Bosque County, Texas

Bosque County (/ˈbɒski/ BOS-kee) is a county located in the greater Waco area. The county sits just northwest of Waco in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,235.[1][2] Its county seat is Meridian,[3] while Clifton is the largest city and the cultural/financial center of the county. The county is named for the Bosque River, which runs through the center of the county north to south. The Brazos River makes up the eastern border, along with the Lake Whitney reservoir it feeds.[4]

Bosque County
County
The Bosque County Courthouse in Meridian
The Bosque County Courthouse in Meridian
Map of Texas highlighting Bosque County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°54′N 97°38′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1854
Named forBosque River
SeatMeridian
Largest cityClifton
Area
 • Total1,003 sq mi (2,600 km2)
 • Land983 sq mi (2,550 km2)
 • Water20 sq mi (50 km2)  1.99%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total18,235
 • Density18/sq mi (7.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district31st
Websitewww.bosquecounty.us

Since 2015, Bosque County has been represented in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican DeWayne Burns. The previous 10-year representative was Republican Rob Orr of Burleson.

History

In 1721, while traveling from San Antonio de Béxar to a mission in East Texas, the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo ventured north from the Old San Antonio Road, and camped along the Brazos River. Near his camp was also a tributary of the Brazos, which he named the Bosque, Spanish for forest. This was the first recorded European expedition through the region.

Until the 1850s, settlement of the region that was to become Bosque County remained sparse. About a decade previous, some members of the ill-fated Texan Santa-Fe Expedition of 1841, which passed through the area, chose to stay. One particularly noteworthy attempt at settlement was the town of Kent. In 1850, the Universal Immigration Company of England purchased land for a townsite on the west side of the Brazos. After several years, 30 families were sent over by the company to settle the land, but the newly established community barely survived the first winter, suffering a number of fatalities. The following spring, the settlers planned to right the course of the settlement by purchasing some cattle and seed corn. This plan, too, would go awry, as the cattle would eat the corn before it could be harvested, because no fence was built around the corn. Eventually, the town of Kent dissolved, with most of the settlers choosing to go elsewhere, including some who returned to England.

Bosque County was officially created in 1854, being separated from McLennan County.[5] The first election included 3 ballot boxes: one at the junction of Steele Creek and the Brazos River, one in Meridian, and another at a live oak between Clifton and Valley Mills. This live oak became known as the Bosque County Oak. Locally the oak is known as the "Election Oak".[6]

The voters at the first election were L. H. Scrutchfield, J. K. Helton, J. N. Mabray, Capt. Underhill, James Mabray, William Gary, Gafey Gary, Isaac Gary, Matt Gary, John Robertson, John Thomas, F. M. Kell, Archie Kell, William McCurry, Jack McCurry, Lum McCurry, Samuel Locker, Nathaniel Morgan, R. S. Barnes, J. P. Locker. They elected the following county officers: L. H. Scrutchfield, Judge; P. Bryant, Sheriff; J. N. Mabray, Clerk; Isaac Gary, Assessor and Collector; Archabal Kell, Treasurer.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,003 sq mi (2,600 km2), of which 983 sq mi (2,550 km2) are land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (2.0%) are covered by water.[7]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18602,005—
18704,981148.4%
188011,217125.2%
189014,22426.8%
190017,39022.3%
191019,0139.3%
192018,032−5.2%
193015,750−12.7%
194015,7610.1%
195011,836−24.9%
196010,809−8.7%
197010,9661.5%
198013,40122.2%
199015,12512.9%
200017,20413.7%
201018,2125.9%
202018,2350.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1850–2010[9] 2010[10] 2020[11]
Bosque County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 14,701 13,621 80.72% 74.70%
Black or African American alone (NH) 277 244 1.52% 1.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 74 83 0.41% 0.46%
Asian alone (NH) 38 80 0.21% 0.44%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 3 0.01% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 9 29 0.05% 0.16%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 185 854 1.02% 4.68%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,926 3,321 16.07% 18.21%
Total 18,212 18,235 100.00% 100.00%

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 can be of any race.

