Winkler County, Texas facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Winkler County
U.S. county
The Winkler County Courthouse in Kermit
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1910
Named for	Clinton McKamy Winkler
Seat	Kermit
Largest city	Kermit
Area
• Total	841 sq mi (2,180 km²)
• Land	841 sq mi (2,180 km²)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²) 0.02%
Population (2020)
• Total	7,791
• Density	9.3/sq mi (3.6/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	23rd

Winkler County is a county located in the western part of Texas, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 7,791 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Kermit. Winkler County was officially created in 1887 and started operating as a county in 1910. It was named after Clinton McKamy Winkler, who was a colonel in the Confederate Army.

History of Winkler County

Early People and Explorers

The first people known to live in the Winkler County area were the Anasazi Indians. They arrived around 900 AD. They left behind pieces of pottery, showing they lived there. These early Native Americans liked the area because it had water. They could find water in ponds or by digging shallow wells.

In the mid-1800s, military groups explored the area. Captain Randolph B. Marcy came through in 1849. He was looking for the best wagon route to California. Later, Captain John Pope surveyed the area in 1854. He was looking for a good path to build a railroad.

Ranching and Settlement Begin

In 1875, Colonel William R. Shafter and his soldiers tracked the Comanche Indians into the county. By 1876, the Comanche threat was gone. This opened the land for white settlers.

In 1881, the Texas and Pacific Railway was built nearby. This made it easier to get to the area. With good transportation, lots of grass, and water, the land was perfect for large ranches. Early ranchers included John Avary, J. J. Draper, and the Cowden brothers.

On February 26, 1887, Winkler County was officially formed. It was named after Confederate Colonel Clinton M. Winkler.

Growth and Challenges

By 1890, only 18 people lived in Winkler County. In 1900, the population grew to 60. The state of Texas stopped giving away free land in 1900. They started collecting rent from ranchers.

From 1901 to 1905, a state law allowed people to buy school lands in West Texas. This led to many new settlers coming to Winkler County. They could buy land easily, which caused a "school-land rush."

To help the new residents, a post office opened in Duval in 1908. Duval and Kermit both wanted to be the county seat. Kermit offered free land lots, so residents chose Kermit. Duval then slowly disappeared.

In 1910, Winkler County was officially organized. The population grew to 442 people. Most people were ranchers, raising cattle and sheep. However, a big drought hit in 1916. Many families left their farms. By 1920, only 81 people lived in the county.

The Oil Boom Era

In 1926, the Hendrick oil field was discovered. This changed Winkler County forever. Roy Westbrook, J.P. Johnston, and George B. McCamey found the oil. Soon, many oil wells were producing thousands of barrels of oil each day.

This oil discovery led to a huge population boom. The town of Wink grew quickly. Many new people came to work in the oil fields. There weren't enough homes, so people lived in tents. Several small towns like Tulsa, Brookfield, Cheyenne, and Leck also appeared. But most of these towns did not last long.

By 1930, the county's population jumped to 6,784 because of the oil boom. Ranching continued, but farming almost stopped. The population dropped a bit by 1940.

Later Years and Oil Industry Changes

The population rose again to 10,064 by 1950. In the 1950s, ranching was still very important. The population reached its highest point in 1960, with 13,652 residents.

However, the oil industry in West Texas began to slow down in the 1970s. This caused Winkler County's population to drop to 9,640 by 1970.

In the early 1980s, there was another oil boom. More drilling happened, and new workers moved in. The population rose to 9,944. But then, oil prices fell again. By 1990, the population dropped to 8,626. Most people lived in Kermit or Wink. Winkler County continues to be an important area for oil and ranching.

Geography of Winkler County

Winkler County covers about 841 square miles (2,178 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water. The weather is usually dry. In spring and summer, it gets very hot. Some of the hottest temperatures in the United States are recorded here.

Neighboring Counties

Winkler County shares borders with several other counties:

Andrews County (to the northeast)
Ector County (to the east)
Ward County (to the south)
Loving County (to the west)
Lea County, New Mexico (to the northwest, in a different time zone)

People of Winkler County (Demographics)

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	18	—
1900	60	233.3%
1910	442	636.7%
1920	81	−81.7%
1930	6,784	8,275.3%
1940	6,141	−9.5%
1950	10,064	63.9%
1960	13,652	35.7%
1970	9,640	−29.4%
1980	9,944	3.2%
1990	8,626	−13.3%
2000	7,173	−16.8%
2010	7,110	−0.9%
2020	7,791	9.6%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020

The table below shows the different groups of people living in Winkler County over time. The US Census counts Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic group, so they can be of any race.

**Winkler County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latino may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	3,825	3,024	2,702	53.32%	42.53%	34.68%
Black or African American alone (NH)	127	129	139	1.77%	1.81%	1.78%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	21	29	38	0.29%	0.41%	0.49%
Asian alone (NH)	10	16	77	0.14%	0.23%	0.99%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Other Race alone (NH)	0	43	9	0.00%	0.60%	0.12%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH)	34	45	94	0.47%	0.63%	1.21%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,156	3,824	4,732	44.00%	53.78%	60.74%
Total	7,173	7,110	7,791	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2000, there were 7,173 people living in Winkler County. About 39% of households had children under 18. Most households (61.8%) were married couples. The average household had 2.72 people.

The median age in the county was 35 years old. This means half the people were older than 35 and half were younger. For every 100 females, there were about 96 males.

The median income for a household was $30,591. This is the middle income for all households. About 18.7% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Getting Around Winkler County (Transportation)

Main Roads

State Highway 18
State Highway 115
State Highway 302

Airport

Winkler County has its own airport, called Winkler County Airport. It is located about 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Wink.

Towns and Communities

Cities

Kermit (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
Monahans (Most of this city is in Ward County.)
Wink

Small Villages (Hamlets)

Cowden Place

Old Towns (Ghost Towns)

Some towns that used to exist in Winkler County are now "ghost towns," meaning they are mostly deserted:

Cheyenne
Hay Flat (partly in Loving County)
Magwalt
Vesrue

Education in Winkler County

Students in Winkler County attend schools in two main school districts:

Kermit Independent School District
Wink-Loving Independent School District

All of Winkler County is also part of the area served by Odessa College. This means students can attend this college.

Famous People from Winkler County

Roy Orbison and his family moved to Wink in 1946 when he was 10 years old. He later became a very famous singer.

Images for kids

The Winkler County Courthouse in Kermit