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Texas State...
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Texas Counties |
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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 |
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Cameron County, Texas
Cameron County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Brownsville
Year Organized: 1848
Square Miles: 906 |
Court House: P.O. Box 2178
County Courthouse
Brownsville, TX 78522-2178 |
Etymology - Origin of County Name
Ewen Cameron, a soldier during the Texas Revolution who was named for Sir Ewen Cameron of Lochiel
Demographics:
County QuickFacts:
Census Bureau Quick Facts
History
Cameron County is the southernmost county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Its county seat is Brownsville. Cameron
is named for Captain Ewen Cameron, a soldier during the Texas Revolution and in the ill-fated Mier Expedition.
On February 12, 1848, the Texas legislature decreed the existence of Cameron County, and with the signing of the
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgoqv on July 4 the area officially became part of the
United States. The new county encompassed 3,308 square miles, including parts of the future Hidalgo, Willacy, Kenedy,
and Brooks counties. An election of county officers was held on August 7, but organization was not completed until
September 11. Santa Rita, five miles downstream from Fort Brown and believed to be the earliest English-speaking
town in the area, was made the county seat. The same year Charles Stillmanqv
established Brownsville just west of Fort Brown. In December another election was held, and after intense effort on
Stillman's part Brownsville was chosen county seat.
More at Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. ","
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/hcc4.html (accessed November 4, 2008).
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,276 square miles (3,306 kmē), of which, 906
square miles (2,346 kmē) of it is land and 371 square miles (960 kmē) of it (29.03%) is water.
Neighboring Counties:
- Willacy County, Texas (north)
- Hidalgo County, Texas (west)
- Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (south)
- To the east, the county borders the Gulf of Mexico.
Cities and Towns:
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- Bayview |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Brownsville
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Combes |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Harlingen |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Indian Lake |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- La Feria |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Laguna Vista |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Los Fresnos |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Los Indios |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Palm Valley |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Port Isabel |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Primera |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Rancho Viejo |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Rio Hondo |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- San Benito |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Santa Rosa |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- South Padre Island |
town |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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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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