Hemphill County, Texas

Not to be confused with Hemphill, Texas.

Hemphill County
County
Hemphill County Courthouse in Canadian
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°50′N100°17′W / 35.83°N 100.28°W / 35.83; -100.28
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1887
Named for	John Hemphill
Seat	Canadian
Largest city	Canadian
Area
• Total	912 sq mi (2,360 km2)
• Land	906 sq mi (2,350 km2)
• Water	5.9 sq mi (15 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,382
• Density	3.7/sq mi (1.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	13th
Website	www.co.hemphill.tx.us

Military monument at Hemphill County Courthouse

The former Woman's Christian Temperance Union building in Canadian is being converted into a new Hemphill County Library.

Canadian Record newspaper office serves Hemphill County.

Hemphill County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,382. ^[1] The county seat and only incorporated community in the county is the city of Canadian. ^[2] The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1887. ^[3] It is named for John Hemphill, a judge and Confederate congressman. ^[4] Hemphill County is the most recent Texas county to permit alcohol sales. ^{[5] [6]}

History

Early history

For the 200 years leading up to 1875, nomadic Indian tribes representing the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa, and others roamed the Panhandle following the huge bison (buffalo) herds. In search for an alternate route to California through Santa Fe, New Mexico, Josiah Gregg (1840), and Captain Randolph B. Marcy (1845) surveyed trails that crossed Hemphill County, following the south bank of the Canadian River.

The 1874–75 Red River War was an effort by the United States Army to force the Indians of the Southern Plains to move to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. Two major battles took place in what would become Hemphill County: the Battle of Lyman's Wagon Train and the Battle of Buffalo Wallow.

On April 12, 1879, Wheeler County became the first organized county in the Panhandle, with 14 other unorganized counties attached to it, one of which was Hemphill County. Hemphill County was organized in July 1887.

Influence of Santa Fe Railroad

In 1886, the Southern Kansas Railway Company, a Santa Fe subsidiary, began to build a rail line into the Panhandle of Texas. The tracks entered Hemphill County during 1887 and further encouraged settlement in the area, creating three town sites: Mendota, Canadian, and Glazier.

In 1907, Canadian was designated a division point by the Santa Fe, a factor which brought diversification to the previously ranching economy of the area. The Santa Fe influence remained very strong until the mid-1950s, when the railway moved its employees to Amarillo.

Meanwhile, Hemphill County was roughly the midway point of two smaller lines, the Clinton and Oklahoma Western Railroad Company and the Clinton-Oklahoma-Western Railroad Company of Texas. ^[7]

Oil production

During the 1970s, the county grew due to a rapid expansion of oil production. Though oil was discovered in the county in 1955, production remained relatively small because the technology had not yet progressed to efficiently capture the very deep reserves known to exist. By 1974, oil production had reached 999,000 barrels (158,800 m³) and more than 1,891,000 bbl (300,600 m³) in 1978. In 2000, about 505,000 bbl (80,300 m³) of oil and more than 8 billion cubic feet of natural gas were produced in the county, but the future looked very bright.

Abraham Companies are based in the Moody Building, a former hotel in Canadian.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 912 sq mi (2,360 km²), of which 906 sq mi (2,350 km²) are land and 5.9 sq mi (15 km²) (0.6%) are covered by water. ^[8]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 60
• U.S. Highway 83
• State Highway 33

Adjacent counties

• Lipscomb County (north)
• Ellis County, Oklahoma (northeast)
• Roger Mills County, Oklahoma (southeast)
• Wheeler County (south)
• Roberts County (west)
• Gray County (southwest)

National protected area

• Black Kettle National Grassland (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	149		—
1890	519		248.3%
1900	815		57.0%
1910	3,170		289.0%
1920	4,280		35.0%
1930	4,637		8.3%
1940	4,170		−10.1%
1950	4,123		−1.1%
1960	3,185		−22.8%
1970	3,084		−3.2%
1980	5,304		72.0%
1990	3,720		−29.9%
2000	3,351		−9.9%
2010	3,807		13.6%
2020	3,382		−11.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1850–2010 [10] 2010 [11] 2020 [12]

