Vega, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vega, Texas
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Downtown Vega
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Location of Vega, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Oldham |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.34 sq mi (3.47 km2) |
| • Land | 1.34 sq mi (3.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,029 ft (1,228 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 879 |
| • Density | 656.0/sq mi (253.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
79092
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| Area code(s) | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-75188 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412147 |
| Website | oldhamcofc.org |
Vega is a small city in Texas, United States. It is the main town and county seat of Oldham County. In 2020, about 879 people lived there.
Contents
History of Vega: How it Started
In 1879, the state of Texas opened this area for people to settle. The first person to build a home here was N.J. Whitfield in 1899. He bought land in Oldham County for a very low price.
In 1903, Whitfield sold a strip of his land to a railroad company. This land was used for train tracks. Soon after, A. M. Miller and Howard Trigg planned out the town that would become Vega.
Why is it Called Vega?
The name "Vega" comes from the Spanish word for "meadow." This name was chosen because it described the wide, flat grasslands around the area.
Soon, the town started to grow. Miller opened a store, and a post office, a place to eat, and a school were built. The school also served as a meeting place for a group called the Masonic Lodge. In 1907, ranchers Patrick and John Landergin bought more land. They helped bring even more settlers to Vega.
Vega Becomes the County Seat
For a while, another town called Tascosa was the county seat. This meant it was the main town where county government business happened. But as Vega grew, Tascosa became less important.
In 1915, people voted to decide which town should be the county seat. Vega won the vote! Until a new courthouse was built, county business was done in Vega's Oldham Hotel.
Modern Times and Route 66
In the 1920s, new things like telephone service came to Vega. In 1926, a famous road called Route 66 was created. This road linked Chicago to Los Angeles and passed right through Vega. Today, Interstate 40 has replaced much of Route 66.
Vega officially became a city in 1927. In 1930, its population was 519 people. In 1931, two big fires destroyed several buildings in the town. These fires made the town decide to build its own water system to help fight future fires.
Geography and Climate of Vega
Vega is located in the southern part of Oldham County. It sits where Interstate 40 (the old Route 66) and U.S. Highway 385 meet. It is about 30 miles west of a larger city called Amarillo.
The city covers about 1.1 square miles of land. There is no water area within the city limits.
What is Vega's Climate Like?
Vega has a semi-arid climate. This means it is generally dry, but not a true desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot.
Population Changes in Vega
Vega's population has changed over the years. Here's how many people have lived there during different census counts:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 519 | — | |
| 1940 | 515 | −0.8% | |
| 1950 | 620 | 20.4% | |
| 1960 | 658 | 6.1% | |
| 1970 | 839 | 27.5% | |
| 1980 | 900 | 7.3% | |
| 1990 | 840 | −6.7% | |
| 2000 | 936 | 11.4% | |
| 2010 | 884 | −5.6% | |
| 2020 | 879 | −0.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Who Lives in Vega?
In 2020, there were 879 people living in Vega. Most people living in Vega are White. A smaller number of people are Hispanic or Latino. There are also smaller groups of Native American and Asian people.
Education in Vega
The public schools in Vega are part of the Vega Independent School District. This school district usually has between 250 and 300 students.
All students in Vega attend school on one campus. This campus has two schools:
- Vega Elementary School for students in kindergarten through 6th grade.
- Vega High School for students in 7th through 12th grade.
Students from the nearby Wildorado Independent School District can also choose to attend Vega High School.
Vega's Public Library
Vega has a public library that was first built in 1911. It used to be a silent movie theater! Today, the library has about 11,000 books for people to read.
See also
In Spanish: Vega (Texas) para niños
