Pecos County, Texas facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Pecos County
U.S. county
Pecos County Courthouse in Fort Stockton
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1875
Named for	Pecos River
Seat	Fort Stockton
Largest city	Fort Stockton
Area
• Total	4,765 sq mi (12,340 km²)
• Land	4,764 sq mi (12,340 km²)
• Water	1.0 sq mi (3 km²) 0.02%%
Population (2020)
• Total	15,193
• Density	3.1885/sq mi (1.23107/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	23rd

Pecos County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 15,193. The county seat is Fort Stockton. The county was created in 1871 and organized in 1875. It is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas.

History
Geography
Demographics
Communities
Education
- Williams Regional Technical Training Center
Notable people
See also

History

Native Americans

Archeological digs at Squawteat Peak uncovered prehistoric hunter-gatherer artifacts. 14 clusters of stones interpreted as wickiup and tipi rings indicate human habitation. A ring midden in the camp provided a radiocarbon date of 1300 A.D. Archeological finds along Tunas Creek include a burial site, pictographs, and artifacts; a possible modified Langtry projectile point (2,000 B.C. to A.D. 700–800).

Early routes

The Comanche Trail crossed Pecos County near Horsehead Crossing and through Comanche Springs. The Chihuahua Trail connecting Mexico’s state of Chihuahua with Santa Fe, New Mexico brought travelers through the area by Comanche Springs about 1840.

United States Army outpost, Fort Stockton, was established in 1858 at Comanche Springs to guard the San Antonio-El Paso Mail. That same year the Butterfield Overland Mail began service to the army post.

County established and growth

The town of Fort Stockton began near the Fort Stockton army post at Comanche Springs as St. Gall, Texas but was renamed Fort Stockton, Texas in 1880. Pecos County was established by the Texas legislature in 1871 originally out of Presidio County. In 1971, Pecos County was organized and St. Gall (which would be renamed Fort Stockton) was named the county seat. There were 1,100 people living in the county that year. By 1890 the county had 227 cattle and 150 sheep that year, and 1,300 acres (5.3 km²) were planted in corn. By 1900 the area's economy had become almost completely dominated by cattle and sheep ranching, though plots of wheat, rye, corn, and oats were grown. Around 1900, a small settlement known as Sheffield sprang up in eastern Pecos County on land owned by Will Sheffield and served as a supply point for the surrounding ranches. In 1913, construction of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway across Pecos County caused a boom in land speculation and community growth, as did irrigation projects along the Pecos River. The town of Girvin, named for rancher John H. Girvin, grew around a train stop on the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway that served as a cattle shipping point. Construction of Texas State Highway 290 linking Fort Stockton to Big Bend National Park gave a boost to the tourism dollar. In the 1980s the economy of Pecos County continued to be based on farming, ranching, oil and gas production, and tourism. The Yates Oil Field in Crockett County, Texas and Pecos County in 1927 resulted in a financial boom period for the county. Towns such as Red Barn, Iraan (combination of the names Ira and Ann Yates) and Bakersfield rose up in response to oil-related employment opportunities. The population of the county more than doubled during the 1920s. Oil production helped to stabilize the local economy.

Alley Oop and Paisano Pete

The town of Iraan, Texas prides itself on being the birthplace of cartoon caveman Alley Oop', when creator V.T. Hamlin worked in the oilfields. Although first published in the Des Moines Register in 1932, Hamilin claimed to have originated the idea while he watched dinosaur bones being dug up by oil equipment. Visitors to Iraan, Texas can visit the Alley Oop Museum found on Alley Oop Lane. Fort Stockton pays tribute to the agile roadrunner with their Paisano Pete the Roadrunner statue.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,765 square miles (12,340 km²), of which 4,764 square miles (12,340 km²) is land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²) (0.02%) is water. It is the second-largest county by area in Texas by area.

Yates Oil Field

Pecos County is home to one of the largest oil fields in the United States, the Yates Oil Field, which is in the extreme eastern part of the county, along the Pecos River. The field covers approximately 41 square miles (110 km²) near the town of Iraan, Texas. Discovered in 1926, it has produced over a billion barrels of oil, and most industry estimates give it more than another billion in recoverable reserves. The Yates Oil Field was one of the first giant fields to be found in the Permian Basin.

Major highways

Interstate 10
U.S. Highway 67
U.S. Highway 190
U.S. Highway 285
U.S. Highway 385
State Highway 18
State Highway 290
State Highway 349

Adjacent counties

Ward County (north)
Crane County (north)
Crockett County (east)
Terrell County (southeast)
Brewster County (southwest)
Jeff Davis County (west)
Reeves County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	1,807	—
1890	1,326	−26.6%
1900	2,360	78.0%
1910	2,071	−12.2%
1920	3,857	86.2%
1930	7,812	102.5%
1940	8,185	4.8%
1950	9,939	21.4%
1960	11,957	20.3%
1970	13,748	15.0%
1980	14,618	6.3%
1990	14,675	0.4%
2000	16,809	14.5%
2010	15,507	−7.7%
2020	15,193	−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2014

As of the 2010 United States Census, 15,507 were people living in the county; 79.4% were White, 3.7% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 13.5% of some other race, and 2.1% of two or more races. About 67.3% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census of 2000, 16,809 people, 5,153 households, and 4,029 were families living in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (1/km²). The 6,338 housing units averaged 1 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.85% White, 4.39% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 16.14% from other races, and 2.69% from two or more races. About 61.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 5,153 households, 41.00% had children under 18 living with them, 62.10% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.80% were not families. About 19.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.86, and the average family size was 3.29.

In the county, the age distribution was 27.70% under 18, 13.80% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 132.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,033, and for a family was $31,122. Males had a median income of $25,888 versus $18,113 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,212. About 18.10% of families and 20.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.20% of those under age 18 and 16.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Fort Stockton (county seat)
Iraan

Census-designated places

Unincorporated areas

Education

Public education in Pecos County is provided by three school districts: Buena Vista, Fort Stockton, and Iraan-Sheffield Independent School Districts.

Williams Regional Technical Training Center

Pecos County is home to the Midland College/Williams Regional Technical Training Center, located alongside Interstate Highway 10, in Fort Stockton. The center was built in 1996 through a joint effort by Midland College, and by leaders of Fort Stockton education, business, and government as a means to enhance higher education and workforce development in this part of West Texas. Fort Stockton and Pecos County are part of the Midland College service area. After just four years, the facility, named in honor of Fort Stockton native and center donor Clayton Williams, Jr., was doubled in size through fundraising and program development.

Notable people

Oilman and rancher Clayton W. Williams, Sr., served for 16 years as a Pecos county commissioner. His father, attorney Oscar Waldo Williams, earlier served a decade as Pecos county judge. Clayton Williams, Jr., the 1990 Republican gubernatorial nominee, was reared in Fort Stockton.