Oldham County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oldham County
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Oldham County Courthouse in Vega
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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 | 1881 |
| Seat | Vega |
| Largest city | Vega |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,501 sq mi (3,890 km2) |
| • Land | 1,501 sq mi (3,890 km2) |
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2 km2) 0.06% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,758 |
| • Density | 1.1712/sq mi (0.45221/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 13th |
Oldham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,758. Its county seat is Vega. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1881. Oldham County is included in the Amarillo, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Oldham County was formed in 1876 and organized in 1881, and named for Williamson Simpson Oldham, Sr., a Texas pioneer and Confederate Senator. At the time of its organization, nearly the entire county was a part of the XIT Ranch. The county seat was originally at the town of Tascosa, Texas, which in the 1880s was one of the largest towns in the Panhandle. As the railroads came through the county, however, they bypassed Tascosa; several new towns and farms sprang up along the rail lines, and by 1915 Tascosa had a courthouse and almost no residents; the county seat was moved to Vega that year. Oldham County is primarily ranch and farm land, with many thousands of acres planted in wheat, the major crop. The county also has some petroleum production and large wind farms. In 1902, the Matador Ranch acquired the 210,000 acres (850 km2) Alamositas Ranch in Oldham County. At its peak, the Matador owned 90,000 cattle and had title to 879,000 acres (3,560 km2) of land in parts of four Texas counties.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,501 square miles (3,890 km2), of which 1,501 square miles (3,890 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.06%) is water. A southern strip of the county, including the county seat Vega, is located on top of the Llano Estacado (Staked Plains). The next approximately 12 miles slope down to the Canadian River. The former county seat of Tascosa is located at a crossing of the Canadian River north of Vega. The terrain then slopes up from the Canadian River, passing the county line at approximately 6 miles and reaching the top of the High Plains a further four miles north.
Major highways
Interstate 40
Business Loop Interstate 40 / U.S. Highway 66
U.S. Highway 385
State Highway 214
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Adjacent counties
- Hartley County (north)
- Moore County (northeast)
- Potter County (east)
- Deaf Smith County (south)
- Quay County, New Mexico (west)
- Randall County (southeast)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 387 | — | |
| 1890 | 270 | −30.2% | |
| 1900 | 349 | 29.3% | |
| 1910 | 812 | 132.7% | |
| 1920 | 709 | −12.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,404 | 98.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,385 | −1.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,672 | 20.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,928 | 15.3% | |
| 1970 | 2,258 | 17.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,283 | 1.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,278 | −0.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,185 | −4.1% | |
| 2010 | 2,052 | −6.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,758 | −14.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 1,699 | 1,325 | 82.80% | 75.37% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 60 | 33 | 2.92% | 1.88% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 11 | 6 | 0.54% | 0.34% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 17 | 10 | 0.83% | 0.57% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 22 | 71 | 1.07% | 4.04% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 243 | 313 | 11.84% | 17.80% |
| Total | 2,052 | 1,758 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Communities
Cities
Census-designated place
Unincorporated community
Ghost town
Gallery
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Vega CO OP grain elevator serves Oldham County.
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Magnolia Station, a U.S. Route 66 roadside attraction near the Oldham County Courthouse in Vega
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Chamber of Commerce office and emblem in Vega
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Sign off U.S. Route 385 to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch in Oldham County
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Wildorado Wind Ranch in Oldham County as photographed from Route 385
Education
School districts:
- Adrian Independent School District
- Boys Ranch Independent School District
- Channing Independent School District
- Vega Independent School District
- Wildorado Independent School District
All of the county is in the service area of Amarillo College.
Images for kids
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Sign off U.S. Route 385 to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch in Oldham County
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Oldham (Texas) para niños
