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| Henderson County, Texas | |
 The Henderson County Courthouse in Athens
| |
 Location in the state of Texas | |
 Texas's location in the U.S. | |
| Founded | 1846 |
|---|---|
| Named for | James Pinckney Henderson |
| Seat | Athens |
| Largest city | Athens |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
948 sq mi (2,455 km²) 874 sq mi (2,264 km²) 75 sq mi (194 km²), 7.9 |
| Population - (2020) - Density |
82,150 Expression error: Unrecognized word "auto"./sq mi (auto/km²) |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website | www.co.henderson.tx.us |
"Courts Under the Oaks" in Athens
Henderson County Peace Officers Association monument
The Fiddlers Association monument in Athens
Henderson County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 82,150.[1] The county seat is Athens.[2] The county is named in honor of James Pinckney Henderson, the first attorney general of the Republic of Texas, and secretary of state for the republic.[3] He later served as the first governor of Texas.
Henderson County was established in 1846, the year after Texas gained statehood. Its first town was Buffalo, laid out in 1847.[4] The county boundaries were set in 1850, with some reduction from the previous size. The restructuring resulted in the need for a new county seat. In an election, Athens was chosen as the site for the "courthouse under the oaks."[5]
Henderson County comprises the Athens micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Dallas-Fort Worth combined statistical area.
Geography[]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 948 sq mi (2,460 km2), of which 75 sq mi (190 km2) (7.9%) are covered by water.[6]
Major highways[]
U.S. Highway 175- State Highway 19
- State Highway 31
- State Highway 155
- State Highway 198
- State Highway 274
- State Highway 334
Adjacent counties[]
- Kaufman County (north)
- Van Zandt County (north)
- Smith County (east)
- Cherokee County (southeast)
- Anderson County (south)
- Freestone County (southwest)
- Navarro County (west)
- Ellis County (northwest)
Demographics[]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 1,237 | ||
| 1860 | 4,595 | 271.5% | |
| 1870 | 6,786 | 47.7% | |
| 1880 | 9,735 | 43.5% | |
| 1890 | 12,285 | 26.2% | |
| 1900 | 19,970 | 62.6% | |
| 1910 | 20,131 | 0.8% | |
| 1920 | 28,327 | 40.7% | |
| 1930 | 30,583 | 8.0% | |
| 1940 | 31,822 | 4.1% | |
| 1950 | 23,405 | −26.5% | |
| 1960 | 21,786 | −6.9% | |
| 1970 | 26,466 | 21.5% | |
| 1980 | 42,606 | 61.0% | |
| 1990 | 58,543 | 37.4% | |
| 2000 | 73,277 | 25.2% | |
| 2010 | 78,532 | 7.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1850–2010[8] 2010–2020[9] | |||
2020 census[]
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[9] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 63,494 | 61,854 | 80.85% | 75.29% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,813 | 4,705 | 6.13% | 5.73% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 349 | 414 | 0.44% | 0.50% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 318 | 510 | 0.40% | 0.62% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 27 | 31 | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 76 | 211 | 0.10% | 0.26% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 965 | 3,183 | 1.23% | 3.87% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8,490 | 11,242 | 10.81% | 13.68% |
| Total | 78,532 | 82,150 | 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.
2000 Census[]
As of the census[11] of 2000, 73,277 people, 28,804 households, and 20,969 families were residing in the county. Its population density was 84 people/sq mi (32/km2). The 35,935 housing units averaged 41 per sq mi (16/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 88.50% White, 6.61% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 2.75% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. About 6.92% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 28,804 households, 29.00% had children under 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were not families. About 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the age distribution was 24.40% under 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,533, and for a family was $38,255. Males had a median income of $31,847 versus $21,650 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,772. About 11.70% of families and 15.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.60% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.
