Donley County, Texas

Donley County
County
1890 Donley County Courthouse in Clarendon
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°58′N100°49′W / 34.96°N 100.81°W / 34.96; -100.81
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1882
Seat	Clarendon
Largest city	Clarendon
Area
• Total	933 sq mi (2,420 km2)
• Land	927 sq mi (2,400 km2)
• Water	6.2 sq mi (16 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,258
• Density	3.5/sq mi (1.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	13th
Website	www.co.donley.tx.us

Donley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,258. ^{[1] [2]} Its county seat is Clarendon. ^[3] The county was created in 1876 and later organized in 1882. ^[4]

History

Donley County was established in 1876 from land given by the Bexar District. ^[5] It is named for Stockton P. Donley, justice of the state supreme court. ^[6]

Several historical sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Donley County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total land area of 933 sq mi (2,420 km²), of which 5.6 sq mi (15 km²) (0.7%) are covered by water. ^[7]

Major highways

• Interstate 40
• U.S. Highway 287
• State Highway 70
• State Highway 273

Adjacent counties

• Gray County (north)
• Wheeler County (northeast)
• Collingsworth County (east)
• Hall County (south)
• Briscoe County (southwest)
• Armstrong County (west)
• Carson County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	160		—
1890	1,056		560.0%
1900	2,756		161.0%
1910	5,284		91.7%
1920	8,035		52.1%
1930	10,262		27.7%
1940	7,487		−27.0%
1950	6,216		−17.0%
1960	4,449		−28.4%
1970	3,641		−18.2%
1980	4,075		11.9%
1990	3,696		−9.3%
2000	3,828		3.6%
2010	3,677		−3.9%
2020	3,258		−11.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1850–2010 [9] 2010 [10] 2020 [11]

Donley County, 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 2000 [12]	Pop 2010 [10]	Pop 2020 [11]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	3,372	3,136	2,537	88.09%	85.29%	77.87%
Black or African American alone (NH)	151	163	167	3.94%	4.43%	5.13%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	29	15	27	0.76%	0.41%	0.83%
Asian alone (NH)	4	9	10	0.10%	0.24%	0.31%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	2	1	0.00%	0.05%	0.03%
Other race alone (NH)	0	0	6	0.00%	0.00%	0.18%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	29	43	154	0.76%	1.17%	4.73%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	243	309	356	6.35%	8.40%	10.93%
Total	3,828	3,677	3,258	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census ^[13] of 2000, 3,828 people, 1,578 households, and 1,057 families resided in the county. The population density was four people per square mile (1.5 people/km²). The 2,378 housing units averaged 3 units per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.41% White, 3.94% Black or African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 2.72% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. About 6.35% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,578 households, 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were not families. About 31.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county, the population was distributed as 22.40% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 20.60% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,006, and for a family was $37,287. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $18,882 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,958. About 10.50% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.90% of those under age 18 and 15.90% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

The Harold Dow Bugbee Ranch, formerly owned by the Western artist and his second wife, Olive Vandruff Bugbee, also an artist, is located in Donley County.

U.S. Highway 287, which passes through the county, has a modern rest area. The rest area also provides sanctuary from weather, offering a tornado shelter in the main building. ^[14]

Communities

Veterans Memorial at Donley County Courthouse

Cities

• Clarendon (county seat)
• Hedley
• Howardwick

Unincorporated community

• Lelia Lake

Notable person

• U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry

Politics

United States presidential election results for Donley County, Texas ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	1,438	87.26%	198	12.01%	12	0.73%
2016	1,225	83.62%	191	13.04%	49	3.34%
2012	1,287	83.84%	226	14.72%	22	1.43%
2008	1,374	81.30%	291	17.22%	25	1.48%
2004	1,429	80.10%	349	19.56%	6	0.34%
2000	1,333	77.55%	360	20.94%	26	1.51%
1996	988	62.33%	495	31.23%	102	6.44%
1992	893	51.47%	578	33.31%	264	15.22%
1988	1,043	60.89%	661	38.59%	9	0.53%
1984	1,297	70.84%	529	28.89%	5	0.27%
1980	1,106	58.58%	751	39.78%	31	1.64%
1976	704	39.02%	1,095	60.70%	5	0.28%
1972	1,229	77.74%	350	22.14%	2	0.13%
1968	816	50.15%	543	33.37%	268	16.47%
1964	708	39.86%	1,068	60.14%	0	0.00%
1960	951	55.29%	764	44.42%	5	0.29%
1956	826	47.72%	903	52.17%	2	0.12%
1952	1,150	55.93%	900	43.77%	6	0.29%
1948	241	14.24%	1,372	81.09%	79	4.67%
1944	280	17.93%	1,170	74.90%	112	7.17%
1940	213	11.56%	1,619	87.85%	11	0.60%
1936	133	7.99%	1,513	90.93%	18	1.08%
1932	141	7.95%	1,626	91.71%	6	0.34%
1928	1,092	68.90%	491	30.98%	2	0.13%
1924	273	22.12%	893	72.37%	68	5.51%
1920	206	20.58%	766	76.52%	29	2.90%
1916	42	5.62%	636	85.14%	69	9.24%
1912	12	2.74%	387	88.36%	39	8.90%

See also

• Texas portal

• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Donley County

References

1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Donley County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
2. "Donley County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
5. Alvarez, Elizabeth Cruce (November 8, 2011). Texas Almanac 2012–2013. Texas A&M University Press. pp. Contents. ISBN   9780876112571 . Retrieved November 17, 2013.
6. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 107.
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
8. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
9. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
10. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Donley County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
11. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race Hispanic or Latino – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Donley County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
12. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Donley County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
14. "Texas Safety Rest Area Program - Locations". Archived from the original on June 12, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007.
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 21, 2018.

External links

• Donley County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas
• Donley County
• Donley County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties Archived June 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine

34°58′N100°49′W / 34.96°N 100.81°W / 34.96; -100.81