Mason, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mason, Texas
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Mason County Courthouse prior to 2021 fire
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| Nickname(s):
Gem of the Hill Country
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Location of Mason, Texas
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Location of the City of Mason
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Mason |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor/council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.69 sq mi (9.55 km2) |
| • Land | 3.65 sq mi (9.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,529 ft (466 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,121 |
| • Density | 574.8/sq mi (222.09/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
76856
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| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-46968 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411048 |
Mason is a city in Texas, United States. It is also the main town, or county seat, of Mason County, Texas. Mason is an agricultural community located on Comanche Creek, southwest of Mason Mountain. It sits on the Edwards Plateau and is part of the Llano Uplift region. In 2020, about 2,121 people lived in Mason.
Contents
History of Mason
The first person to settle in the area was likely Peter S. Parker in 1846. The town of Mason grew around Fort Mason. The United States War Department built this fort on July 6, 1851. Its purpose was to defend against Native American groups like the Kiowa, Lipan Apache, and Comanche.
A post office for Fort Mason opened on March 8, 1858. It later became a post office for the growing town on June 26, 1858. The fort's protection and business chances attracted more settlers. W. C. Lewis opened a general store for soldiers and settlers. In 1860, James E. Ranck opened another store and became known as "the Father of Mason." He and Ben F. Gooch rented out a large area of land (about 5,000 acres or 20 km2) to cotton farmers. In 1861, Mason was chosen as the county seat.
The HooDoo Wars
After the Civil War, a conflict known as the "HooDoo Wars" happened in 1875. This was a clash between soldiers returning from the war and German ranchers. The fighting was mainly about cattle theft and other crimes. During this time, a homeowner named Tim Williamson was killed by a group of masked people. They believed he had stolen cattle. Williamson's adopted son, Texas Ranger Scott Cooley, wanted to get even. Cooley and his group, which included Johnny Ringo, caused a lot of trouble in the area.
Mason's Courthouses
The first courthouse and jail in Mason were built in 1869. They had stone walls lined with strong wood. After the HooDoo War, a new two-story red sandstone jail was built in 1898. A courthouse was built in 1875 but burned down in 1877. Another courthouse was built in 1878, but it also burned down in 1900. The current granite courthouse was built in 1909. It was designed in a classic style. In 2021, this courthouse also had a fire. Luckily, most of the important records and furniture had been moved out before the fire because the building was going to be renovated.
German Language Resolution
On October 3, 1918, during World War I, the Mason County Council of Defense made a decision. They voted to stop using the German language in the county. This was important because most people in Mason County had German family backgrounds.
Broad Street Bridge
The Broad Street Bridge was built in 1918. It crosses Comanche Creek and is special because it's a reinforced-concrete truss bridge, the only one of its kind in Texas. The bridge is 102 feet (31 meters) long. It has two sections, each 51 feet (15.5 meters) long, supported by concrete structures. The Texas Department of Transportation had planned to replace this bridge, but the project was canceled.
Geography of Mason
Mason covers about 3.7 square miles (9.5 km2) of land.
Largest Topaz Found Here
Mason County is famous for a very special discovery! The largest high-quality topaz gem found in North America came from here. It weighed almost 3 pounds (1.4 kg)! This amazing gem was once kept at the Smithsonian Institution. Now, it is on display at Mason's Museum on the Square.
Climate
Mason has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and winters that are usually mild.
| Climate data for Mason, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 90 (32) |
100 (38) |
98 (37) |
101 (38) |
108 (42) |
111 (44) |
111 (44) |
109 (43) |
108 (42) |
102 (39) |
93 (34) |
88 (31) |
111 (44) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 80.6 (27.0) |
83.5 (28.6) |
88.5 (31.4) |
93.3 (34.1) |
97.3 (36.3) |
100.3 (37.9) |
101.9 (38.8) |
102.3 (39.1) |
98.2 (36.8) |
92.5 (33.6) |
85.3 (29.6) |
80.1 (26.7) |
104.3 (40.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 61.1 (16.2) |
65.3 (18.5) |
71.5 (21.9) |
79.5 (26.4) |
85.5 (29.7) |
92.5 (33.6) |
95.5 (35.3) |
95.8 (35.4) |
89.7 (32.1) |
80.6 (27.0) |
69.9 (21.1) |
63.0 (17.2) |
79.2 (26.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.3 (8.5) |
51.4 (10.8) |
58.4 (14.7) |
65.6 (18.7) |
73.6 (23.1) |
80.3 (26.8) |
83.1 (28.4) |
83.1 (28.4) |
76.8 (24.9) |
66.9 (19.4) |
56.7 (13.7) |
49.3 (9.6) |
66.0 (18.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 33.6 (0.9) |
37.5 (3.1) |
44.8 (7.1) |
51.7 (10.9) |
61.7 (16.5) |
68.0 (20.0) |
70.8 (21.6) |
70.4 (21.3) |
63.8 (17.7) |
53.2 (11.8) |
43.5 (6.4) |
35.6 (2.0) |
52.9 (11.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 19.1 (−7.2) |
22.8 (−5.1) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
35.1 (1.7) |
46.0 (7.8) |
58.7 (14.8) |
64.3 (17.9) |
63.0 (17.2) |
50.1 (10.1) |
36.4 (2.4) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
20.8 (−6.2) |
16.4 (−8.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 6 (−14) |
3 (−16) |
11 (−12) |
25 (−4) |
36 (2) |
46 (8) |
54 (12) |
51 (11) |
36 (2) |
26 (−3) |
14 (−10) |
3 (−16) |
3 (−16) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.32 (34) |
1.88 (48) |
2.15 (55) |
2.30 (58) |
4.21 (107) |
3.80 (97) |
2.30 (58) |
2.01 (51) |
3.03 (77) |
2.58 (66) |
1.94 (49) |
1.38 (35) |
28.90 (734) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 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) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.2 (0.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.2 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 7.7 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 66.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People in Mason
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 296 | — | |
| 1880 | 575 | 94.3% | |
| 1950 | 2,456 | — | |
| 1960 | 1,910 | −22.2% | |
| 1970 | 1,806 | −5.4% | |
| 1980 | 2,153 | 19.2% | |
| 1990 | 2,041 | −5.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,134 | 4.6% | |
| 2010 | 2,114 | −0.9% | |
| 2020 | 2,121 | 0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Mason's Population in 2020
| Group | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,394 | 65.72% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 3 | 0.14% |
| Some other group (NH) | 9 | 0.42% |
| Mixed/Multiracial (NH) | 52 | 2.45% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 663 | 31.26% |
| Total | 2,121 |
In 2020, the United States census counted 2,121 people living in Mason. There were 817 households and 463 families in the city.
Education
The Mason Independent School District serves the city of Mason. Students attend Mason High School, where the sports teams are called the Punchers and Cowgirls.
Roads and Highways
- U.S. Highway 87
- Texas State Highway 29
- Ranch to Market Road 1871
- Ranch to Market Road 386
Famous People From Mason
- Jacob Bickler (1849–1902) – A German immigrant who started two schools in Austin.
- Fred Gipson (1908–1973) – The author of the famous book Old Yeller.
- Herman Lehmann (1859–1932) – A German immigrant who was captured by Native Americans as a child.
- Anna Mebus Martin (1820–1864) – A successful businesswoman and rancher.
- Rebecca Tobey (born 1948) – An American artist known for her animal sculptures.
- Hugh Wolfe (1912–2010) – A professional football player.
See also
In Spanish: Mason (Texas) para niños
