Wickett, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wickett, Texas
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Location of Wickett, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Ward |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.70 sq mi (1.82 km2) |
| • Land | 0.70 sq mi (1.82 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,667 ft (813 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 422 |
| • Density | 600.5/sq mi (231.86/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
79788
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| Area code(s) | 432 |
| FIPS code | 48-79036 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1371487 |
Wickett is a small town located in Ward County, Texas, in the United States. In 2020, about 422 people lived there.
Contents
History of Wickett
Wickett started as a small spot called Aroya, which was just a switch and a house for railroad workers on the Texas and Pacific Railroad.
How Wickett Began
A man named George W. O'Brien helped create the town. He gave land for a camp for oil company employees, offices, and places to store and load oil. The town was named after Fred H. Wickett, who was a leader at the Pan American Petroleum and Transport Co..
Wickett's official "birthday" was February 14, 1927. People rushed to buy land for homes and businesses, much like in the early days of Nevada and California. Just a few weeks later, the town's leaders even thought about making Wickett the main city of Ward County.
Early Life and Growth
When the first people arrived in Wickett, they lived in simple wooden shacks, tents, or under wagons. Soon, a large hotel with 42 rooms was built. A place called the Bluebonnet Refinery was also built in Wickett. It processed crude oil into things like gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuel.
On June 14, 1927, Onnie Mae O'Brien became the first Postmistress after people asked for a U.S. Post Office in Wickett.
Schools and Industry
The Wickett Independent School District was created on August 20, 1928. It took land from nearby school districts. The Wickett School District was very wealthy for its size in Texas. A two-room brick school building was constructed, and around 1932, a two-room cafeteria was added.
In 1928, the Bluebonnet Refinery was sold and its name changed to Wickett Refinery Co. Later, in May 1973, the Wickett Refinery closed.
In 1936, the Wickett and Monahans schools joined together because fewer students were attending. It was decided that an elementary school would stay in Wickett. On April 1, 1937, the new district was called the Monahans-Wickett Independent School District. The school in Wickett was known as Wickett Ward School until 1953. After a teacher named Mrs. Helen Gensler passed away, the school was renamed Helen Gensler Elementary School on January 13, 1953.
In 1937, the Cabot Companies brought a new industry to Wickett. They built a plant to get "natural gasoline" and other liquids from natural gas. They also built a factory to make carbon black from the leftover gas. At its busiest, Cabot was the second-largest employer in Ward County, after Gulf Oil.
Becoming an Incorporated Town
Like many towns in West Texas, Wickett's population decreased in the 1950s and 1960s. To make sure residents could get water and sewer services, the community officially became an incorporated town in March 1962. Harold Massey, who was G.W. O'Brien's son-in-law, became the first mayor. Other officials included C.W. Ross Sr., the City Marshall, and councilmen W.O. Luckie, D.P. Fambrough, Alvie Pardue, V.C. Moore, and F.E. "Shorty" Parker. There were 100 votes for Wickett to become an incorporated town and 53 votes against it.
Geography of Wickett
Wickett is located at 31°34′9″N 103°0′25″W / 31.56917°N 103.00694°W.
The town covers a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 598 | — | |
| 1980 | 689 | 15.2% | |
| 1990 | 560 | −18.7% | |
| 2000 | 455 | −18.7% | |
| 2010 | 498 | 9.5% | |
| 2020 | 422 | −15.3% | |
In 2000, there were 455 people living in Wickett. These people lived in 173 households, and 129 of these were families. The average household had about 2.63 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- About 28.6% were under 18 years old.
- About 5.7% were between 18 and 24.
- About 25.5% were between 25 and 44.
- About 26.2% were between 45 and 64.
- About 14.1% were 65 years or older.
The average age in the town was 38 years.
Education
The Monahans-Wickett-Pyote Independent School District serves the town of Wickett.
All of Ward County, where Wickett is located, is also part of the area served by Odessa College.
See also
In Spanish: Wickett (Texas) para niños
