Wood County, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wood County
U.S. county
The Wood County Courthouse in Quitman
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1850
Named for	George Tyler Wood
Seat	Quitman
Largest city	Mineola
Area
• Total	695.719 sq mi (1,801.90 km2)
• Land	645.234 sq mi (1,671.15 km2)
• Water	50.484 sq mi (130.75 km2)  7.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	44,843
• Density	64.4556/sq mi (24.88645/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	1st, 5th

Wood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 44,843. Its county seat is Quitman. The county was named for George T. Wood, governor of Texas from 1847 to 1849.

History

The first documented European exploration of the territory that is now Wood County was by Pedro Vial, who was an explorer sent on expeditions by the Spanish governor of Texas. After an expedition to Santa Fe, Vial set out for Natchitoches in 1787, and in 1788, passed through the territory on his way back from there to San Antonio.

There is some archeological evidence to suggest the French had a trading post along Mill Race Creek near the site of the present day town of Hainsville. In addition, it is believed, in addition to the trading post, that the French may have had a fortification called Fort Ledout near Black Oak in the county. Both would have been in the 1710s, but aside from archeological evidence, little is known about possible French settlements in the county.

A major archeological discovery by a hunting party in 1887 southeast of Hainsville and north of Bromley resulted in the belief that indigenous peoples may have engaged in a battle among tribes or with the Spanish at some point. However, in spite of the discovery of numerous relics including a cross, tomahawk pieces, a Spanish coin, and several pieces of guns, no written evidence documents what may have occurred at the site.

Although some land grants were issued in the area, settlement was sparse until after the Texas Revolution. The first white settler was Martin Varner. He settled in the area near the southeast side of the present day settlement of Hainsville by 1824. The first organized settlement was at Webster in 1845.

In 1850, five years after Texas was annexed to the United States, the Legislature authorized the forming of the county from Van Zandt County. In 1849, residents of what was then Van Zandt County north of the Sabine River, petitioned the Legislature for the county to be reorganized. Reasons included that the majority of the population lived north of the river, and that travel to Jordan's Saline, then the county seat, was difficult in winter. Wood county was created and Van Zandt was reorganized with territory from adjacent counties.

Early industry

Early industry included a number of sawmills, gritsmills, steam mills, and cotton gins. A jug factory operated north of the Big Sandy Creek in the 1850s. A second judge factory was built some years later near Holly Creek. Two brick kilns are known to have been located in the area of Winnsboro. A furniture company, Wigley Furniture Company, begain operating in Mineola in 1874. A cane and raw-hide bottom chair factory opened in 1886. Tie-cutting became a major industry in the county in the 1870s with the coming of the railroads. Pine Mills, Perryville, Ogburn, Merrimac, Peach, and Fouke got their start as sawmill towns.

Civil War era

Wood County had only 17 slaves by 1850, but that number ballooned ten years later to 3,963, estimated at about 20 percent of the population. Wood County voted for succession by a 70 percent margin, but then sent two delegates to the Secession Convention who had opposed succession.

The first company of Wood County soldiers organized for the Confederacy during the war was Company A, 10th Texas Cavalry, Ector Brigade. A camp called Camp Flournoy was located east of Quitman. Another group of soldiers called the Wood County Rebels was organized on August 5, 1861. They wrote to the major general of the Texas cavalry requesting active service.

Coming of the railroads

The Texas and Pacific Railroad came through the southern portion of the county in 1873 and formed a junction with the International and Great Northern Railroad at Sodom, which was later renamed Mineola, on a Longview to Dallas route. The railroads came to the northern portion of the county in 1876 when the East Line and Red River Railroad laid track from Jefferson to Greenville. This segment later was absorbed by the Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas Railroad. The Texas Shortline Railroad also ran between Alba and Grand Saline in Van Zandt County.

Discovery of coal

Coal was discovered in the Alba area in sometime before 1900. The operating mines were Lignite coal mines.

Discovery of oil

Oil was discovered in Wood County in 1941, and the county produced 25 million barrels of oil per year by 1948. Developed oilfields in Wood County include the Pine Mills Oilfield and the Alba Oilfield.

Early schools

There were a number of so-called "subscription schools" in Wood County after 1854, when free public schools in Texas were on the rise due to legislative action. In 1852, a log school house in the western part of the county near Chaney Crossing on Lake Fork was built. By 1854, school was being taught in Quitman. By 1859, Quitman had three schools that required tuition to be paid.

On January 8, 1884, the Texas legislature required the county to be divided into free public school districts. The school districts established by the legislature were Quitman, Lone Star, Myrtle Springs, Forest Hill, Cartwright, Caney, Rock Hill, Forest Home, Winnsboro, Chalybeate Springs, Spring Hill, Smyrna, Cold Springs, Shady Grove, Center Point, Pleasant Grove, Floyd's Common Ridge, Mount Pisgah, Liberty, Sand Springs, Fletcher, Pleasant Divide, Friendship, Lone Pint, Salem, Webster, Permimmon Grove, Cottonwood, Macedonia, Concord, New Hope, Dyess, Mount Enterprise, and "Albia" (Alba). Free school districts for African Americans were established at Quitman, Cedar Tree, Robinson's Chapel, Muddy Creek, Mount Zion, Tranquil, Center, Hawkins, Shiloh and "District 48" which encompassed all of the district west of Lake Fork.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 696 square miles (1,800 km²), of which 645 square miles (1,670 km²) is land and 50 square miles (130 km²) (7.3%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Hopkins County (north)
• Franklin County (northeast)
• Camp County (northeast)
• Upshur County (east)
• Smith County (south)
• Van Zandt County (southwest)
• Rains County (west)

National Protected Areas

• Little Sandy National Wildlife Refuge

Municipalities and incorporated towns

The following are municipalities and towns which are incorporated under the laws of the state of Texas, meaning they have elected governments and officially recognized municipal, town, or village governments.

