Bee County, Texas
Bee County | |
---|---|
UTC−5 (CDT) | |
Congressional district | 27th |
Website | co |
Bee County is a
History
On December 8, 1857, the Texas Legislature formed Bee County from sections of Refugio, Live Oak, San Patricio, Goliad, and Karnes Counties, naming it for Colonel Barnard Elliot Bee, who served the Republic of Texas as Sam Houston's secretary of war and Mirabeau B. Lamar's secretary of state.[4]
During the Anglo-American land speculation of the 1830s, the area's earliest settlers were mainly Irish immigrants, but by the late 1840s and early 1850s, the rise of Jacksonian expansionism inspired Southern whites from the North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi to occupy and build settlements in the area.[5]
As the constitution of the Republic of Texas no longer recognized the Catholic Church (or any church) as the state religion and slave-holding settlers came to dominate the area in the 1840s, small Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist congregations began forming with sustained missionary support from these denominations. Research suggests that Baptists and Methodists comprised 65% of all Texas congregations by 1870.[6]
Geography
According to the
Major highways
- U.S. Highway 59
- Interstate 69W is currently under construction and will follow the current route of U.S. 59 in most places.
- U.S. Highway 181
- State Highway 72
- State Highway 202
- State Highway 359
- Farm to Market Road 673
- Farm to Market Road 799
- Farm to Market Road 833
Adjacent counties
- Karnes County (north)
- Goliad County (northeast)
- Refugio County (east)
- San Patricio County (southeast)
- Live Oak County (west)
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 910 | — | |
1870 | 1,082 | 18.9% | |
1880 | 2,298 | 112.4% | |
1890 | 3,720 | 61.9% | |
1900 | 7,720 | 107.5% | |
1910 | 12,090 | 56.6% | |
1920 | 12,137 | 0.4% | |
1930 | 15,721 | 29.5% | |
1940 | 16,481 | 4.8% | |
1950 | 18,174 | 10.3% | |
1960 | 23,755 | 30.7% | |
1970 | 22,737 | −4.3% | |
1980 | 26,030 | 14.5% | |
1990 | 25,135 | −3.4% | |
2000 | 32,359 | 28.7% | |
2010 | 31,861 | −1.5% | |
2020 | 31,047 | −2.6% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1850–2010[9] 2010–2020[2] |
Race | Pop 2010[11] | Pop 2020[12] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
White (NH)
|
10,967 | 8,600 | 34.42% | 27.7% |
Black or African American (NH)
|
2,525 | 2,316 | 7.93% | 7.46% |
Alaska Native (NH)
|
70 | 54 | 0.22% | 0.17% |
Asian (NH) | 162 | 211 | 0.51% | 0.68% |
Pacific Islander (NH) | 10 | 2 | 0.03% | 0.01% |
Some other race (NH) | 38 | 65 | 0.12% | 0.21% |
Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 183 | 407 | 0.57% | 1.31% |
Hispanic or Latino | 17,906 | 19,392 | 56.2% | 62.46% |
Total | 31,861 | 31,047 |
As of the
As of the Census[13] of 2000, 32,359 people, 9,061 households, and 6,578 families lived in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14 people/km2). The 10,939 housing units had an average density of 12 units per square mile (4.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 67.85% White, 9.90% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 19.15% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races. About 53.93% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 9,061 households, 37.8% had children under 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were not families. About 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74, and the average family size was 3.25.
