Mason County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mason County
|
|
|---|---|
The Mason County Courthouse in Mason
|
|
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
|
|
 Texas's location within the U.S. |
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Named for | Fort Mason |
| Seat | Mason |
| Largest city | Mason |
| Area | |
| • Total | 932 sq mi (2,410 km2) |
| • Land | 929 sq mi (2,410 km2) |
| • Water | 3.4 sq mi (9 km2) 0.4% |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 3,953 |
| • Density | 4.2414/sq mi (1.6376/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 11th |
Mason County is a rural area in the state of Texas, located on a high flat area called the Edwards Plateau. In 2020, about 3,953 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Mason. The county gets its name from Fort Mason, an old military fort that used to be in the area.
Contents
History of Mason County
Long ago, the Lipan Apache and Comanches were the first people to live in this area. In 1847, a special agreement called the Meusebach–Comanche Treaty was made.
In 1851, Fort Mason was built. Seven years later, on January 22, 1858, Mason County was officially created by the Texas government. It was named after the fort. The first post offices also opened around this time. By 1860, about 630 people lived in the county, including 18 enslaved people.
During the American Civil War, in February 1861, Mason County voted strongly against leaving the Union. Many German residents in the county were against slavery. In March, Fort Mason was taken over by the Confederacy, but they left it mostly empty. This led to more attacks by Native American groups. On May 20, voters chose the town of Mason as the county's main town.
After the Civil War, federal troops occupied Fort Mason from 1866 to 1868, but then they left it for good. In 1869, a courthouse and jail were built. A sad event happened on May 16, 1870, when Herman Lehmann and his brother Willie were captured by Apaches. Willie escaped a few days later. Between 1870 and 1898, four women became landowners in the county: Louisa J. Hendryx, Mahala Hunnicutt, Sarah E. Morris, and Priscilla Sparks.
From 1875 to 1877, the county's first newspaper started. There was also a conflict called the Hoo Doo War, which was about cattle rustling. A famous person involved was Johnny Ringo, who killed James Cheyney on September 25, 1875. During this time, a fire at the courthouse destroyed all the records. On May 12, 1878, Herman Lehmann finally returned to his family, escorted by soldiers.
In the 1880s, valuable minerals like manganese and iron ore were found. People also started looking for gold, silver, and coal. Around 1882-1883, Hereford cattle were brought to the county, and plans were made to improve roads. In 1887, the county asked the state for help for people in need. By the 1890s, the county offered a reward for hunting wolves, wildcats, and mountain lions.
Mason County got its first telephone in the county judge's office in 1902. In 1918, during World War I, the county decided to stop using the German language, even though most residents had German heritage. The first oil and gas leases were signed in 1919, and construction began on a major highway section. Radios arrived in the 1920s. In 1938, the Pedernales Electric Cooperative was formed to bring electricity to rural areas, and Mason County joined in June.
In 1946, a local group was formed to help protect the soil, and county schools were combined. More recently, in 2021, the historic Mason County Courthouse (Texas), built in 1909, sadly burned down because of arson.
Geography
.jpg)
Mason County covers a total area of about 932 square miles. Most of this is land (929 square miles), and a small part (3.4 square miles) is water.
Major Highways
U.S. Highway 87
U.S. Highway 377
State Highway 29
State Highway 71
Neighboring Counties
- McCulloch County (north)
- San Saba County (northeast)
- Llano County (east)
- Gillespie County (south)
- Kimble County (southwest)
- Menard County (west)
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 630 | — | |
| 1870 | 678 | 7.6% | |
| 1880 | 2,655 | 291.6% | |
| 1890 | 5,180 | 95.1% | |
| 1900 | 5,573 | 7.6% | |
| 1910 | 5,683 | 2.0% | |
| 1920 | 4,824 | −15.1% | |
| 1930 | 5,511 | 14.2% | |
| 1940 | 5,378 | −2.4% | |
| 1950 | 4,945 | −8.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,780 | −23.6% | |
| 1970 | 3,356 | −11.2% | |
| 1980 | 3,683 | 9.7% | |
| 1990 | 3,423 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 3,738 | 9.2% | |
| 2010 | 4,012 | 7.3% | |
| 2020 | 3,953 | −1.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
|||
In 2020, Mason County had a population of 3,953 people. Most residents were White (74.58%), and about 22.34% were of Hispanic or Latino background. The county is mostly rural, with a low population density.
Communities
City
- Mason (county seat)
Unincorporated Communities
Famous People from Mason County
- J. Marvin Hunter (1880–1957): A historian, journalist, and printer. He founded the Frontier Times magazine and the Frontier Times Museum.
- Anna Mebus Martin (1820–1864): A wealthy businesswoman and rancher who helped start the Commercial Bank of Mason.
- Louis (Ludwig) Martin (1820–1864): He helped found Hedwigs Hill and served as a Justice of the Peace in Mason County.
- Governor Coke Stevenson (1888–1975): He was born in Mason County and later became the Governor of Texas.
- Leonie von Meusebach–Zesch (1882–1944): Born in Mason County, she was a pioneering dentist.
- Gene Zesch (1932–): A talented sculptor.
- Fred Gipson (1908–1973): An author famous for writing the book Old Yeller.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Mason (Texas) para niños