• Alba
• Hawkins
• Mineola
• Quitman
• Winnsboro
• Yantis

Unincorporated settlements and towns

The following are towns in Wood County, Texas which are not incorporated but recognized as active settlements through community centers, churches, and similar geographic, historic, and physical landmarks.

• Cartwright
• Concord
• Crow
• Fouke
• Golden
• Hainesville
• Holly Lake Ranch
• Mount Enterprise
• New Hope
• Oak Grove
• Perryville
• Pine Mills

Ghost towns and former settlements

Wood County previously had a number of settlements. In 1884, there were 35 settlements in the county at which the Texas Legislature ordered schools to be established.

Transportation

Wood County includes the intersection of two major U.S. highways; US 69 and US 80 intersect in the city of Mineola's downtown area. Texas Highway 37 connects Mineola and Quitman off US 69.

Major highways

Farm to market roads

Wood County includes all or part of these Texas Farm To Market roads:

Railroads

Wood County is currently served by Amtrak's Texas Eagle passenger railway line. The railroad tracks which run through the southern portion of Wood County and through Mineola are currently owned and operated by Union Pacific.

Airports

Wood County is served by three airports, located in Mineola, Quitman, and Winnsboro:

• Mineola Wisner Field is identified as 3F9. This airport was established in 1917, and has been operated by the same family owners since 1926.

• Wood County Airport (Mineola/Quitman Airport) is a public airport owned by Wood County.

• Winnsboro Municipal Airport is located south of the city of Winnsboro and is a municipally owned airport facility.

Demographics

2020 census

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/Latinos can be of any race.

Historic & Natural Preservation Sites and Specially Designated Landmarks, Districts, and Businesses

Wood County is home to a number of historic and natural preservation sites, Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks, special districts, and cities and businesses with special designations from various national and state bodies.

Historic Sites

^{See Also State and Nationally Designated Historic Sites and Buildings in Wood County, Texas}

Birthplace of Ima Hogg

Callaway House

Carlock Home

Central Christian Church of Winnsboro

Col. James A. Stinson Home

Collins-Haines House

Corbitt Home

Dr. Pepper Bottling Plant

Flora Lodge, No. 119

George W. Haines Site

Howle Site

Old Settler's Reunion Grounds

Jarvis Christian College

Lankford-Stinson House

National Register Listings

See National Register of Historic Places in Wood County, Texas

Landmark Districts

Mineola Downtown Historic District

Main Street Cities

Mineola

Winnsboro

Museums

Mineola History Museum

Institutions and Businesses With Special State Designations

Texas Business Treasure Award Recipients (Texas Historical Commission Designation)

Broadway Barber Shop (Mineola)

Wisener Field (Mineola)

First National Bank of Winnsboro

R.H. McCrary Hardware (Winnsboro)

Communities

Cities

• Hawkins
• Mineola
• Quitman (county seat)
• Winnsboro (partly in Franklin County)

Towns

• Alba (small part in Rains County)
• Yantis

Census-designated place

• Holly Lake Ranch

Other unincorporated communities

• Concord
• Crow
• Golden
• Hainesville
• Perryville

Ghost towns

• Coldwater

Education

Early schools

There were a number of so-called "subscription schools" in Wood County after 1854, when free public schools in Texas were on the rise due to legislative action. In 1852, a log schoolhouse in the western part of the county near Chaney Crossing on Lake Fork was built. By 1854, school was being taught in Quitman. By 1859, Quitman had three schools that required tuition to be paid.

On January 8, 1884, the Texas legislature required the county to be divided into free public school districts. The school districts established by the legislature were Quitman, Lone Star, Myrtle Springs, Forest Hill, Cartwright, Caney, Rock Hill, Forest Home, Winnsboro, Chalybeate Springs, Spring Hill, Smyrna, Cold Springs, Shady Grove, Center Point, Pleasant Grove, Floyd's Common Ridge, Mount Pisgah, Liberty, Sand Springs, Fletcher, Pleasant Divide, Friendship, Lone Pint, Salem, Webster, Persimmon Grove, Cottonwood, Macedonia, Concord, New Hope, Dyess, Mount Enterprise, and "Albia" (Alba). Free school districts for African Americans were established at Quitman, Cedar Tree, Robinson's Chapel, Muddy Creek, Mount Zion, Tranquil, Center, Hawkins, Shiloh and "District 48" which encompassed all of the district west of Lake Fork.

School districts

Portions of the county are served by 11 separate independent school districts, serving students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade: Alba-Golden ISD, Big Sandy ISD, Como-Pickton ISD, Harmony ISD, Hawkins ISD, Mineola ISD, Pittsburg ISD, Quitman ISD, Union Hill ISD, Winnsboro ISD, and Yantis ISD.

Colleges and universities

Jarvis Christian College is located in unincorporated Wood County, near Hawkins.

Notable people

• Willie Brown, California politician
• Bryan Hughes, Texas state representative
• Bobby Ray Inman, U.S. Navy Admiral
• Ray Price, singer/songwriter; member of the Country Music Hall of Fame
• Harold Simmons, American billionaire businessman
• Sissy Spacek, Academy-Award-winning actress
• Kacey Musgraves, musician
• Mack Tuck, professional basketball player and coach

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Wood (Texas) para niños