Government[]
- County Judge: Wade McKinney
- Commissioner Pct. 1: Wendy Spivey
- Commissioner Pct. 2: Scott Tuley
- Commissioner Pct. 3: Charles "Chuck" McHam
- Commissioner Pct. 4: Mark Richardson
- County Clerk: Mary Margret Wright
- District Clerk: Betty Herriage
- County Attorney: Clint Davis
- District Attorney: Jenny Palmer
- County Auditor: Ann Marie Lee
- County Treasurer: Michael Bynum
- County Court at Law #1 Judge: Scott Williams
- County Court at Law #2 Judge: Nancy Perryman
- 3rd District Court Judge: Mark Calhoon
- 173rd District Court Judge: Dan Moore
- 392nd District Court Judge: Scott McKee
- Justice of the Peace Pct. 1: Randy Daniel
- Constable Pct. 1: Thomas Goodell
- Justice of the Peace Pct. 2: Kevin Pollock
- Constable Pct. 2: Mitch Baker
- Justice of the Peace Pct. 3: James Duncan
- Constable Pct. 3: David Grubbs
- Justice of the Peace Pct. 4: Milton Adams
- Constable Pct. 4: John Floyd
- Justice of the Peace Pct. 5: Belinda Brownlow
- Constable Pct. 5: Brad Miers
- Sheriff: Botie Hillhouse
- Tax Assessor/Collector: Peggy Goodall
- Elections Administrator: Paula Ludtke
- Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Coordinator: Shane Renburg
Politics[]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 28,911 | 79.61% | 7,060 | 19.44% | 346 | 0.95% |
| 2016 | 23,650 | 78.72% | 5,669 | 18.87% | 726 | 2.42% |
| 2012 | 21,231 | 76.85% | 6,106 | 22.10% | 290 | 1.05% |
| 2008 | 20,857 | 71.94% | 7,913 | 27.29% | 223 | 0.77% |
| 2004 | 20,210 | 70.05% | 8,505 | 29.48% | 134 | 0.46% |
| 2000 | 16,607 | 64.80% | 8,704 | 33.96% | 316 | 1.23% |
| 1996 | 10,345 | 45.43% | 10,085 | 44.29% | 2,342 | 10.28% |
| 1992 | 8,368 | 34.49% | 9,105 | 37.53% | 6,788 | 27.98% |
| 1988 | 11,005 | 52.61% | 9,819 | 46.94% | 94 | 0.45% |
| 1984 | 12,725 | 63.38% | 7,302 | 36.37% | 49 | 0.24% |
| 1980 | 7,903 | 48.47% | 8,199 | 50.29% | 203 | 1.25% |
| 1976 | 4,658 | 36.01% | 8,245 | 63.73% | 34 | 0.26% |
| 1972 | 6,263 | 69.49% | 2,741 | 30.41% | 9 | 0.10% |
| 1968 | 2,315 | 29.19% | 3,119 | 39.32% | 2,498 | 31.49% |
| 1964 | 1,988 | 29.61% | 4,697 | 69.96% | 29 | 0.43% |
| 1960 | 2,521 | 42.23% | 3,411 | 57.14% | 38 | 0.64% |
| 1956 | 2,479 | 44.51% | 3,065 | 55.04% | 25 | 0.45% |
| 1952 | 2,534 | 36.33% | 4,439 | 63.65% | 1 | 0.01% |
| 1948 | 540 | 12.24% | 3,669 | 83.14% | 204 | 4.62% |
| 1944 | 427 | 10.12% | 3,219 | 76.28% | 574 | 13.60% |
| 1940 | 803 | 16.34% | 4,111 | 83.66% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 260 | 7.38% | 3,259 | 92.45% | 6 | 0.17% |
| 1932 | 219 | 5.82% | 3,522 | 93.67% | 19 | 0.51% |
| 1928 | 1,128 | 39.52% | 1,726 | 60.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 405 | 9.41% | 3,819 | 88.73% | 80 | 1.86% |
| 1920 | 538 | 18.62% | 1,684 | 58.29% | 667 | 23.09% |
| 1916 | 268 | 11.11% | 1,790 | 74.18% | 355 | 14.71% |
| 1912 | 137 | 6.84% | 1,370 | 68.36% | 497 | 24.80% |
Media[]
Henderson County is part of the Dallas/Fort Worth DMA. Local media outlets are: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Other nearby stations that provide coverage for Henderson County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.
Newspaper coverage of the area can be found in the Athens Daily Review, based in Athens; The Monitor is published in Mabank, which is primarily in Kaufman County, but also covers news in parts of Henderson County, as well.
