McCulloch County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
McCulloch County
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The McCulloch County Courthouse in Brady
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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 | 1876 |
| Named for | Benjamin McCulloch |
| Seat | Brady |
| Largest city | Brady |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,073 sq mi (2,780 km2) |
| • Land | 1,066 sq mi (2,760 km2) |
| • Water | 7.8 sq mi (20 km2) 0.7% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,630 |
| • Density | 7.111/sq mi (2.7455/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 11th |
McCulloch County is a county located in the middle of Texas, on a high area called the Edwards Plateau. In 2020, about 7,630 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Brady.
The county was formed in 1856 and officially started in 1876. It is named after Benjamin McCulloch, who was a famous Texas Ranger and a general during the Civil War.
A cool fact about McCulloch County is that the exact geographical center of Texas is located within its borders, close to Brady!
Contents
History of McCulloch County
Early Inhabitants and Explorers
For thousands of years, from about 5000 BC to 1500 AD, different Native American groups lived in this area. These included the Tonkawa, Lipan Apache, Comanche, and Tawakoni tribes.
In 1788, an explorer named José Mares traveled through the area. He was on a journey from San Antonio to Santa Fe.
Settlers and Conflicts
In 1831, a group of brave men, including James Bowie, had a big fight near what is now Brady. They faced off against 164 Caddo and Lipan warriors. After a long day and night, the Native Americans left.
Later, in 1852, a place called Camp San Saba was set up. Its purpose was to protect the new settlers from attacks by Native American tribes.
Forming the County
The Texas government officially created McCulloch County in 1856. It was made from parts of Bexar County. The county was named after Benjamin McCulloch. In 1876, the Voca waterwheel mill was built, which was important for grinding grain.
Newspapers and Growth
The first newspaper in the county, the Brady Sentinel, started in 1880. It later joined with another paper.
Between 1886 and 1912, several communities were started by Swedish settlers. These included East Sweden, West Sweden, and Melvin. Over the years, many different newspapers were published in the county, helping people stay informed.
In 1899, the beautiful McCulloch County Courthouse was built. It was made of sandstone in a style called Romanesque Revival.
Farming and Floods
Around the year 1900, Cotton became a very important crop in McCulloch County. In 1902, a railroad line, the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway, reached the county, which helped with trade and travel.
In the 1920s, McCulloch County was known as the "Turkey Center of the Universe"! They even had an annual event called the Turkey Trot.
During the 1930s, many farmers in the county were tenant farmers. This means they rented land to farm instead of owning it.
The Colorado River had a big flood in 1932. Later, in 1938, Brady Creek and the San Saba River also experienced large floods.
World War II and Beyond
In 1941, a flying school called Curtis Field opened. It was named after Brady Mayor Harry L. Curtis.
During World War II, a prisoner-of-war camp was set up in the county in 1943. It held captured soldiers from the German army. After the war, in 1946, this camp became a training school for young girls.
From 1954 to 1960, many structures were built to help control flooding in the county. In 1963, the Brady Creek Reservoir was built for the same reason. A special marker was also placed in the county to show where the geographical center of Texas is located.
Geography
McCulloch County covers a total area of about 1,073 square miles. Most of this is land, with only a small part (about 7.8 square miles) being water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 87
U.S. Highway 190
U.S. Highway 283
U.S. Highway 377
State Highway 71
Adjacent counties
McCulloch County shares borders with these other counties:
- Coleman County (to the north)
- Brown County (to the northeast)
- San Saba County (to the east)
- Mason County (to the south)
- Menard County (to the southwest)
- Concho County (to the west)
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 173 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,533 | 786.1% | |
| 1890 | 3,217 | 109.8% | |
| 1900 | 3,960 | 23.1% | |
| 1910 | 13,405 | 238.5% | |
| 1920 | 11,020 | −17.8% | |
| 1930 | 13,883 | 26.0% | |
| 1940 | 13,208 | −4.9% | |
| 1950 | 11,701 | −11.4% | |
| 1960 | 8,815 | −24.7% | |
| 1970 | 8,571 | −2.8% | |
| 1980 | 8,735 | 1.9% | |
| 1990 | 8,778 | 0.5% | |
| 2000 | 8,205 | −6.5% | |
| 2010 | 8,283 | 1.0% | |
| 2020 | 7,630 | −7.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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Here's a look at the different groups of people living in McCulloch County over the years:
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 2,912 | 5,568 | 4,904 | 77.90% | 67.22% | 64.27% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5 | 133 | 92 | 0.13% | 1.61% | 1.21% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 16 | 23 | 7 | 0.43% | 0.28% | 0.09% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 2 | 28 | 39 | 0.05% | 0.34% | 0.51% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 5 | 9 | 12 | 0.13% | 0.11% | 0.16% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 15 | 45 | 207 | 0.40% | 0.54% | 2.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 783 | 2,476 | 2,369 | 20.95% | 29.89% | 31.05% |
| Total | 3,738 | 8,283 | 7,630 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2000, there were 8,205 people living in McCulloch County. About 27% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. The average age of people in the county was 40 years old.
Education
These school districts serve the students of McCulloch County:
- Brady ISD
- Lohn ISD
- Mason ISD
- Rochelle ISD
Communities
City
- Brady (This is the main town and where the county government is located.)
Town
Unincorporated communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or towns:
See also
In Spanish: Condado de McCulloch para niños
