Memphis, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Memphis, Texas
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,_Texas_(2395817665).jpg)
Aerial view of Memphis
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Location of Memphis, Texas
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Location in Hall County, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hall |
| Settled | 1889 |
| Incorporated | 1906 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.24 sq mi (5.81 km2) |
| • Land | 2.24 sq mi (5.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,074 ft (632 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,048 |
| • Density | 914.3/sq mi (352.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
79245
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| Area code(s) | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-47616 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411074 |
Memphis is a small city located in Texas, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Hall County. In 2020, about 2,048 people lived there. Memphis is known for its friendly community and its history as a farming center.
Contents
Discover Memphis: A Texas Town's Story
Memphis, Texas, is found in the northeastern part of Hall County. It sits where three important roads meet: U.S. Highway 287, State Highway 256, and Farm to Market Road 1547. The town began in 1889. A man named J. C. Montgomery bought land to create a new town.
Early settlers like Montgomery and W. H. Robertson, along with others, started a company to plan the town. They drew up maps in January 1890. Soon, new buildings appeared, like a hotel, a general store, and homes. For a while, the town didn't have a name. Many names were suggested, but none were approved by the postal service. The story goes that Reverend J. W. Brice saw a letter accidentally sent to "Memphis, Texas" instead of Tennessee. The postal service had written "no such town in Texas." This gave them the idea, and the name Memphis was finally accepted. A post office opened on September 12, 1890.
Becoming the County Seat
Around the same time, Hall County was being officially organized. Memphis competed with nearby towns, Salisbury and Lakeview, to become the county seat. Memphis won the election with 84 votes. County leaders were chosen, and a school district was set up.
At first, trains didn't stop in Memphis because there was no train station. Some clever citizens decided to put soap on the train tracks! This made the trains stop, and soon, an agreement was made. In 1891, a train depot was built. Many businesses from Salisbury were moved on wheels to the new county seat. A courthouse made of local bricks was built in 1892.
Growth and Development
Memphis quickly grew. It had two saloons, a bank, many stores, and places to fix wagons. It became a busy center for ranchers and farmers to trade goods. The Missionary Baptist Church was formed here, and its minister helped start other churches in the county. Telephone service came to Memphis in 1901.
In June 1906, Memphis officially became an incorporated town with its own city government. A cotton oil mill opened in 1907. Over the years, Memphis had several newspapers, like the Hall County Herald and the Memphis Democrat. By the 1920s, the city had a new brick courthouse, modern services, and a Carnegie Library. In 1922, a new neighborhood called Morning Side was created for workers in the cotton fields and mills.
Memphis Today
Since the 1930s, Memphis has continued to be a center for farming supplies. In the 1980s, it had cotton gins, a grain elevator, banks, churches, schools, and a medical center. The city is known for its tree-lined streets, a city park, and brick-paved roads laid in 1926.
Brookhollow Country Club Lake is a private fishing lake nearby. Heritage Hall, located in an old bank building, shows off local history and nature exhibits. Important people from Memphis include United States Congressmen Jack Hightower and Larry Combest. The city also hosts the annual Cotton Boll Enduro, a motorcycle event. In 2010, the population was 2,290, and in 2020, it was 2,048.
Timeline of Key Events
- 1889: Land was bought for the town near the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway.
- 1890: The town was planned, and after some tries, it was named Memphis.
- 1891: Memphis won the vote to become the county seat.
- 1891: A train depot was built after citizens used soap to stop trains!
- 1892: The first courthouse was built.
- 1901: Memphis got telephone service.
- 1906: The town officially became a city.
- 1912: Memphis opened its own Carnegie Library.
- 1923: A new courthouse was built.
- 1926: 50 blocks of streets were paved with bricks.
Geography and Location
Memphis covers about 2.2 square miles (5.8 square kilometers) of land. It is located in the Texas Panhandle.
Here are some distances to other towns:
- 28 miles (45 km) southeast of Clarendon
- 64 miles (103 km) southeast of Amarillo
- 29 miles (47 km) northeast of Childress
- 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Estelline
Climate
Memphis, Texas, has a semiarid climate. This means it's generally dry, but not a desert.
