Rochelle, Texas facts for kids
Rochelle is a small community in McCulloch County, Texas, United States. It's called an "unincorporated community" because it doesn't have its own local government like a city does. In 2000, about 163 people lived there.
Contents
Where is Rochelle, Texas?
Rochelle is located in the middle-eastern part of McCulloch County, Texas. You can find it along U.S. Highway 190, which is about ten miles northeast of a town called Brady. The area has hot, humid summers and winters that are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is known as a humid subtropical climate. 31°13′29″N 99°12′40″W / 31.22472°N 99.21111°W
A Look at Rochelle's History
Rochelle has had a few different names over the years! At first, it was called Crewville and Crothers, named after some of the first people who lived in McCulloch County.
How Rochelle Got Its Name
In 1879, when a post office was set up, a local settler suggested the name Rochelle. This person was from a city in France called La Rochelle, and the postal workers liked the name!
Early Growth and Schools
A one-room schoolhouse was built in 1886 when only about 30 people lived in the community. Things really started to change when the railroads arrived. The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway built its tracks through the area in 1903. Then, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad added another line in 1912.
Rochelle's Population Changes
With the railroads, Rochelle grew a lot! By 1914, about 700 people lived there. In the 1930s, several smaller schools, like Placid and Corn Creek, joined with Rochelle High School. More schools, including Cowboy and Mercury, also sent their students to Rochelle by 1937. During the 1930s, Rochelle's population was just over 500 people and stayed around that number until the 1950s.
However, when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway stopped using its tracks through Rochelle in 1959, the community's population began to shrink. By the early 1960s, only about 100 people remained. This number went up a little to 163 in the 1960s and stayed that way until 2000. Even though Rochelle isn't a city, it still has its own post office with the ZIP code 76872.
Learning in Rochelle
Students in Rochelle go to public schools managed by the Rochelle Independent School District. The high school team is known as the Rochelle High School Hornets! This school district covers a large part of northeastern McCulloch County.
Who Lives in Rochelle?
Rochelle was officially counted as a "census designated place" for the first time in the 2020 U.S. Census. This means it's a specific area the census bureau tracks, even though it's not an incorporated city.
Rochelle's Population in 2020
In 2020, the total population of Rochelle was 169 people. Most of the people living in Rochelle were White. There were also some people who identified as being of mixed race or Hispanic/Latino.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 169 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 |
|||
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 131 | 77.51% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 11 | 6.51% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 27 | 15.98% |
| Total | 169 | 100.00% |
Famous People from Rochelle
- Bonnie Richardson - She is a talented athlete who won the Class 1A high school team track and field state championship all by herself in both 2008 and 2009!
