Roscoe, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roscoe, Texas
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Plowboy grain elevator in Roscoe
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 Roscoe, Texas
Location in Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Nolan |
| Region | West Texas |
| Established | 1890 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.22 sq mi (8.35 km2) |
| • Land | 3.22 sq mi (8.35 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,388 ft (728 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,271 |
| • Density | 394.7/sq mi (152.22/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| ZIP code |
79545
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| Area code | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-63176 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410993 |
| Website | http://roscoetx.com/ |
Welcome to Roscoe, a small city in Nolan County, Texas. It's located where Interstate 20 and US Highway 84 meet. The Union Pacific Railroad also runs right through the middle of the city. In 2020, about 1,271 people called Roscoe home. This friendly community is known for its big wind farm and a fun event called the Plowboy Mudbog!
Contents
Exploring Roscoe, Texas
Where is Roscoe Located?
Roscoe is situated in the western part of Texas. The city covers a total area of about 8.35 square kilometers (3.22 square miles), and all of it is land. This means there are no large lakes or rivers within the city limits.
Roscoe's Weather and Climate
Roscoe experiences a semiarid climate. This means it's often dry, but it does get some rain. Summers can be very hot, and winters are generally mild, though cold snaps can happen. The highest temperature ever recorded in Roscoe was 113°F (45°C) on June 27, 1994. The coldest was -11°F (-24°C) on January 5, 1947.
| Climate data for Roscoe, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) |
91 (33) |
98 (37) |
104 (40) |
110 (43) |
113 (45) |
110 (43) |
111 (44) |
107 (42) |
102 (39) |
90 (32) |
88 (31) |
113 (45) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 76.4 (24.7) |
81.4 (27.4) |
87.5 (30.8) |
93.5 (34.2) |
99.5 (37.5) |
101.3 (38.5) |
102.7 (39.3) |
101.5 (38.6) |
96.9 (36.1) |
90.9 (32.7) |
81.6 (27.6) |
75.8 (24.3) |
104.6 (40.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55.5 (13.1) |
60.3 (15.7) |
68.7 (20.4) |
77.8 (25.4) |
84.8 (29.3) |
91.1 (32.8) |
94.6 (34.8) |
93.5 (34.2) |
85.7 (29.8) |
76.5 (24.7) |
64.8 (18.2) |
56.8 (13.8) |
75.8 (24.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 43.2 (6.2) |
47.3 (8.5) |
55.1 (12.8) |
63.8 (17.7) |
72.3 (22.4) |
79.5 (26.4) |
83.0 (28.3) |
82.0 (27.8) |
74.5 (23.6) |
64.5 (18.1) |
52.9 (11.6) |
44.9 (7.2) |
63.6 (17.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30.8 (−0.7) |
34.3 (1.3) |
41.6 (5.3) |
49.8 (9.9) |
59.9 (15.5) |
68.0 (20.0) |
71.3 (21.8) |
70.5 (21.4) |
63.3 (17.4) |
52.6 (11.4) |
41.0 (5.0) |
33.0 (0.6) |
51.3 (10.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 15.2 (−9.3) |
18.1 (−7.7) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
33.1 (0.6) |
45.1 (7.3) |
58.0 (14.4) |
63.8 (17.7) |
61.7 (16.5) |
49.1 (9.5) |
34.4 (1.3) |
23.1 (−4.9) |
17.4 (−8.1) |
11.0 (−11.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −11 (−24) |
−9 (−23) |
5 (−15) |
22 (−6) |
31 (−1) |
43 (6) |
54 (12) |
49 (9) |
35 (2) |
16 (−9) |
11 (−12) |
−6 (−21) |
−11 (−24) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.98 (25) |
0.99 (25) |
1.39 (35) |
1.49 (38) |
2.79 (71) |
3.12 (79) |
1.77 (45) |
2.20 (56) |
2.13 (54) |
2.22 (56) |
1.15 (29) |
0.98 (25) |
21.21 (538) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.3 (0.76) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (2.0) |
0.7 (1.8) |
2.3 (5.86) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.8 | 2.7 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 42.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
A Look Back: Roscoe's History
Roscoe was first called Vista, named after an official from the Texas and Pacific Railway. This railway was very important for the town. In 1890, a post office opened, and the town's name changed to Roscoe. The city officially became a town in 1907.
