Wise County, Texas Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Wise County
U.S. county
The Wise County Courthouse in Decatur, a Romanesque Revival building, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1856
Named for	Henry Alexander Wise
Seat	Decatur
Largest city	Decatur
Area
• Total	923 sq mi (2,390 km²)
• Land	904 sq mi (2,340 km²)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km²) 2.0%
Population (2020)
• Total	68,632
• Density	74.36/sq mi (28.710/km²)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	13th, 26th

Wise County is a county located in the state of Texas in the United States. In 2020, about 68,632 people lived there. The main city and county seat is Decatur.

Wise County is part of the larger Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington area, which is a big group of cities called a metropolitan area. The county also has a special program called "Wise Eyes" to help prevent crime. This program started in 1993 and has been used in other rural counties too.

History of Wise County

Wise County has a rich history, starting long before it officially became a county.

Early Days and Battles

On November 10, 1837, an important event called the Battle of the Knobs happened in what is now Wise County. About 150 Native American warriors fought against 18 soldiers from the Republic of Texas. Even though the Texan soldiers were greatly outnumbered, they fought bravely. They lost 10 of their own men, but many Native American warriors were also killed or hurt.

After this battle, more settlers started moving into the area. These new residents came from different parts of the southern United States. Wise County was officially created in 1856. It was named after Henry A. Wise, a politician from Virginia. He supported Texas joining the United States and later became the governor of Virginia.

Civil War Times

During the American Civil War, people in Wise County had different ideas about whether Texas should leave the United States. Not many people in the county owned enslaved people, so many were against Texas leaving the Union.

Sadly, some people in North Texas who supported the Union were treated very badly. In October 1862, a very tragic event happened in a nearby county called Cooke County. Many men were killed over several days. This was a very sad example of unfair justice during a difficult time.

Modern Challenges

In more recent years, Wise County has seen an increase in a process called hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." This is a way to get natural gas and oil from deep underground. In 2011, some families in the county filed a lawsuit against energy companies. They said that the fracking process was causing health problems for them and their neighbors. In 2014, a jury decided that one family should receive money because of these issues.

Geography of Wise County

Wise County covers a total area of about 923 square miles. Most of this area is land, about 904 square miles. The rest, about 18 square miles, is covered by water.

Neighboring Counties

Wise County shares its borders with several other counties:

Montague County to the north
Cooke County to the northeast
Denton County to the east
Tarrant County to the southeast
Parker County to the south
Jack County to the west

Protected Natural Areas

A large part of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland is located within Wise County. This is a special area managed to protect natural resources and provide outdoor recreation.

Communities in Wise County

Wise County has many different towns and cities where people live.

Cities

Aurora
Bridgeport
Decatur (This is the county seat!)
Fort Worth (A small part of this big city is in Wise County)
Lake Bridgeport
New Fairview
Newark (A small part is in Tarrant County)
Paradise
Rhome
Runaway Bay

Towns

Alvord
Boyd
Chico
Crafton

Other Communities

Some areas are called "census-designated places" because they are like towns but not officially incorporated.

Briar (Also partly in Tarrant and Parker Counties)
Pecan Acres (Mostly in Tarrant County)

There are also several smaller, unincorporated communities:

Allison
Balsora
Boonsville
Cottondale
Greenwood
Slidell
Sycamore

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	3,160	—
1870	1,450	−54.1%
1880	16,601	1,044.9%
1890	24,134	45.4%
1900	27,116	12.4%
1910	26,450	−2.5%
1920	23,363	−11.7%
1930	19,178	−17.9%
1940	19,074	−0.5%
1950	16,141	−15.4%
1960	17,012	5.4%
1970	19,687	15.7%
1980	26,575	35.0%
1990	34,679	30.5%
2000	48,793	40.7%
2010	59,127	21.2%
2020	68,631	16.1%
2023 (est.)	78,097	32.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020

Wise County has grown a lot over the years! In 2000, there were about 48,793 people living there. By 2020, the population had grown to 68,632. The population density in 2000 was about 54 people per square mile.

The people living in Wise County come from many different backgrounds. In 2020, most people were non-Hispanic white. A growing number of people were also of Hispanic or Latino heritage.

Here's a look at the different groups of people in Wise County in 2023:

Group	Number of People	Percentage of Total
Hispanic or Latino	16,789	21.5%
Non-Hispanic White	57,409	73.5%
Non-Hispanic Black	1,428	1.8%
Non-Hispanic Asian	506	0.6%
Non-Hispanic Native American	564	0.7%
Non-Hispanic Pacific Islander	57	0.1%
Non-Hispanic Multiracial	1,344	1.7%

Education in Wise County

Wise County has many schools and colleges to help students learn and grow.

School Districts

These public school districts are entirely within Wise County:

Alvord Independent School District
Boyd Independent School District
Bridgeport Independent School District
Chico Independent School District
Decatur Independent School District
Paradise Independent School District
Slidell Independent School District

Private Schools

One private school serves students in Wise County:

Victory Christian Academy

Higher Education

For students who want to continue their education after high school, Wise County is served by:

Weatherford College

Transportation

Getting around Wise County is made easier by several major roads and airports.

Major Highways

These important highways pass through Wise County:

U.S. Highway 81
U.S. Highway 287
U.S. Highway 380
State Highway 101
State Highway 114
State Highway 199

Airports

There are several public airports in the county:

Bishop Airport (76T)
Bridgeport Municipal Airport (XBP)
Decatur Municipal Airport (LUD)
Heritage Creek Airstrip (58T)
Rhome Meadows Airport (T76)

Images for kids

The Wise County Courthouse in Decatur, a Romanesque Revival structure, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. As of October 2024, the courthouse is being restored.

Wise County, Texas facts for kids

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