Leon County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leon County
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The Leon County Courthouse in Centerville was originally built of slate brick in 1887. Two previous structures have occupied the current site.
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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 | 1846 |
| Named for | Martín de León |
| Seat | Centerville |
| Largest city | Buffalo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,081 sq mi (2,800 km2) |
| • Land | 1,073 sq mi (2,780 km2) |
| • Water | 7.5 sq mi (19 km2) 0.7% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 15,719 |
| • Density | 14.541/sq mi (5.6144/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 17th |
Leon County is a county located in the state of Texas in the United States. In 2020, about 15,719 people lived there. The main town where the county government is located, called the county seat, is Centerville.
Contents
History of Leon County
How Leon County Started
The group that makes laws for the Republic of Texas (which was Texas when it was its own country) created Leon County in 1846. It was made from a part of Robertson County. The county was named after Martín de León, who founded a town called Victoria, Texas.
However, some local stories say it was named after a yellow wolf that lived in the area. This wolf was often called a león, which is the Spanish word for lion. The county officially started that same year. Its first county seat was a town called Leona.
Moving the County Seat
In 1851, the county seat was moved to Centerville. This happened because Leona was in the far southern part of the county, which was not easy for everyone to reach.
The Leon County Courthouse
The Leon County Courthouse was built in 1886. It was designed by an architect named George Edwin Dickey from Houston. He used parts of an older courthouse that had burned down in 1858. The courthouse was fully repaired and officially opened again on July 1, 2007. It was restored to look like it did in 1909.
Geography of Leon County
Where is Leon County?
Leon County covers a total area of about 1,081 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,073 square miles, is land. The rest, about 7.5 square miles, is covered by water.
Main Roads in Leon County
Several important roads pass through or near Leon County:
Interstate 45
U.S. Highway 79
State Highway 7
State Highway 75
State Highway 164
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Also, State Highway OSR runs along the southern and southwestern edge of Leon County. It forms the border with Madison County.
Neighboring Counties
Leon County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Freestone County (to the north)
- Anderson County (to the northeast)
- Houston County (to the east)
- Madison County (to the south)
- Robertson County (to the west)
- Limestone County (to the northwest)
People of Leon County
Population Changes Over Time
The number of people living in Leon County has changed a lot over the years. In 1850, there were fewer than 2,000 people. The population grew steadily for many years, reaching over 18,000 in 1900 and 1930. After that, it decreased for a while before starting to grow again in the 1980s.
According to the 2020 census, the population of Leon County was 15,719 people.
Who Lives in Leon County?
In 2000, there were 15,335 people living in the county. Most people were White (about 83.5%). About 10.4% were African American, and a smaller number were Native American or Asian. About 7.9% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the county in 2000 was 42 years old. About 24.3% of the people were under 18 years old.
Communities in Leon County
Leon County has several towns and cities, as well as smaller communities.
Cities
- Buffalo
- Centerville (This is the county seat)
- Jewett
- Leona
- Marquez
Towns
- Normangee (A small part of this town is also in Madison County)
- Oakwood (A small part of this town is also in Freestone County)
Special Community
- Hilltop Lakes is a special type of community called a census-designated place.
Smaller Communities
These are communities that are not officially cities or towns:
Old Town
- Egypt is a ghost town, meaning it was once a community but is now mostly abandoned.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de León para niños
