.1 (18.4) |
54.5 (12.5) |
47.2 (8.4) |
64.7 (18.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.2 (1.2) |
37.1 (2.8) |
44.4 (6.9) |
51.5 (10.8) |
61.2 (16.2) |
69.3 (20.7) |
72.2 (22.3) |
70.8 (21.6) |
63.6 (17.6) |
51.5 (10.8) |
42.1 (5.6) |
35.4 (1.9) |
52.8 (11.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 7 (−14) |
−4 (−20) |
15 (−9) |
28 (−2) |
38 (3) |
46 (8) |
55 (13) |
52 (11) |
38 (3) |
25 (−4) |
16 (−9) |
−5 (−21) |
−5 (−21) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.08 (104) |
4.23 (107) |
4.83 (123) |
4.74 (120) |
5.11 (130) |
5.10 (130) |
2.96 (75) |
2.42 (61) |
3.77 (96) |
4.47 (114) |
3.61 (92) |
4.42 (112) |
49.74 (1,263) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.5 (1.3) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.3 (3.3) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.3 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.6 | 6.8 | 7.9 | 8.8 | 89.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Jefferson
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 988 | — | |
| 1870 | 4,190 | 324.1% | |
| 1880 | 3,260 | −22.2% | |
| 1890 | 3,072 | −5.8% | |
| 1900 | 2,850 | −7.2% | |
| 1910 | 2,515 | −11.8% | |
| 1920 | 2,549 | 1.4% | |
| 1930 | 2,329 | −8.6% | |
| 1940 | 2,797 | 20.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,164 | 13.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,082 | −2.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,866 | −7.0% | |
| 1980 | 2,643 | −7.8% | |
| 1990 | 2,199 | −16.8% | |
| 2000 | 2,024 | −8.0% | |
| 2010 | 2,106 | 4.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,875 | −11.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Group | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,102 | 58.77% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 621 | 33.12% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 12 | 0.64% |
| Asian (NH) | 17 | 0.91% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 6 | 0.32% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 72 | 3.84% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 45 | 2.4% |
| Total | 1,875 |
In 2010, about 2,199 people lived in Jefferson. By 2020, the population had decreased slightly to 1,875 people. The city is home to a diverse mix of people. In 2020, most residents were non-Hispanic white, followed by Black or African American residents.
Learning in Jefferson
The city of Jefferson is served by the Jefferson Independent School District. This district provides education for students living in the area.
Famous People from Jefferson
Many interesting people have connections to Jefferson:
- Diamond Bessie (1854–1877), a woman from the 19th century who was part of a famous mystery.
- Vernon Dalhart, a popular singer and songwriter. He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- Montrae Holland, an NFL (National Football League) player from 2003 to 2011.
- Robert Potter, who served as the Secretary of the Navy during the Texas Revolution.
- Rafael Robinson, an NFL player from 1992 to 1997.
- Bobbie Williams, an NFL player from 2000 to 2013. He was a champion in Super Bowl XLVII.
See also
In Spanish: Jefferson (condado de Marion, Texas) para niños