| Climate data for Memphis, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1905–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) |
93 (34) |
99 (37) |
105 (41) |
109 (43) |
116 (47) |
115 (46) |
117 (47) |
110 (43) |
106 (41) |
92 (33) |
88 (31) |
117 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 76.8 (24.9) |
80.8 (27.1) |
89.2 (31.8) |
94.3 (34.6) |
99.8 (37.7) |
103.8 (39.9) |
106.0 (41.1) |
104.5 (40.3) |
100.1 (37.8) |
93.8 (34.3) |
83.7 (28.7) |
76.2 (24.6) |
108.0 (42.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 53.3 (11.8) |
57.0 (13.9) |
66.5 (19.2) |
75.2 (24.0) |
83.2 (28.4) |
91.9 (33.3) |
96.2 (35.7) |
94.8 (34.9) |
86.6 (30.3) |
75.4 (24.1) |
63.7 (17.6) |
53.9 (12.2) |
74.8 (23.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.3 (4.1) |
42.8 (6.0) |
51.6 (10.9) |
60.4 (15.8) |
69.6 (20.9) |
78.7 (25.9) |
82.9 (28.3) |
81.4 (27.4) |
73.4 (23.0) |
61.4 (16.3) |
49.4 (9.7) |
40.5 (4.7) |
60.9 (16.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 25.4 (−3.7) |
28.7 (−1.8) |
36.8 (2.7) |
45.6 (7.6) |
56.0 (13.3) |
65.5 (18.6) |
69.5 (20.8) |
68.0 (20.0) |
60.2 (15.7) |
47.4 (8.6) |
35.2 (1.8) |
27.0 (−2.8) |
47.1 (8.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 12.9 (−10.6) |
16.2 (−8.8) |
22.1 (−5.5) |
32.1 (0.1) |
42.8 (6.0) |
57.1 (13.9) |
63.0 (17.2) |
61.3 (16.3) |
47.9 (8.8) |
32.5 (0.3) |
20.4 (−6.4) |
14.0 (−10.0) |
8.8 (−12.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −11 (−24) |
−4 (−20) |
4 (−16) |
21 (−6) |
32 (0) |
39 (4) |
50 (10) |
49 (9) |
34 (1) |
18 (−8) |
10 (−12) |
−6 (−21) |
−11 (−24) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.78 (20) |
0.84 (21) |
1.38 (35) |
2.00 (51) |
3.49 (89) |
2.92 (74) |
2.35 (60) |
2.46 (62) |
2.44 (62) |
1.78 (45) |
1.01 (26) |
0.83 (21) |
22.28 (566) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 50.4 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population Changes Over Time
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,936 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,839 | 46.6% | |
| 1930 | 4,257 | 49.9% | |
| 1940 | 3,869 | −9.1% | |
| 1950 | 3,810 | −1.5% | |
| 1960 | 3,332 | −12.5% | |
| 1970 | 3,227 | −3.2% | |
| 1980 | 3,352 | 3.9% | |
| 1990 | 2,465 | −26.5% | |
| 2000 | 2,479 | 0.6% | |
| 2010 | 2,290 | −7.6% | |
| 2020 | 2,048 | −10.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census Texas Almanac: 1850-2010 |
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Who Lives in Memphis?
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,065 | 52.0% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 162 | 7.91% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 4 | 0.2% |
| Asian (NH) | 7 | 0.34% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 1 | 0.05% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 47 | 2.29% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 762 | 37.21% |
| Total | 2,048 |
In 2020, the census showed that 2,048 people lived in Memphis. There were 915 households and 628 families.
Education in Memphis
Students in Memphis attend schools run by the Memphis Independent School District.
For college, students can go to Clarendon College (Texas). It has a campus about 29 miles southeast in Childress, Texas. The main campus is about 28 miles northeast in Clarendon. Clarendon College serves several counties in the Texas Panhandle. These include Armstrong, Briscoe, Childress, Collingsworth, Donley, Gray, Hall, and Wheeler Counties.
Local Media
Memphis has local news sources that keep residents informed.
Newspapers
- The Hall County Herald: This newspaper was founded in 1890. It is owned by Blackburn Media Group Inc. Shari Watson is the editor.
- The Red River Sun: Also owned by Blackburn Media Group Inc, this paper started in 2014. Ginger Wilson is its editor.
- Clarendon Enterprise: Founded in 1878, this paper is edited by Roger A. Estlack.
- Amarillo Globe-News: This larger newspaper, founded in 1909, covers news for the wider Amarillo area.
- Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Founded in 1900, this paper covers news for the Lubbock area.
Radio Stations
Memphis is served by local radio stations like KCTX-AM, KCTX-FM, and KLSR-FM.
Television Channels
Several television channels from Amarillo, Texas, serve Memphis. These include:
- KACV (PBS)
- KAMR (NBC)
- KVII (ABC)
- KFDA (CBS)
- KCIT (FOX)
Fun Events in Memphis
Memphis hosts a few exciting annual events:
- Annual Traditional Bowhunters 3D target competition: This event happens on the first weekend in May. Bowhunters test their skills by shooting at targets along an archery course. They earn points for how accurate their shots are.
- Annual Country Club Memorial Day Tournament: The local Country Club holds a golf tournament every year on Memorial Day.
Famous People from Memphis
Memphis has been home to some notable individuals:
- Larry Combest: A U.S. Representative from 1985 to 2003.
- Jack English Hightower: A Democrat who served as a U.S. Representative from 1975 to 1985.
- Warren D.C. Hall: He was the Secretary of War when Texas was an independent republic.
- Lou Wills Hildreth: An American Southern gospel singer, songwriter, and TV host.
- Blues Boy Willie: A well-known blues singer.
Images for kids
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2000 Incorporation sign
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Downtown Memphis
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Les Sims Memorial Park
See also
In Spanish: Memphis (Texas) para niños
