Reeves County, Texas

Last updated

Reeves County
County
Reeves County Courthouse June 2020.jpg
Reeves County Courthouse in Pecos
Map of Texas highlighting Reeves County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas in United States.svg
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°19′N103°41′W / 31.32°N 103.68°W / 31.32; -103.68
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Texas.svg  Texas
Founded1884
Named for George R. Reeves
Seat Pecos
Largest cityPecos
Area
 • Total
2,642 sq mi (6,840 km2)
 • Land2,635 sq mi (6,820 km2)
 • Water6.7 sq mi (17 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
14,748
 • Density5.2/sq mi (2.0/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 23rd
Website www.reevescounty.org

Reeves County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 14,748. [1] Its county seat and most populous city is Pecos. [2] The county was created in 1883 and organized the next year. [3] It is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the Confederate Army. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. Reeves County comprises the Pecos micropolitan statistical area.

Contents

History

Native Americans

Prehistoric Clovis culture peoples [4] in Reeves County lived in the rock shelters and caves nestled near water supplies. These people left behind artifacts and pictographs as evidence of their presence. [5] Jumano Indians led the Antonio de Espejo [6] 1582–1583 expedition near Toyah Lake on a better route to the farming and trade area of La Junta de los Ríos. Espejo's diary places the Jumano along the Pecos River and its tributaries. [7] The Mescalero Apache [8] [9] frequented San Solomon Springs to irrigate their crops. In 1849, John Salmon "RIP" Ford [10] explored the area between San Antonio and El Paso, noting in his mapped report the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians farmed.

County established and growth

The state legislature formed Reeves from Pecos County in 1883, and named it after Texas legislator and soldier George Robertson Reeves. [11] [12] The county was organized in 1884. The town of Pecos [13] was named as county seat.

Toyah Valley farmers George B. and Robert E. Lyle were the first Anglo settlers 1871. White settlers started arriving in the area four years later, lured by open-range ranching. [14] For the remainder of the century, the county economy was dependent upon farming and ranching as it moved into the manufacturing and oil industries of the 20th century.

The Texas and Pacific Railway built through Reeves County in 1881, with stations at Pecos [15] and Toyah. [16] By 1890, the Pecos River Railway [17] had built from Pecos to New Mexico. Toyahvale, [18] which means "flowing water", became the western terminus of the railroad.

Balmorhea State Park was built at Toyahvale by the Civilian Conservation Corps. [19] The park was deeded to the State of Texas in 1934 and opened to the public in 1968.

Pecos Army Air Field was one of the 120 airbases that trained the pioneer Women Airforce Service Pilots [20] to fly military aircraft. At the Pecos installation, WASP flew AT-6, UC-78, and AT-17 aircraft in engineering tests, administrative duties, and transporting freight. The base was activated in 1942 as a World War II pilot school. [21] The base was deactivated in 1945. At its peak, the base population of 4,034 rivaled the town of Pecos in size. Portions of the base were sold off over the years, with Pecos Municipal Airport retaining the remainder.

Pecos is the site of the largest private prison in the world, the Reeves County Detention Complex, operated by the GEO Group. [22]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,642 square miles (6,840 km2), of which 6.7 sq mi (17 km2) (0.3%) are covered by water. [23]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890 1,247—
1900 1,84748.1%
1910 4,392137.8%
1920 4,4571.5%
1930 6,40743.8%
1940 8,00625.0%
1950 11,74546.7%
1960 17,64450.2%
1970 16,526−6.3%
1980 15,801−4.4%
1990 15,8520.3%
2000 13,137−17.1%
2010 13,7834.9%
2020 14,7487.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [24]
1850–2010 [25] 2010–2020 [26] 2020 [1]

2020 census

Reeves 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 [27] Pop 2010 [28] Pop 2020 [29] % 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)3,1312,6901,69723.83%19.52%11.51%
Black or African American alone (NH)2386722241.81%4.88%1.52%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3421270.26%0.15%0.18%
Asian alone (NH)461181650.35%0.86%1.12%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)0230.00%0.01%0.02%
Other race alone (NH)320390.02%0.15%0.26%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)4527830.34%0.20%0.56%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)9,64010,23312,51073.38%74.24%84.83%
Total13,13713,78314,748100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,748 people, 3,772 households, and 2,388 families residing in the county. According to the 2010 United States census, 13,783 people were living in the county; 77.2% White, 5.0% African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 14.9% of some other race, and 1.5% of two or more races. About 74.2% were Hispanics or Latinos (of any race).

