Shelby County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelby County
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Shelby County Courthouse in Center
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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 | 1837 |
| Named for | Isaac Shelby |
| Seat | Center |
| Largest city | Center |
| Area | |
| • Total | 835 sq mi (2,160 km2) |
| • Land | 796 sq mi (2,060 km2) |
| • Water | 39 sq mi (100 km2) 4.7%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 24,022  |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
Shelby County is a county located in the eastern part of Texas, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 24,022 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Center. Shelby County was first set up in 1835 as a part of Mexico. It became a county in Texas in 1837. The county is named after Isaac Shelby, a soldier from the American Revolutionary War who later became the first governor of Kentucky.
Contents
History of Shelby County
Shelby County was officially created in 1837. It was named after Isaac Shelby. He was a brave soldier from Tennessee who fought in the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he became the very first governor of Kentucky.
Geography and Nature
Shelby County covers a total area of about 835 square miles. Most of this area, about 796 square miles, is land. The rest, about 39 square miles, is covered by water, like rivers and lakes. Water makes up about 4.7% of the county's total area.
Neighboring Counties and Parishes
Shelby County shares its borders with several other counties and parishes:
- Panola County (to the north)
- De Soto Parish, Louisiana (to the northeast)
- Sabine Parish, Louisiana (to the east)
- Sabine County (to the south)
- San Augustine County (to the south)
- Nacogdoches County (to the southwest)
- Rusk County (to the northwest)
Protected Natural Areas
A part of the Sabine National Forest is located within Shelby County. This is a large protected area with lots of trees and wildlife.
People of Shelby County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 4,239 | — | |
| 1860 | 5,362 | 26.5% | |
| 1870 | 5,732 | 6.9% | |
| 1880 | 9,532 | 66.3% | |
| 1890 | 14,365 | 50.7% | |
| 1900 | 20,452 | 42.4% | |
| 1910 | 26,423 | 29.2% | |
| 1920 | 27,464 | 3.9% | |
| 1930 | 28,627 | 4.2% | |
| 1940 | 29,235 | 2.1% | |
| 1950 | 23,479 | −19.7% | |
| 1960 | 20,479 | −12.8% | |
| 1970 | 19,672 | −3.9% | |
| 1980 | 23,084 | 17.3% | |
| 1990 | 22,034 | −4.5% | |
| 2000 | 25,224 | 14.5% | |
| 2010 | 25,448 | 0.9% | |
| 2020 | 24,022 | −5.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020 |
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In 2000, there were 25,224 people living in Shelby County. The population density was about 32 people per square mile. Most people in the county were White (72.65%), followed by African American (19.44%). About 9.87% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
There were 9,595 households in the county. About 32.40% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.59 people. The median age for people in the county was 37 years old.
Education in Shelby County
Several school districts serve the students of Shelby County:
- Center ISD
- Excelsior ISD
- Joaquin ISD (a small part is in Panola County)
- San Augustine ISD (mostly in San Augustine County)
- Shelbyville ISD (a small part is in Sabine County)
- Tenaha ISD (a small part is in Panola County)
- Timpson ISD
All of Shelby County is also served by Panola College, which offers higher education.
Local News and Media
The Light and Champion is a local news company that has been operating for over 140 years. It provides news and information for Shelby County and also for Logansport, Louisiana. They publish a weekly newspaper, a free weekly product called The Merchandiser, and have a website and Facebook page.
Getting Around: Transportation
Main Roads
Several important highways pass through Shelby County:
U.S. Highway 59
- This highway is being upgraded to become
Interstate 69 in many areas west of Tenaha. - Also,
Interstate 369 will follow the path of U.S. 59 north of Tenaha.
- This highway is being upgraded to become
U.S. Highway 84
- This highway is also being upgraded to become Interstate 69 in many areas east of Tenaha, leading to the Louisiana state line.
- This highway is also being upgraded to become
U.S. Highway 96
State Highway 7
State Highway 87
State Highway 147
Farm to Market Road 139
Farm to Market Road 1970
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Public Transport
Greyhound Lines offers bus services from the Center Station, which is located at the Shelby County's Best Yogurt store in Center.
Towns and Communities
Cities
Town
Smaller Communities
These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns:
- Arcadia
- Dreka
- Patroon
- Possum Trot
- Shelbyville
Images for kids
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The old Shelby County Courthouse, built in 1885, is still a key part of downtown Center.
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The Shelby County Museum in Center is located in what used to be a home.
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Shelby County Today is an online newspaper that started in 2005. It's located across from the Shelby County Courthouse.
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The White Rock Missionary Baptist Church and Cemetery is a rural church in East Texas, located near Center.
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See also
In Spanish: Condado de Shelby (Texas) para niños