Crime[]
Paul Knight of the Houston Press said in a 2009 article that some people blamed the development of the artificial Cedar Creek Lake, which opened in 1965, and development of the area surrounding the lake for the initial influx of crime and recreational drugs into the county and the East Texas region. Carroll Dyson, a retired pilot and Henderson County resident interviewed by the Houston Press, said in 2009 that the lake attracted "white flight" from metropolitan areas.[13] Dyson added, "When all your rich people from Dallas and Houston move out here, the thieves are just drawn to them. Thieves are just wired that way. You used to not have to lock your door in Henderson County." Ray Nutt, the sheriff of Henderson County, said in the same article that when the lake first opened, it had no zoning and "a lot of elderly people bought a mobile home and moved in; it was nice. Then, they passed away and family members sold them off or just let them go down." Nutt added that the area around the lake has "a lot of good people," yet it also where "a lot of criminals tend to flow."[14]
Communities[]
Cities[]
- Athens (county seat)
- Brownsboro
- Chandler
- Eustace
- Gun Barrel City
- Log Cabin
- Malakoff
- Moore Station
- Murchison
- Seven Points (small part in Kaufman County)
- Star Harbor
- Tool
- Trinidad
Towns[]
- Berryville
- Caney City
- Coffee City
- Enchanted Oaks
- Mabank (mostly in Kaufman County)
- Payne Springs
- Poynor
Census-designated place[]
- Sunrise Shores
Unincorporated communities[]
- Aley
- Antioch
- Baxter
- Bethel
- Big Rock
- Buffalo
- Crescent Heights
- Cross Roads
- Dauphin
- Evelyn
- Fincastle
- Harmony
- LaRue
- Leagueville
- Mankin
- New Hope
- Opelika
- Pauline
- Pickens
- Pine Grove
- Ruth Springs
- Shady Oaks
- Stockard
- Sumer Hill
- Union Hill
- Virginia Hill
Ghost towns[]
- Centreville
- Corinth
See also[]
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Henderson County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Henderson County
- Clay Smothers
References[]
- ^ "Henderson County, Texas". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48213. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off.. pp. 154. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ.
- ^ A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company. 1893. p. 199. http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth46827/m1/205/sizes/l/.
- ^ Texas Historical Commission, historical marker, Henderson County Courthouse, Athens, Texas
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_48.txt.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html.
- ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac. http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Henderson County, Texass". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48213&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Henderson County, Texas". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48213&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS.
- ^ Knight, Paul. "Superthief." September 22, 2009. 1. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.
- ^ Knight, Paul. "Superthief." September 22, 2009. 2. Retrieved on September 28, 2009.
External links[]
- Henderson County
- Henderson County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas
- TXGenWeb Project for Henderson County
|
Ellis County | Kaufman County and Van Zandt County |
| |
| Navarro County | 
|
Smith County | ||
   Henderson County, Texas | ||||
| ||||
| Freestone County | Anderson County | Cherokee County |
 |
|
| Counties | Collin | Dallas | Denton | Ellis | Henderson | Hunt | Johnson | Kaufman | Parker | Rockwall | Tarrant | Wise |
| over 500 | Dallas† | Fort Worth† |
| 200 - 500 | Arlington | Garland | Irving | Plano |
| 100 - 200 | Carrollton | Denton† | Grand Prairie | McKinney† | Mesquite |
| 50 - 100 | Allen | Euless | Flower Mound | Frisco | Lewisville | Mansfield | North Richland Hills | Richardson |
| 10 - 50 | Addison | Athens† | Azle | Balch Springs | Bedford | Benbrook | Burleson | Cedar Hill | Cleburne† | Colleyville | Coppell | Corinth | DeSoto | Duncanville | Ennis | Farmers Branch | Forest Hill | Grapevine | Greenville† | Haltom City | Highland Village | Hurst | Keller | Lancaster | Little Elm | Rockwall† | Rowlett | Sachse | Saginaw | Seagoville | Southlake | Terrell | The Colony | University Park | Watauga | Waxahachie† | Weatherford† | White Settlement | Wylie |
| under 10 | Argyle | Blue Mound | Cockrell Hill | Combine | Crowley | Dalworthington Gardens | Decatur† | Edgecliff Village | Everman | Glenn Heights | Highland Park | Hutchins | Kaufman† | Kennedale | Lake Worth | Lakeside | Newark | Ovilla | Pantego | Pelican Bay | Richland Hills | River Oaks | Sansom Park | Sunnyvale | Westover Hills | Westworth Village | Willow Park | Wilmer |
| ↑ thousands of people† - County Seat. A full list of cities under 10,000 is available here. | |
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| This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Henderson County, Texas. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License. |