In the county, the population was distributed as 23.4% under 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 148.40 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 164.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,392, and for a family was $32,967. Males had a median income of $26,473 versus $20,666 for females. The
Government and infrastructure
The
In 1981 the county government provided firefighting services in
Politics
Bee County is somewhat moderate in comparison to surrounding counties in its support of Republicans in presidential elections. In 2016, Donald Trump won less than 56% of the vote. As recently as 1996, it gave a majority of its votes to the Democratic candidate.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 6,006 | 63.72% | 3,288 | 34.88% | 132 | 1.40% |
2016 | 4,744 | 55.91% | 3,444 | 40.59% | 297 | 3.50% |
2012 | 4,356 | 55.29% | 3,452 | 43.81% | 71 | 0.90% |
2008 | 4,471 | 54.81% | 3,645 | 44.69% | 41 | 0.50% |
2004 | 5,428 | 57.03% | 4,045 | 42.50% | 45 | 0.47% |
2000 | 4,429 | 53.17% | 3,795 | 45.56% | 106 | 1.27% |
1996 | 3,611 | 41.19% | 4,561 | 52.03% | 594 | 6.78% |
1992 | 3,633 | 39.89% | 4,083 | 44.83% | 1,392 | 15.28% |
1988 | 4,620 | 49.78% | 4,616 | 49.74% | 45 | 0.48% |
1984 | 5,377 | 59.32% | 3,659 | 40.37% | 28 | 0.31% |
1980 | 4,171 | 52.59% | 3,606 | 45.47% | 154 | 1.94% |
1976 | 2,953 | 43.93% | 3,690 | 54.89% | 79 | 1.18% |
1972 | 3,779 | 64.42% | 2,067 | 35.24% | 20 | 0.34% |
1968 | 1,995 | 35.98% | 2,957 | 53.34% | 592 | 10.68% |
1964 | 1,509 | 31.23% | 3,314 | 68.58% | 9 | 0.19% |
1960 | 2,220 | 46.38% | 2,557 | 53.42% | 10 | 0.21% |
1956 | 2,401 | 55.26% | 1,929 | 44.40% | 15 | 0.35% |
1952 | 2,536 | 61.46% | 1,583 | 38.37% | 7 | 0.17% |
1948 | 801 | 33.74% | 1,441 | 60.70% | 132 | 5.56% |
1944 | 848 | 35.17% | 1,306 | 54.17% | 257 | 10.66% |
1940 | 948 | 35.02% | 1,759 | 64.98% | 0 | 0.00% |
1936 | 603 | 28.96% | 1,462 | 70.22% | 17 | 0.82% |
1932 | 534 | 19.60% | 2,180 | 80.03% | 10 | 0.37% |
1928 | 1,189 | 53.18% | 1,043 | 46.65% | 4 | 0.18% |
1924 | 944 | 45.45% | 987 | 47.52% | 146 | 7.03% |
1920 | 283 | 30.66% | 545 | 59.05% | 95 | 10.29% |
1916 | 152 | 19.82% | 584 | 76.14% | 31 | 4.04% |
1912 | 35 | 5.91% | 476 | 80.41% | 81 | 13.68% |
Education
These school districts serve Bee County:[21]
- Beeville Independent School District
- Mathis Independent School District (partial)
- Pawnee Independent School District (partial, K-8)
- Pettus Independent School District (partial)
- Refugio Independent School District (partial)
- Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District (partial)
- Three Rivers Independent School District (partial)
Coastal Bend College (formerly Bee County College), a postsecondary institution, serves Bee County among other counties and areas.[22]
Communities
City
- Beeville (county seat)
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
See also
- List of museums in South Texas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bee County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Bee County
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Bee County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Ezell, Camp (1973). The Historical Story of Bee County, Texas. Beeville, Texas: Beeville Publishing Co. p. 25.
- JSTOR 143180.
- JSTOR 968321.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
- US Census Bureau.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "Correctional Institutions Division Region IV Director's Office Archived 2008-01-21 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.
- ^ "Garza East Unit Archived 2008-01-18 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.
- ^ "Garza West Unit Archived 2010-07-25 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.
- ^ "McConnell Unit Archived 2010-07-25 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.
- ^ "Beeville Distribution Center Archived 2010-07-12 at the Wayback Machine." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 22, 2010.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
- U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved February 15, 2024. - Text list
- ^ Texas Education Code Sec. 130.167. BEE COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. The legislation calls it "Bee County College".
External links
- Bee County government official website
- Bee County, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Historic Bee County materials, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- Beeville History