Hemphill 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 [13]	Pop 2010 [11]	Pop 2020 [12]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	2,722	2,656	2,090	81.23%	69.77%	61.80%
Black or African American alone (NH)	52	4	4	1.55%	0.11%	0.12%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	22	12	18	0.66%	0.32%	0.53%
Asian alone (NH)	9	18	10	0.27%	0.47%	0.30%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	3	0	0.03%	0.08%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	5	0	4	0.15%	0.00%	0.12%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	18	28	119	0.54%	0.74%	3.52%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	522	1,086	1,137	15.58%	28.53%	33.62%
Total	3,351	3,807	3,382	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census ^[14] of 2000, 3,351 people, 1,280 households, and 948 families resided in the county. The population density was four people per square mile (1.5 people/km²). The 1,548 housing units averaged two units per square mile (0.77 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.65% White, 1.55% Black or African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 8.48% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. About 15.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 1,280 households, 32.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.20% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were not families. About 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was distributed as 28.00% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,456, and for a family was $42,036. Males had a median income of $31,154 versus $19,423 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,929. About 10.90% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.70% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

• Canadian (county seat)
• Glazier

Politics

During the period 1912 through the 1940s, Democratic candidates at the presidential level predominated in Hemphill County, the exception being 1928. From 1952, Republicans have held sway, losing the county only in the 1964 landslide by native son Lyndon Johnson.

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,412	87.59%	190	11.79%	10	0.62%
2020	1,486	86.40%	206	11.98%	28	1.63%
2016	1,462	85.80%	181	10.62%	61	3.58%
2012	1,298	86.02%	192	12.72%	19	1.26%
2008	1,345	85.67%	216	13.76%	9	0.57%
2004	1,380	83.99%	257	15.64%	6	0.37%
2000	1,203	81.61%	251	17.03%	20	1.36%
1996	986	68.57%	344	23.92%	108	7.51%
1992	989	58.18%	479	28.18%	232	13.65%
1988	1,170	68.62%	527	30.91%	8	0.47%
1984	1,650	79.83%	413	19.98%	4	0.19%
1980	1,152	64.72%	592	33.26%	36	2.02%
1976	858	54.37%	707	44.80%	13	0.82%
1972	942	81.42%	214	18.50%	1	0.09%
1968	699	53.77%	400	30.77%	201	15.46%
1964	563	46.41%	649	53.50%	1	0.08%
1960	847	71.72%	333	28.20%	1	0.08%
1956	620	60.67%	401	39.24%	1	0.10%
1952	892	60.19%	590	39.81%	0	0.00%
1948	201	17.06%	930	78.95%	47	3.99%
1944	274	23.97%	792	69.29%	77	6.74%
1940	170	16.38%	868	83.62%	0	0.00%
1936	121	10.67%	1,008	88.89%	5	0.44%
1932	133	12.64%	918	87.26%	1	0.10%
1928	489	60.67%	317	39.33%	0	0.00%
1924	167	25.97%	405	62.99%	71	11.04%
1920	253	37.32%	417	61.50%	8	1.18%
1916	141	20.89%	496	73.48%	38	5.63%
1912	61	11.60%	312	59.32%	153	29.09%

See also

• Texas portal

• Dry counties
• List of museums in the Texas Panhandle
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Hemphill County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Hemphill County

References

1. "Hemphill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  154.
5. "Dry January? These Texas Counties Are Dry Year-Round". January 20, 2023.
6. "Here are three debunked Texas alcohol laws and a guide to legally drinking in the state". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
7. "Clinton-Oklahoma-Western Railroad". tshaonline.org. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
9. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
10. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
11. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Hemphill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
12. "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Hemphill County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
13. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Bruni CDP, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 25, 2018.

External links

• Hemphill County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Hemphill County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties Archived September 15, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
• River Valley Pioneer Museum
• The Citadelle Art Foundation
• Canadian Independent School District
• The Canadian Record

35°50′N100°17′W / 35.83°N 100.28°W / 35.83; -100.28