Ben Arnold, Texas

Ben Arnold, Texas
Census-designated place
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Milam County
Elevation [1]	522 ft (159 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	117
FIPS code	48-07516
GNIS feature ID	1351865 [1]

Ben Arnold is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Milam County, Texas, United States. Ben Arnold (Benarnold) is on U.S. Highway 77, seven miles north of Cameron in northern Milam County. ^[2]

Per the 2020 census, the population was 117. ^[3]

History

The community began as a stop on the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway in 1890 and was named for Bennie Arnold, B. I. Arnold's three-year-old daughter, who was mascot on the first train to pull into the new station. A local post office was opened in 1892, and by 1896 the community had three churches, a district school, and 125 residents.

In 1903, the school had two teachers and eighty students. By the 1920s, the population of Ben Arnold rose to 250; it remained fairly stable until the late 1960s, when it declined to 148. The Ben Arnold school system was consolidated with the Cameron Independent School District by the early 1970s. In 1977, the Southern Pacific abandoned the section of track connecting Ben Arnold with Cameron to the south and Rosebud to the north. The community had 148 residents and several businesses in 1990. The population remained the same in 2000.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2020	117		—
U.S. Decennial Census [4] 1850–1900 [5] 1910 [6] 1920 [7] 1930 [8] 1940 [9] 1950 [10] 1960 [11] 1970 [12] 1980 [13] 1990 [14] 2000 [15] 2010 [16] 2020 [17]

Ben Arnold first appeared as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. Census. ^{[18] [16] [17]}

2020 census

Ben Arnold CDP, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2020 [17]	% 2020
White alone (NH)	62	52.99%
Black or African American alone (NH)	10	8.55%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	1	0.85%
Asian alone (NH)	0	0.85%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	0	0.00%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	1	0.85%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	42	35.90%
Total	117	100.00%

Notable people

• Dede Westbrook, footballer ^[19]

References

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ben Arnold, Texas
2. Texas State Historical Association: Ben Arnold, TX By: Vivian Elizabeth Smyrl
3. "Ben Arnold CDP, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved April 15, 2022.
4. "Decennial Census by Decade". United States Census Bureau .
5. "1900 Census of Population - Population of Texas By Counties And Minor Civil Divisions" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
6. "1910 Census of Population - Supplement for Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
7. "1920 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
8. "1930 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
9. "1940 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
10. "1950 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
11. "1960 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
12. "1970 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
13. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
14. "1990 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
15. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
16. "2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Texas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
17. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ben Arnold CDP, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
18. "2020 Geography Changes". United States Census Bureau.
19. "OU football: Receiver Dede Westbrook balances being a dad with football". August 8, 2015.

30°57′50″N96°59′17″W / 30.96389°N 96.98806°W / 30.96389; -96.98806