Kerens, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kerens, Texas
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Downtown Kerens
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| Motto(s):
Birthplace Of Big Tex
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Location of Kerens, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Navarro |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.50 sq mi (6.48 km2) |
| • Land | 2.50 sq mi (6.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 367 ft (112 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,505 |
| • Density | 602.0/sq mi (232.25/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
75144
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| Area code(s) | 903/430 |
| FIPS code | 48-38992 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410186 |
| Website | http://ci.kerens.tx.us/ |
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 735 | — | |
| 1910 | 945 | 28.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,343 | 42.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,435 | 6.9% | |
| 1940 | 1,287 | −10.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,198 | −6.9% | |
| 1960 | 1,123 | −6.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,446 | 28.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,582 | 9.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,702 | 7.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,681 | −1.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,573 | −6.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,505 | −4.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Kerens is a city located in Navarro County, Texas, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,505 people lived there. It is known as the "Birthplace of Big Tex," a famous giant cowboy statue.
Contents
History of Kerens
Kerens started in 1881 when a new railroad, the St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas, was built through the area. The town was named after Judge Richard C. Kerens. The railroad did not go through a nearby town called Wadeville. Because of this, all the businesses from Wadeville moved to the new town of Kerens.
Early Town Life
By the mid-1890s, Kerens was growing. It had several important businesses. These included three cotton gin-mills, which processed cotton. There were also four grocery stores, two hotels, and two drug stores. A wagonmaker helped people with their transportation needs. The town even had its own weekly newspaper, called the Navarro Blade.
Birthplace of Big Tex
One of the most interesting facts about Kerens is its connection to Big Tex. Big Tex is a huge cowboy statue. He is a famous symbol of the State Fair of Texas. In 1949, people in Kerens built a giant Santa Claus statue. It was about 49 feet (15 meters) tall. They made it from iron drill casing and papier-mâché. This was done to help bring more shoppers to town during the holidays.
In 1951, the president of the State Fair of Texas, R. L. Thornton, bought the parts of the Santa statue for $750. He asked an artist from Dallas, Jack Bridges, to change the Santa into a cowboy. This cowboy became Big Tex, who is still a popular sight at the annual fair.
Geography of Kerens
Kerens is located in Navarro County. The city covers a total area of about 2.3 square miles (6.0 square kilometers). Almost all of this area is land.
People of Kerens (Demographics)
Demographics is the study of populations. It looks at things like how many people live in a place and what groups they belong to.
Population in 2020
According to the 2020 United States census, there were 1,505 people living in Kerens. These people made up 631 households, with 434 of them being families. The table below shows the different racial groups in Kerens in 2020. NH means "Non-Hispanic."
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (NH) | 822 | 54.62% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 340 | 22.59% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 3 | 0.2% |
| Asian (NH) | 8 | 0.53% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 6 | 0.4% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 6 | 0.4% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 92 | 6.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 228 | 15.15% |
| Total | 1,505 |
Education in Kerens
Students in Kerens attend schools that are part of the Kerens Independent School District. This district provides education for the city's children.
Climate in Kerens
The weather in Kerens has hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, this is often shown as "Cfa."
Notable Person from Kerens
- Tom Mechler used to live in Kerens. He was involved in the oil and gas business there. He also served as the state chairman for the Republican Party in the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Kerens para niños
