Red River County, Texas

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Red River County, Texas
Red River County Courthouse
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1837
Named for	Red River of the South
Seat	Clarksville
Largest city	Clarksville
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,057 sq mi (2,738 km²) 1,037 sq mi (2,686 km²) 20 sq mi (52 km²), 1.9
Population  - (2020)  - Density	11,587
Congressional district	4th
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.co.red-river.tx.us

Red River County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,587. Its county seat is Clarksville. The county was created in 1835 and organized in 1837. It is named for the Red River, which forms its northern boundary. Red River County was the birthplace of John Nance Garner, 32nd Vice President of the United States.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,057 square miles (2,740 km²), of which 1,037 square miles (2,690 km²) is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) (1.9%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 82
• U.S. Highway 271
• State Highway 37

Adjacent counties

• McCurtain County, Oklahoma (north)
• Bowie County (east)
• Morris County (southeast)
• Titus County (south)
• Franklin County (southwest)
• Delta County (southwest)
• Lamar County (west)
• Choctaw County, Oklahoma (northwest)

Communities

Cities

Red River, Texas

• Bogata
• Clarksville (county seat)
• Deport (mostly in Lamar County)
• Detroit

Towns

• Annona
• Avery

Unincorporated communities

• Aikin Grove
• Albion
• Bagwell
• English
• Maple
• Negley
• McCoinville

Ghost town

• Opah

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1850	3,906		—
1860	8,535		118.5%
1870	10,653		24.8%
1880	17,194		61.4%
1890	21,452		24.8%
1900	29,893		39.3%
1910	28,564		−4.4%
1920	35,829		25.4%
1930	30,923		−13.7%
1940	29,769		−3.7%
1950	21,851		−26.6%
1960	15,682		−28.2%
1970	14,298		−8.8%
1980	16,101		12.6%
1990	14,317		−11.1%
2000	14,314		0%
2010	12,860		−10.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020

Demographic Profile of Red River County, Texas
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	9,503	8,499	73.90%	73.35%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,211	1,738	17.19%	15.00%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	92	102	0.72%	0.88%
Asian alone (NH)	23	51	0.18%	0.44%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0	0.00%	0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	3	13	0.02%	0.11%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	179	418	1.39%	3.61%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	849	766	6.60%	6.61%
Total	12,860	11,587	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 of 2000, there were 14,314 people, 5,827 households, and 4,067 families residing in the county. In 2020, its population was 11,587. From the 2000 census, the population density was 14 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 6,916 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.04% White, 17.80% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.29% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 4.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,827 households, out of which 28.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.50% were married couples living together, 11.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.20% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.90% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,558, and the median income for a family was $33,436. Males had a median income of $24,609 versus $17,566 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,058, making it one of the economically poorest counties in the state of Texas. About 13.10% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.20% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The following school districts serve Red River County:

• Avery ISD
• Clarksville ISD
• Detroit ISD
• Prairiland ISD (mostly in Lamar County)
• Rivercrest ISD (partly in Titus County, small portion in Franklin County)

Notable people

The John Nance Garner Home in Detroit

• Edward H. Tarrant, for whom Tarrant County was named, lived in Red River County when he first moved to Texas in the 1830s.
• John "Cactus Jack" Garner, Vice President of the U.S. who served for eight years under President F. D. Roosevelt, was born in Red River County, in 1868.
• B.P. Newman (1927–2008), a Texas business entrepreneur, developer, and philanthropist based in Laredo, was born in Red River County.
• Jim Leavelle, Dallas homicide detective, who became renowned for escorting Lee Harvey Oswald when Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby, was born here in 1920.
• J. D. Tippit, Dallas policeman, who was shot to death a short time after the John F. Kennedy assassination. A monument to J.D. Tippit is located on Highway 37 South. He was born and raised in Red River County.
• William Humphrey, author of Home from the Hill and The Ardways and other works was born and raised in Red River County. Home from the Hill was made into a movie starring George Hamilton among other great stars.

Politics

Red River County is represented, as of January 2015, in the Texas House of Representatives by the Republican Gary VanDeaver, the former superintendent of the New Boston Independent School District in New Boston, Texas.

United States presidential election results for Red River County, Texas

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	4,517	77.80%	1,246	21.46%	43	0.74%
2016	3,926	76.07%	1,149	22.26%	86	1.67%
2012	3,549	69.94%	1,482	29.21%	43	0.85%
2008	3,461	68.51%	1,539	30.46%	52	1.03%
2004	3,379	61.55%	2,097	38.20%	14	0.26%
2000	2,941	56.54%	2,219	42.66%	42	0.81%
1996	1,783	39.06%	2,339	51.24%	443	9.70%
1992	1,735	30.68%	2,686	47.50%	1,234	21.82%
1988	2,475	43.79%	3,165	56.00%	12	0.21%
1984	2,979	54.05%	2,518	45.68%	15	0.27%
1980	2,225	38.54%	3,501	60.64%	47	0.81%
1976	1,852	33.47%	3,670	66.33%	11	0.20%
1972	3,112	69.54%	1,361	30.41%	2	0.04%
1968	1,305	25.57%	2,245	43.99%	1,554	30.45%
1964	1,257	27.01%	3,391	72.86%	6	0.13%
1960	1,527	34.79%	2,850	64.94%	12	0.27%
1956	1,956	43.14%	2,567	56.62%	11	0.24%
1952	1,964	36.04%	3,484	63.93%	2	0.04%
1948	323	8.16%	2,987	75.49%	647	16.35%
1944	466	12.19%	2,991	78.24%	366	9.57%
1940	555	12.45%	3,899	87.46%	4	0.09%
1936	199	6.89%	2,685	93.00%	3	0.10%
1932	145	4.35%	3,181	95.44%	7	0.21%
1928	1,172	41.30%	1,666	58.70%	0	0.00%
1924	311	8.78%	3,183	89.84%	49	1.38%
1920	799	22.58%	2,263	63.96%	476	13.45%
1916	356	14.11%	2,021	80.10%	146	5.79%
1912	255	12.11%	1,498	71.13%	353	16.76%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Red River County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Red River County

External links

• Red River County government's website
• Red River County from the Handbook of Texas Online