Lampasas County, Texas

Lampasas County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 17,762. Its seat is Lampasas^[1]. The county is named for the Lampasas River.

Lampasas County is part of the Killeen•Temple•Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History Timeline

• Indigenous peoples first inhabitants of the area. Later known tribes in the area include Tonkawa, Lipan Apache and Comanche.

• 1519-1685 Hernando Cortez and Alonso Álvarez de Pineda claim Texas for Spain.

• 1685-1690 France plants its flag on Texas soil, but departs after only five years. ^[2]

• 1690-1821 Spanish missions and settlements flourish in Texas.

• 1721 The Aguayo expedition is said to have passed through the county. ^[3]

• 1735 A missionary expedition from San Antonio is said to have discovered mineral springs.

• 1821 Mexico claims its independence from Spain. Anglos from the north settle in Texas and claim Mexican citizenship.

• 1820's-1830's Stephen F. Austin and Green DeWitt explorations

• 1829, September 15 - Mexican President Vicente Ramon Guerrero, himself an ex-slave of Spanish, African and Native American descent, emancipates all slaves within the Republic of Mexico: ^{[4] [5]}

1st - Slavery is abolished in the republic.

2nd - Consequently, those who have been until now considered slaves are free.

3rd - When the circumstances of the treasury may permit, the owners of the slaves will be indemnified in the mode that the laws may provide. And in order that every part of this decree may be fully complied with, let it be printed, published, and circulated.

Given at the Federal Palace of Mexico, the 15th of September, 1829.

Vicente Guerrero To José María Bocanegra

• 1836

March 2 - Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico establishes the Republic of Texas.

March 6 - The Alamo falls.

April 21-22 - Battle of San Jacinto, Antonio López de Santa Anna captured.

May 14 - Santa Anna signs the Treaties of Velasco.

• 1845, December 29 -Texas Annexation by the United States

• 1846, May 13 - The United States Congress officially declares war on Mexico.

• 1848, February 2 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ends the Mexican-American War.

• 1853 Moses Hughes and his invalid wife, Hannah (Berry), become the first permanent settlers, seeking to take advantage of the medicinal springs.

• 1854 John Patterson is the first man to cultivate land in the county. ^[6]

• 1855 Elizabeth and George W. Scott lay out the town of Burleson, named for her father. The town is later re-named Lampasas when it becomes the county seat.

• 1856

February 1 - The Sixth Texas Legislature forms Lampasas County, named after the Lampasas River, from parts of Travis, Bell, and Coryell counties.

March 10 - Burleson, renamed Lampasas, is made the county seat..

• 1858 The northeastern corner of Lampasas County becomes part of Hamilton County.

• 1859 The Lampasas Guards are organized to ward off Indian attacks.

• 1860 Lampasas County population 1,028. About 15 percent are slaves.

• 1861

County votes 85-75 for secession from the Union.

February 1 - Texas secedes from the Union

March 2 - Texas joins the Confederate States of America

Indian raids increase in Lampasas as able bodied men are off fighting in the war.

• 1863, January 1 • The Emancipation Proclamation. ^[7]

• 1865

April 9 • Robert E. Lee formally surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House.

April 15 • President Abraham Lincoln dies of a head wound inflicted by assassin John Wilkes Booth.

June 19 • Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston to enforce the emancipation of all slaves. It is the first time African Americans in Texas know of the Emancipation. The date becomes celebrated annually in Texas as Juneteenth, and later as an official state holiday known as Emancipation Day. ^[8]

December 6 • The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits slavery.

• 1870, March 30 - The United States Congress readmits Texas into the Union.

• 1872 Townsen’s Mill is built by Perry and Jasper Townsen. Steam mill cut "rawhide" lumber and ground wheat and corn. ^[9]

• 1874 Henry A. Chadwick and son Milam build a sawmill, flour mill, cotton gin. ^[10]

• 1875 Farmers' Alliance is born in Lampasas in reaction against the cattle rustling and illegal land dealings prevalent in the county.

• 1877 Gunfight at the Lampasas Saloon ^{[11] [12]}

• 1882 The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway extends its line west from Belton to Lampasas.

• 1885 Texas Bankers Association, the oldest and largest in the United States, has its beginnings in Lampasas. ^[13]

• 1887 Mills County receives northern and northwestern sections of Lampasas County.

• 1892, April 20 • First state meeting of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas is held in Lampasas. ^[14]

• 1902 Pierian Club of Lampasas civic organization is chartered. ^[15]

• 1920’s Texas Power and Light Company arrives in Lampasas County.

• 1934 The Lower Colorado River Authority brings electricity to the county.

• 1935 Rollins-Brook Hospital, opens near Lampasas.

• 1942 Fort Hood opens as a military training base. Hancock Park in Lampasas is temporarily turned over to the troops as a recreational area.

• 1949 Lone Star Gas establishes services in the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 714 square miles (1,849 km²), of which, 712 square miles (1,844 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) of it (0.27%) is water.

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 183
• U.S. Highway 190
• U.S. Highway 281

Adjacent counties

• Hamilton County (north)
• Coryell County (northeast)
• Bell County (southeast)
• Burnet County (south)
• San Saba County (west)
• Mills County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 17,762 people, 6,554 households, and 4,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 7,601 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.75% White, 3.10% Black or African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 6.49% from other races, and 2.15% from two or more races. 15.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,554 households out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.70% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 21.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.60% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,176, and the median income for a family was $41,395. Males had a median income of $30,320 versus $20,637 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,184. About 10.70% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.70% of those under age 18 and 14.80% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

• Bend (unincorporated; partly in San Saba County)
• Copperas Cove (partly in Bell and Coryell Counties)
• Kempner
• Lampasas
• Lometa

References

1. ^ . National Association of Counties. . Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^ The Six National Flags of Texas [1]
3. ^ Texas Handbook, Lampasas County [2]
4. ^ The Magnificent Life of Vicente Ramon Guerrero [3]
5. ^ TAMU Chieftans of Mexican Independence [4]
6. ^ Texas Historical Marker, John Patterson [5]
7. ^ Government documents, Emancipation Proclamation [6]
8. ^ Cinnamon Hearts Juneteenth [7]
9. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Townsen’s Mill [8]
10. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Chadwick’s Mill [9]
11. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Gunfight at the Lampasas Saloon [10]
12. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Horrell-Higgans Feud [11]
13. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Texas Bankers Association [12]
14. ^ Texas Historical Marker, DRT [13]
15. ^ Texas Historical Marker, Pierian Club [14]
16. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

• Lampasas County from the Handbook of Texas Online

Coordinates: 31°11′N 98°14′W / 31.19°N 98.24°W

Categories: Texas counties | Lampasas County, Texas | Killeen • Temple • Fort Hood metropolitan area | 1856 establishments