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Politics

In 2020, Donald Trump not only flipped Reeves County, but won the greatest margin of victory for a Republican presidential candidate since President Nixon's 1972 re-election at 61.1%.

United States presidential election results for Reeves County, Texas [30]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 2,34068.04%1,07031.11%290.84%
2020 2,25461.10%1,39537.82%401.08%
2016 1,41744.50%1,65952.10%1083.39%
2012 1,18841.29%1,65557.53%341.18%
2008 1,44546.96%1,60652.19%260.84%
2004 1,77752.34%1,60047.13%180.53%
2000 1,27340.08%1,87258.94%310.98%
1996 1,00728.40%2,27964.27%2607.33%
1992 1,24427.30%2,56956.37%74416.33%
1988 1,72437.86%2,81261.75%180.40%
1984 2,46150.51%2,39649.18%150.31%
1980 2,31550.95%2,13847.05%912.00%
1976 1,71139.41%2,61360.18%180.41%
1972 2,42761.57%1,51038.31%50.13%
1968 1,31037.33%1,45641.49%74321.17%
1964 1,25134.80%2,34065.09%40.11%
1960 1,54940.53%2,23558.48%380.99%
1956 1,49252.24%1,35647.48%80.28%
1952 1,72755.39%1,38544.42%60.19%
1948 30917.27%1,38377.31%975.42%
1944 20113.31%1,15776.62%15210.07%
1940 24715.89%1,30583.98%20.13%
1936 1008.13%1,12791.63%30.24%
1932 12210.07%1,08589.60%40.33%
1928 34446.61%39453.39%00.00%
1924 9618.75%38775.59%295.66%
1920 9116.55%45783.09%20.36%
1916 4310.89%34687.59%61.52%
1912 82.37%27882.49%5115.13%

Education

Two school districts serve sections of the county: [31]

All of the county is in the service area of Odessa College. [32]

See also

Notes

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    References

    1. 1 2 "2020 Census Data". data.census.gov.
    2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    3. ↑ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
    4. ↑ Mallouf, Robert J. "Exploring the Past in Trans-Pecos Texas". Sul Ross University. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas Beyond History
    5. ↑ "Artistic Expression". Texas Beyond History. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas Beyond History
    6. ↑ Blake, Robert Bruce: Antonio de Espejo from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    7. ↑ "Who Were The Jumano?". Texas Beyond History. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas Beyond History
    8. ↑ "Texas Indians Map". R E. Moore and Texarch Associates. Retrieved April 29, 2010. R E. Moore and Texarch Associates
    9. ↑ "Mescalero Spring". Texas Historical Marker. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
    10. ↑ Connor, Seymour V.: John Salmon Ford from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    11. ↑ Britton, Morris L.: George Robertson Reeves from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    12. ↑ Britton, Morris L. "George R. Reeves, Speaker of the House". Texas Politics, UT Austin. Retrieved April 29, 2010. The Texas State Historical Association
    13. ↑ Troesser, John. "Pecos, Texas". Texas Escapes. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
    14. ↑ Smith, Julia Cauble: Reeves from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    15. ↑ "Texas and Pacific Railway Stations". Texas and Pacific Railway. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
    16. ↑ "Texas and Pacific Railway Stations". Texas and Pacific Railway. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
    17. ↑ Cravens, Cris: Pecos River Railway from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    18. ↑ Smith, Julia Cauble: Toyahvale from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    19. ↑ "Balmorhea State Park". Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved April 29, 2010.Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
    20. ↑ "Women Airforce Service Pilots". Wings Across America. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Wings Across America
    21. ↑ Colwell, James L.: Pecos Army Airfield from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
    22. ↑ Weekly, Fort Worth (March 10, 2010). "Private Prisons, Public Pain". Fort Worth Weekly. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
    23. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
    24. ↑ "Decennial Census by Decade". US Census Bureau.
    25. ↑ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 9, 2015.
    26. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
    27. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Reeves County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
    28. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Reeves County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
    29. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Reeves County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
    30. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
    31. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Reeves County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022. - Text list
    32. ↑ Texas Education Code, Section 130.193, "Odessa College District Service Area".

    31°19′N103°41′W / 31.32°N 103.68°W / 31.32; -103.68

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