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Wise County, Texas
Wise courthouse
The Wise County Courthouse in Decatur, a Romanesque Revival structure, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Map of Texas highlighting Wise County
Location in the state of Texas
Map of the U.S
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded 1856
Named for Henry Alexander Wise
Seat Decatur
Largest city Decatur
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

923 sq mi (2,391 km²)
904 sq mi (2,341 km²)
18 sq mi (47 km²), 2.0
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

68,632
Congressional districts 12th, 13th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.wise.tx.us

Wise County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 68,632.[1] Its county seat is Decatur.[2] Wise County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan statistical area. Its Wise Eyes crime-watch program, eventually adopted by mostly rural counties in several states, was started in 1993 by then-Sheriff Phil Ryan.[3]

History[]

On November 10, 1837, the Battle of the Knobs was fought in what is now Wise County between about 150 Native American warriors and 18 Republic of Texas soldiers under Lieutenant A. B. Benthuysen. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Texan soldiers held their ground, killing or wounding an estimated 50 Native Americans and losing 10 of their own men. More settlers began coming into the area not long afterward, with people relocating from both the Upper South and Deep South. Wise County was not founded until 1856. It was named after Virginia Congressman Henry A. Wise, who had supported annexation of Texas by the United States. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1856.[4]

As few residents of Wise County were slaveholders, opinions were mixed at the time of the Civil War, and many people opposed secession. Unionists were persecuted in North Texas, and some were lynched. Forty-two men were murdered in the Great Hanging at Gainesville in October 1862, over the course of several days in neighboring Cooke County. This was one of the worst examples of vigilante justice in American history.

Hydraulic fracturing[]

In recent years, Wise County allowed an increase in hydraulic fracturing. In 2011, the Parr family and others filed a lawsuit against several energy companies, including Republic Energy, Inc. and Ryder Scott Petroleum, claiming the extracting processes have created health complications for their family and neighbors.[5] In April 2014, the Parrs won a $2.9 million award from a Dallas jury.[6]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 923 sq mi (2,390 km2), of which 18 sq mi (47 km2) (2.0%) are covered by water.[7]

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (majority)

Demographics[]

Historical populations
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%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1850–2010[9] 2010[10] 2020[11]

2020 census[]

Wise County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2010 % 2020
  White alone (NH) 47,122 50,495 79.70% 73.57%
  Black or African American alone (NH) 573 657 0.97% 0.96%
  Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 341 474 0.58% 0.69%
Asian alone (NH) 234 372 0.40% 0.54%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 15 12 0.03% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 35 172 0.06% 0.25%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 695 2,756 1.18% 4.02%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10,112 13,694 17.10% 19.95%
Total 59,127 68,632 100.00% 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[12] of 2000, 48,793 people, 17,178 households, and 13,467 families were residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile (21/km2). The 19,242 housing units averaged 21 per mi2 (8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.01% White, 1.23% Black, 0.75% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 5.07% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. About 10.76% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 17,178 households, 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.10% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.60% were not families. About 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77, and the average family size was 3.14.

A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found about 3.4 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.[13]

In the county, the age distribution was 28.30% under 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,933, and for a family was $47,909. Males had a median income of $35,913 versus $23,434 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,729. About 7.50% of families and 9.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 10.60% of those age 65 or over.

Politics[]

Wise County, like most rural counties in Texas, votes reliably for Republican candidates in statewide and national elections.

United States presidential election results for Wise County, Texas[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 27,032 83.52% 4,973 15.37% 360 1.11%
2016 20,670 83.43% 3,412 13.77% 694 2.80%
2012 17,207 82.95% 3,221 15.53% 317 1.53%
2008 15,973 77.39% 4,471 21.66% 195 0.94%
2004 15,177 75.71% 4,783 23.86% 87 0.43%
2000 11,234 68.63% 4,830 29.51% 304 1.86%
1996 6,330 48.81% 5,056 38.99% 1,582 12.20%
1992 4,555 33.57% 4,478 33.00% 4,535 33.42%
1988 6,064 53.22% 5,288 46.41% 43 0.38%
1984 6,958 64.11% 3,856 35.53% 39 0.36%
1980 4,350 47.26% 4,674 50.78% 181 1.97%
1976 2,856 35.64% 5,133 64.06% 24 0.30%
1972 4,230 70.43% 1,741 28.99% 35 0.58%
1968 1,983 33.82% 2,774 47.31% 1,107 18.88%
1964 1,386 26.45% 3,852 73.50% 3 0.06%
1960 2,562 50.72% 2,470 48.90% 19 0.38%
1956 2,058 45.49% 2,443 54.00% 23 0.51%
1952 2,309 42.49% 3,121 57.43% 4 0.07%
1948 448 11.86% 3,064 81.10% 266 7.04%
1944 444 11.16% 3,114 78.26% 421 10.58%
1940 498 11.71% 3,751 88.24% 2 0.05%
1936 348 11.26% 2,737 88.58% 5 0.16%
1932 286 9.60% 2,681 89.97% 13 0.44%
1928 2,141 66.20% 1,093 33.80% 0 0.00%
1924 532 14.61% 2,958 81.24% 151 4.15%
1920 579 21.25% 2,031 74.53% 115 4.22%
1916 263 10.73% 2,023 82.57% 164 6.69%
1912 156 6.78% 1,842 80.05% 303 13.17%



Education[]

These school districts lie 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
  • Northwest Independent School District
  • Slidell Independent School District

This private educational institution serves Wise County:

  • Victory Christian Academy

This higher education institution serves Wise County:

  • Weatherford College

Transportation[]

Major highways[]

  • US 81 U.S. Highway 81
  • US 287 U.S. Highway 287
  • US 380 U.S. Highway 380
  • Texas 101 State Highway 101
  • Texas 114 State Highway 114
  • Texas 199 State Highway 199

Airports[]

These public-use airports are located in the county:[15]

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

Communities[]

Cities[]

Towns[]

  • Alvord
  • Boyd
  • Chico

Census-designated places[]

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Balsora
  • Boonsville
  • Cottondale
  • Greenwood
  • Slidell

See also[]

  • List of museums in North Texas
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Wise County, Texas
  • Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Wise County

References[]

  1. ^ "Wise County, Texas". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0500000US48497. Retrieved January 30, 2022. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ WCMessenger.com: Wise Eyes expands its vision
  4. ^ "Wise County, Texas". http://www.co.wise.tx.us/. 
  5. ^ "Wise County Family Sues over Natural Gas Fracking", CBS.com, 8 March 2011
  6. ^ "Wise County pair wins $3 million jury award in drilling lawsuit". Star-Telegram (Fort Worth TX). http://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/article3854920.html. 
  7. ^ "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. 
  8. ^ "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html. 
  9. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010". Texas Almanac. http://texasalmanac.com/sites/default/files/images/topics/ctypophistweb2010.pdf. 
  10. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Wise County, Texas". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48497&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2. 
  11. ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Wise County, Texas". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US48497&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  13. ^ Leonhardt, David; Quealy, Kevin (June 26, 2015), "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/27/upshot/supreme-court-gay-marriage-ruling-where-same-sex-couples-live.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0, retrieved July 6, 2015 
  14. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  15. ^ "Wise County Public and Private Airports". http://www.tollfreeairline.com/texas/wise.htm. 

External links[]


Coordinates: 33°13′N 97°39′W / 33.22, -97.65


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Wise 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.
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