In its early days, Roscoe was a busy place for shipping cattle by train. The Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific Railway was built in 1909. It connected Roscoe to the Santa Fe Railway in a nearby town called Fluvanna. This helped Roscoe grow and become an important hub for trade.
Who Lives in Roscoe? Population Facts
Roscoe's population has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people have lived in the city during different census counts:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 941 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,079 | 14.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,250 | 15.8% | |
| 1940 | 1,166 | −6.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,584 | 35.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,490 | −5.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,580 | 6.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,628 | 3.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,446 | −11.2% | |
| 2000 | 1,378 | −4.7% | |
| 2010 | 1,322 | −4.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,271 | −3.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Roscoe's Population in 2020
The most recent count in 2020 showed 1,271 people living in Roscoe. These people made up 565 households and 450 families. The community is made up of people from many different backgrounds.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 606 | 47.68% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 16 | 1.26% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 8 | 0.63% |
| Asian (NH) | 4 | 0.31% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 9 | 0.71% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 19 | 1.49% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 609 | 47.92% |
| Total | 1,271 |
Roscoe's Population in 2000
Back in 2000, there were 1,380 people living in Roscoe. About 509 households and 382 families were counted. Many different groups of people lived in the city. About 75% of the people were White, and about 37% were of Hispanic or Latino background.
Many households (about 32.6%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (61.5%) were married couples. The average age of people in Roscoe was 38 years old. About 28.2% of the population was under 18, and 19.3% was 65 or older. The average earnings for a household in Roscoe were around $23,816 per year.
Powering the Future: Roscoe's Economy
Roscoe is home to something really special: the Roscoe Wind Farm. This is one of the largest wind farms in the world! It has 627 huge wind turbines that create electricity. The wind farm can produce enough power for over 250,000 average homes in Texas.
This project cost more than $1 billion to build. It shows how Roscoe is helping to create clean, renewable energy for everyone. Landowners in the area can also earn money by having windmills on their property.
Fun and Festivals: Arts and Culture
Roscoe knows how to have fun!
- Plowboy Mudbog: This exciting event happens twice a year. People drive special off-road vehicles through a 200-yard mud course. They compete for cash prizes and trophies! The Mudbog brings in many vehicles and thousands of spectators. The money raised helps support youth sports, like the Roscoe Little League.
- Independence Day Celebration: The summer Mudbog takes place during the first weekend of July, celebrating Independence Day.
- West Texas Wind Festival: Every October, the Mudbog is held alongside this one-day street fair. The festival celebrates the amazing Roscoe Wind Farm and the region's history with renewable energy.
Learning in Roscoe: Education
The children of Roscoe are served by the Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District. Thanks to the wind farm development, the school district has been able to update its buildings. Since the 2012–13 school year, all students have attended classes in new or improved facilities.
Roscoe Collegiate ISD also has an Early College High School program. This program allows students from Roscoe Collegiate High School to earn an associate degree from Western Texas College at the same time they graduate from high school! The school mascot is the Plowboys.
Getting Around: Transportation
Besides the Union Pacific Railroad, Roscoe once had another important rail line. The Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific Railway (RS&P) stretched about 50 miles (80 km) from Roscoe to Fluvanna, passing through Snyder. It was built in 1908 and connected different railway systems.
The RS&P was very successful for many years. However, passenger service stopped in 1953, and freight service ended in the late 1970s. Most of the tracks outside the city were removed by 1984.
Famous People from Roscoe
Many interesting people have come from Roscoe, including:
- Mal Hammack, a college and professional football player
- John Layfield, a professional wrestler and commentator
- Tim Marcum, an American arena football coach
- J. J. Pickle, a U.S. congressman
- Veda Victoria Ross, an opera singer and vocal coach
See also
In Spanish: Roscoe (Texas) para niños
- Double Mountain Fork Brazos River
- Hobbs, Texas
- Brazos Wind Farm
- Wind power in Texas
- U.S. Route 84
