Reagan County
County
The Reagan County Courthouse in Big Lake
The Reagan County Courthouse in Big Lake
Map of Texas highlighting Reagan County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°22′N 101°31′W / 31.36°N 101.52°W / 31.36; -101.52
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1903
Named forJohn Henninger Reagan
SeatBig Lake
Largest cityBig Lake
Area
 • Total1,176 sq mi (3,050 km2)
 • Land1,175 sq mi (3,040 km2)
 • Water0.7 sq mi (2 km2)  0.06%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,385
 • Density2.9/sq mi (1.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district23rd
Websitewww.reagancountytexas.us
Santa Rita No. 1 rig, used in the discovery of the Big Lake Oil Field in 1923.

Reagan County is a county on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,385.[1] The county seat is Big Lake.[2] The county is named after John Henninger Reagan (1818–1905), who was the postmaster general of the Confederate States and also a U.S. senator, U.S. representative, and first chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas.

History

The region was first inhabited by Paleo-Indian, Suma-Jumano, Kiowa and Comanche peoples.[3] Captains Hernán Martín and Diego del Castillo explored the region in 1650.[4] In 1684, Juan Domínguez de Mendoza[5] and Nicolás López[6] reported on local indigenous groups.[7]

Butterfield Overland Mail,[8] which operated from 1858 to 1861, crossed through the center of the county. In 1878, Camp Grierson's Spring was established as a subpost of Fort Concho and named in honor of Col. Benjamin H. Grierson.[9]

In 1903, Reagan County was carved from Tom Green County and named for United States Senator John Henninger Reagan. Stiles, named after local rancher William G. Stiles, became the first county seat.[10] The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient of Texas Railway was completed in 1911.[11]

In 1923, oil was discovered at the Big Lake Oilfield in the Permian Basin. Big Lake Oilfield, located on University of Texas System land, opened the Permian Basin to oil production and endowed the Permanent University Fund. The rig was named Santa Rita #1 for The Patron Saint of the Impossible.[12] Big Lake was incorporated as a city.[13][14] In 1924, shortly after the oil boom, the town community of Best plunged into vice and violence, necessitating the intervention of the Texas Rangers. The Rangers destroyed buildings that were being used as brothels, gambling houses, and saloons.[15] In 1925, the county seat was moved to Big Lake by a vote.[14] The following year, the Big Lake Oil Company established Texon for its employees and their families, with a devotion to family life.[16]

In 1951, there was a renewed oil boom from production in the Spraberry Trend.[12]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,176 square miles (3,050 km2), of which 1,175 square miles (3,040 km2) are land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.06%) is covered by water.[17] The Spraberry Trend, the third-largest oil field in the United States by remaining reserves, underlies much of the county.[18]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910392—
1920377−3.8%
19303,028703.2%
19401,997−34.0%
19503,12756.6%
19603,78220.9%
19703,239−14.4%
19804,13527.7%
19904,5149.2%
20003,326−26.3%
20103,3671.2%
20203,3850.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]
1850–2010[20] 2010[21] 2020[22]
Reagan County, Texas – Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[21] Pop 2020[22] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 1,219 968 36.20% 28.60%
Black or African American alone (NH) 65 33 1.93% 0.97%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 7 12 0.21% 0.35%
Asian alone (NH) 1 19 0.03% 0.56%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 1 0.00% 0.03%
Some other race alone (NH) 1 6 0.03% 0.18%
Mixed race/multiracial (NH) 23 63 0.68% 1.86%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,051 2,283 60.91% 67.44%
Total 3,367 3,385 100.00% 100.00%

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.

As of the census[23] of 2000, 3,326 people, 1,107 households, and 872 families were residing in the county. The population density was 3 inhabitants per square mile (1.2/km2). The 1,452 housing units had an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 64.64% White, 3.01% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 29.56% from other races, and 1.98% from two or more races. About 49.49% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the1,107 households, 46.8% had children under 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were not families. About 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.96, and the average family size was 3.42.

In the county, the age distribution was 34.2% under 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.50 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 100.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,231, and for a family was $36,806. Males had a median income of $31,228 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,174. About 9.3% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 23.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Politics

United States presidential election results for Reagan County, Texas[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 942 83.81% 172 15.30% 10 0.89%
2016 709 78.43% 167 18.47% 28 3.10%
2012 676 80.19% 158 18.74% 9 1.07%
2008 795 79.98% 197 19.82% 2 0.20%
2004 956 83.64% 184 16.10% 3 0.26%
2000 959 76.41% 282 22.47% 14 1.12%
1996 645 55.22% 407 34.85% 116 9.93%
1992 651 52.08% 337 26.96% 262 20.96%
1988 935 69.00% 418 30.85% 2 0.15%
1984 1,079 81.50% 243 18.35% 2 0.15%
1980 917 67.88% 414 30.64% 20 1.48%
1976 666 53.97% 563 45.62% 5 0.41%
1972 703 73.61% 244 25.55% 8 0.84%
1968 454 40.83% 370 33.27% 288 25.90%
1964 406 39.73% 614 60.08% 2 0.20%
1960 489 43.24% 621 54.91% 21 1.86%
1956 669 63.47% 384 36.43% 1 0.09%
1952 533 53.62% 460 46.28% 1 0.10%
1948 112 19.34% 444 76.68% 23 3.97%
1944 53 10.19% 426 81.92% 41 7.88%
1940 88 14.45% 520 85.39% 1 0.16%
1936 66 12.15% 477 87.85% 0 0.00%
1932 124 15.35% 681 84.28% 3 0.37%
1928 387 62.82% 229 37.18% 0 0.00%
1924 31 21.53% 111 77.08% 2 1.39%
1920 0 0.00% 49 100.00% 0 0.00%
1916 2 3.23% 59 95.16% 1 1.61%
1912 0 0.00% 34 100.00% 0 0.00%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Reagan County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Smith, Julia Cauble. "Reagan County". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Martin-Castillo Expedition". Texas Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  5. ↑ Weddle, Robert S. "Juan Domínguez de Mendoza". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Nicolás López". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  7. ↑ "American Journeys". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  8. ↑ Richardson, Rupert N. "The Butterfield Overland Mail". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  9. ↑ Wilkerson, Lyn (2003). American Trails Revisited: Following in the Footsteps of the Western Pioneers. iUniverse, Inc. p. 277. ISBN 978-0-595-28262-3.
  10. ↑ "Stiles, Texas". Texas Escapes. exas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  11. ↑ Werner, George C. "Kansas City, Mexico and Orient of Texas Railway". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  12. 1 2 Olien, Roger M and Diana (2002). "Oil in Cow Country". Oil in Texas: The Gusher Age, 1895–1945. University of Texas Press. pp. 138–167. ISBN 978-0-292-76056-1.
  13. ↑ "Big Lake, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  14. 1 2 "Big Lake, Texas History". biglaketx.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Best, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  16. ↑ "Texon, Texas". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes – Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  17. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  18. ↑ Top 100 Oil and Gas Fields Archived 2009-05-15 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  20. ↑ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
  21. 1 2 "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Reagan County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  22. 1 2 "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Reagan County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  24. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 29, 2018.

31°22′N 101°31′W / 31.36°N 101.52°W / 31.36; -101.52

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