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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

Childress County, Texas

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

County Seat: Childress
Year Organized: 1887
Square Miles: 710

Court House:

Box 1
County Courthouse
Childress, TX 79201-0001

Etymology - Origin of County Name

George Campbell Childress, one of the authors of the Texas Declaration of Independence

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Childress County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is named for George Campbell Childress, the author of the Texas Declaration of Independence. The seat of the county is Childress

Farms began to be established in the Childress County in the 1880s after the Fort Worth and Denver City extended its tracks into the area. This railroad began construction of its line from Fort Worth to the Texas-New Mexico border in 1881 and crossed into Childress County in April 1887. Organization of the county soon followed. A move to organize the county began even as the rails were being laid across it. A lively competition for the role of county seat developed between two townsites: Childress City, favored by most of the county residents, and Henry, the site favored by the railroad. In an election held in April 1887, county residents chose Childress City as their county seat, but soon changed their minds to accommodate demands and threats leveled by the railroad company. The Fort Worth and Denver City threatened not to stop in Childress City unless the election results were reversed, and sweetened its demand by offering lot owners in Childress City equal lots in Henry, the railroad's town. Using these tactics the FW&DC was able to force a new election in July 1887, and in the second election Henry became the county seat; its name was changed to Childress. The old Childress City disappeared as all its buildings were moved to the new town.

More at Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/hcc11.html (accessed November 4, 2008).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 714 square miles (1,848 km²), of which, 710 square miles (1,840 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) of it (0.46%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

Collingsworth County (north)
Harmon County, Oklahoma (northeast)
Hardeman County (east)
Cottle County (south)
Hall County (west)

Cities and Towns:

- Childress (County Seat)

city

Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

Online High Schools

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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