Panhandle, Texas

For the geographical feature, see Texas Panhandle.

Panhandle, Texas
Town
Aerial view of Panhandle
Motto:  People of Pride & Purpose
Location of Panhandle, Texas
Coordinates: 35°20′45″N101°22′45″W / 35.34583°N 101.37917°W / 35.34583; -101.37917
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Carson
Government
• Mayor	Dan Looten
Area [1]
• Total	2.12 sq mi (5.50 km2)
• Land	2.12 sq mi (5.50 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation [2]	3,455 ft (1,053 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,378
• Density	1,100/sq mi (430/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code	79068
Area code	806
FIPS code	48-54960 [3]
GNIS feature ID	2413105 [2]
Website	www.panhandletx.govoffice2.com

Welcome sign in Panhandle

Panhandle City Hall is located in the old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Depot, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Brick streets in Panhandle

Panhandle High School sign

Panhandle is the county seat of Carson County, Texas, United States. The population of the town was 2,378 at the 2020 census. ^[4] Panhandle is part of the Amarillo metropolitan statistical area.

History

Panhandle derives its name from its central location in the Texas Panhandle. Originally named "Carson City", it was later changed to "Panhandle City". ^[5]

In 1887, Panhandle obtained a post office, and in 1888, the town was planned as the terminus of the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway. At that time, the town was surrounded by several large cattle ranches. The community soon acquired a bank, a mercantile store, a wagonyard, a school, a newspaper, and three saloons. ^[5]

In 1888, Carson County was organized, and Panhandle became the county seat. ^[5] The area's cattlemen were reconciled to the arrival of farmers because they produced needed forage crops, such as hay, and introduced more families with eligible young women for the cowboy bachelors of the cattle kingdom. ^[6]

Panhandle was scandalized in 1897 after George E. Morrison, a preacher at the Methodist Episcopal Church, poisoned his wife Minnie with a strychnine-laced apple so that he could marry his mistress Miss Annie Whittlesey of Topeka, Kansas. Morrison was sentenced to die in the gallows at Vernon in Wilbarger County, Texas, his last words being: "Jesus, Lover of My Soul". ^[7]

In 1909, Panhandle voted to incorporate with a mayor-council government.

The population grew in the 1920s when Panhandle became the center of a natural gas field.

A new county courthouse was completed in 1950.

Panhandle continued to thrive in the 1980s as a regional marketing and shipping center for cattle, wheat, and petroleum products. ^[5]

The Carson County Square House Museum is located inside the oldest house in Panhandle, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	521		—
1920	638		22.5%
1930	2,035		219.0%
1940	978		−51.9%
1950	1,406		43.8%
1960	1,958		39.3%
1970	2,141		9.3%
1980	2,226		4.0%
1990	2,353		5.7%
2000	2,589		10.0%
2010	2,452		−5.3%
2020	2,378		−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]

2020 census

Panhandle racial composition ^[4]
(NH = Non-Hispanic) ^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	1,987	83.56%
Black or African American (NH)	13	0.55%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	17	0.71%
Asian (NH)	7	0.29%
Pacific Islander (NH)	1	0.04%
Some Other Race (NH)	3	0.13%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	109	4.58%
Hispanic or Latino	241	10.13%
Total	2,378

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,378 people, 1,058 households, and 723 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the census ^[3] of 2000, 2,589 people, 945 households, and 719 families were residing in the town. The population density was 1,216.6 people/sq mi (469.3/km²). The 1,014 housing units averaged 476.5/sq mi (183.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.16% White, 0.66% African American, 0.77% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 3.86% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.96% of the population.

Of the 945 households, 38.2% had children under 18 living with them, 64.0% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were not families. About 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,686, and for a family was $50,735. Males had a median income of $38,155 versus $25,329 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,640. About 4.0% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

Geography and climate

Panhandle is located slightly south of the center of Carson County. ^[11] U.S. Route 60 passes through the town, leading northeast 27 miles (43 km) to Pampa and southwest the same distance to Amarillo. Texas State Highway 207 crosses US 60 in Panhandle and passes through the center of town; it leads north 23 miles (37 km) to Borger and south 9 miles (14 km) to Interstate 40 at Conway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Panhandle has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km²), all land. ^[12]

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, the Panhandle has a semiarid climate, BSk on climate maps. ^[13]

Climate data for Panhandle, Texas (1981–2010)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	49.9 (9.9)	53.9 (12.2)	62.7 (17.1)	71.9 (22.2)	80.0 (26.7)	87.9 (31.1)	92.8 (33.8)	91.0 (32.8)	83.8 (28.8)	72.7 (22.6)	60.3 (15.7)	48.7 (9.3)	71.3 (21.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	22.2 (−5.4)	25.2 (−3.8)	31.8 (−0.1)	40.2 (4.6)	50.4 (10.2)	59.6 (15.3)	64.0 (17.8)	62.9 (17.2)	55.1 (12.8)	43.6 (6.4)	31.8 (−0.1)	22.6 (−5.2)	42.4 (5.8)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.61 (15)	0.64 (16)	1.39 (35)	1.77 (45)	2.79 (71)	3.59 (91)	2.51 (64)	2.80 (71)	2.20 (56)	1.94 (49)	0.92 (23)	0.76 (19)	21.92 (557)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	3.9 (9.9)	3.1 (7.9)	2.0 (5.1)	0.5 (1.3)	0.1 (0.25)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.3 (0.76)	1.7 (4.3)	4.1 (10)	15.8 (40)
Source: NOAA [14]

Education

The Town of Panhandle is served by the Panhandle Independent School District and is home to the Panhandle High School Panthers and Pantherettes.

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Panhandle, Texas
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
5. Anderson, H. Allen. "PANHANDLE, TX". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association.
6. Lester Fields Sheffy, The Life and Times of Timothy Dwight Hobart, 1855-1935: Colonization of West Texas (Canyon, Texas: Panhandle-Plains Historical Society, 1950), pp. 120-121
7. "WILBARGER COUNTY, TEXAS EXECUTION NEWS STORIES". Genealogy Trails.
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
9. https://www.census.gov/ ^{[ not specific enough to verify ]}
10. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
11. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
12. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Panhandle town, Texas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
13. Climate Summary for Panhandle, Texas
14. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved May 5, 2013.

1. 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. ^{[9] [10]}

External links

• City of Panhandle official website
• Panhandle Independent School District
• Square House Museum