As of the census[12] of 2000, 17,204 people, 6,726 households, and 4,856 families were residing in the county. The population density was 17 people/sq mi (6.6 people/km2). The 8,644 housing units averaged 9 per square mile (3.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.75% White, 1.92% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 5.2% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. About 12.23% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 6,726 households, 29.5% had children under 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were not families. About 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 2.95.

A Williams Institute analysis of 2010 census data found about 2.5 same-sex couples per 1,000 households in the county.[13]

In the county, the age distribution was 24.4% under 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,181, and for a family was $40,763. Males had a median income of $31,669 versus $21,739 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,455. About 8.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under 18 and 14.6% of those 65 or over.

Media

Bosque County is currently listed as part of the Dallas-Fort Worth DMA. Local media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Although located in Central Texas and a neighboring county of the Waco and Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan areas. Meaning all of the Waco/Temple/Killeen market stations also provide coverage for Bosque County. They include: KCEN-TV, KWTX-TV, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV.

Newspapers include The Clinton Record and Meridian Tribune, both run by BosqueCountyToday.com, whose publisher is Rita Hamilton.

Politics
United States presidential election results for Bosque County, Texas[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 7,469 81.84% 1,561 17.10% 96 1.05%
2016 6,339 80.58% 1,278 16.25% 250 3.18%
2012 5,885 80.00% 1,367 18.58% 104 1.41%
2008 5,762 75.36% 1,797 23.50% 87 1.14%
2004 5,737 75.63% 1,815 23.93% 34 0.45%
2000 4,745 70.09% 1,930 28.51% 95 1.40%
1996 2,840 47.13% 2,427 40.28% 759 12.60%
1992 2,300 35.44% 2,173 33.49% 2,016 31.07%
1988 3,458 56.26% 2,670 43.44% 19 0.31%
1984 3,923 65.57% 2,046 34.20% 14 0.23%
1980 2,908 53.49% 2,431 44.71% 98 1.80%
1976 1,912 39.16% 2,954 60.50% 17 0.35%
1972 2,947 74.12% 1,014 25.50% 15 0.38%
1968 1,377 35.12% 1,817 46.34% 727 18.54%
1964 1,024 27.52% 2,690 72.29% 7 0.19%
1960 1,653 46.89% 1,852 52.54% 20 0.57%
1956 1,654 49.65% 1,670 50.14% 7 0.21%
1952 1,982 50.45% 1,940 49.38% 7 0.18%
1948 501 16.95% 2,303 77.91% 152 5.14%
1944 504 15.11% 2,502 75.02% 329 9.87%
1940 595 16.17% 3,083 83.78% 2 0.05%
1936 350 13.27% 2,283 86.54% 5 0.19%
1932 272 7.80% 3,214 92.12% 3 0.09%
1928 1,526 55.19% 1,235 44.67% 4 0.14%
1924 403 13.36% 2,534 83.99% 80 2.65%
1920 567 22.29% 1,556 61.16% 421 16.55%
1916 179 9.85% 1,561 85.91% 77 4.24%
1912 64 4.67% 1,217 88.90% 88 6.43%

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bosque County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  2. "Bosque County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. Bosque County
  5. "History of Bosque County". Bosque County. 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  6. "Bosque County Oak". tfsweb.tamu.edu. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  8. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  9. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  10. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Bosque County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  11. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Bosque County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. Leonhardt, David; Quealy, Kevin (June 26, 2015), "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, retrieved July 6, 2015
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 19, 2018.

Bibliography
  • Bosque County History Book Committee, Bosque County, Land and People (Dallas: Curtis Media, 1985).
  • Bosquerama, 1854-1954: Centennial Celebration of Bosque County, Texas (Meridian, Texas: Bosque County Centennial Association, 1954).
  • William C. Pool, A History of Bosque County (San Marcos, Texas: San Marcos Record Press, 1954).
  • William C. Pool, Bosque Territory (Kyle, Texas: Chaparral, 1964).
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31.90°N 97.63°W / 31.90; -97.63

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