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Texas Counties

Texas is divided into 254 counties, more than any other U.S. state Texas was originally divided into municipalities, a unit of local government under Spanish and Mexican rule. When the Republic of Texas gained its independence in 1836, there were 23 municipalities, which became the original Texas counties. Many of these would later be divided into new counties. The most recent county to be created was Kenedy County in 1921. The most recent county to be organized was Loving County in 1931

Callahan County, Texas

Callahan County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Baird
Year Organized: 1877
Square Miles: 899

Court House:

400 Market Street
County Courthouse
Baird, TX 79504-5308

Etymology - Origin of County Name

James Hughes Callahan, a soldier during the Texas Revolution

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Callahan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. ts county seat is Baird. Callahan is named for James Hughes Callahan, a soldier during the Texas Revolution.

Between 1858 and 1877, Callahan County was attached successively to Bexar County, Travis County, and Eastland County for administrative and judicial purposes. In 1877 the residents, more than 150 strong, signed a petition requesting the organization of Callahan County. At the election of July 3, 1877, Callahan City became the first county seat, a position the town retained only until the election of October 13, 1877, when Belle Plain was voted in as the new county seat. Belle Plain showed signs of rapid growth, and a number of settlers moved there in anticipation of the railroad; by 1878 it had a population of more than 100, and by 1880 the number of residents had grown to nearly 300. In 1880-81 the Texas and Pacific Railway was constructed from Fort Worth to El Paso. Stations for the railroad were located at Putnam, Baird, and Clyde, all of which soon developed into towns, but bypassed Belle Plain six miles to the north. An election on January 16, 1883, made Baird the new county seat. Belle Plain soon declined; the stone jail and many of residences were moved to Baird, and by 1897 only four families remained. The construction of the railroad also opened the way for numerous new settlers. During the 1870s and 1880s several communities formed, including Cottonwood, Atwell, Cross Plains, Caddo Peak, Eagle Cove, and Eula. More settlers continued to arrive during the 1890s, and by the turn of the century there were post offices in Oplin, Tecumseh, Denton, Dressy, Admiral, and Dudley. In 1880 the county population was 3,419; by 1890 it had grown to 5,274.

More at Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/hcc3.html (accessed November 4, 2008).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 901 square miles (2,334 km²), of which, 899 square miles (2,327 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (7 km²) of it (0.29%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

Shackelford County (north)
Eastland County (east)
Brown County (southeast)
Coleman County (south)
Taylor County (west)
Jones County (northwest)

Cities and Towns:

- Baird (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Clyde	city	Incorporated Area
- Cross Plains	town	Incorporated Area
- Putnam	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

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