Wise County, Texas
Wise County | |
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UTC−5 (CDT) | |
Congressional districts | 13th, 26th |
Website | www |
Wise County is a
History
On November 10, 1837, the Battle of the Knobs was fought in what is now Wise County between about 150 Native American warriors and 18 Republic of Texas soldiers under Lieutenant A. B. Benthuysen. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Texan soldiers held their ground, killing or wounding an estimated 50 Native Americans and losing 10 of their own men. More settlers began coming into the area not long afterward, with people relocating from both the Upper South and Deep South. Wise County was not founded until 1856. It was named after Virginia Congressman Henry A. Wise, who had supported annexation of Texas by the United States. He was elected governor of Virginia in 1856.[4]
As few residents of Wise County were slaveholders, opinions were mixed at the time of the Civil War, and many people opposed secession. Unionists were persecuted in North Texas, and some were lynched. Forty-two men were murdered in the Great Hanging at Gainesville in October 1862, over the course of several days in neighboring Cooke County. This was one of the worst examples of vigilante justice in American history.
In recent years, Wise County allowed an increase in
Geography
According to the
Adjacent counties
- Montague County (north)
- Cooke County (northeast)
- Denton County (east)
- Tarrant County (southeast)
- Parker County (south)
- Jack County (west)
National protected area
- Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (majority)
Communities
Cities
- Aurora
- Bridgeport
- Decatur (county seat)
- Fort Worth (mostly in Tarrant County with small parts in Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise Counties)
- Lake Bridgeport
- New Fairview
- Newark (small part in Tarrant County)
- Paradise
- Rhome
- Runaway Bay
Towns
Census-designated places
- Briar (partly in Tarrant and Parker Counties)
- Pecan Acres (mostly in Tarrant County)
Unincorporated communities
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 3,160 | — | |
1870 | 1,450 | −54.1% | |
1880 | 16,601 | 1,044.9% | |
1890 | 24,134 | 45.4% | |
1900 | 27,116 | 12.4% | |
1910 | 26,450 | −2.5% | |
1920 | 23,363 | −11.7% | |
1930 | 19,178 | −17.9% | |
1940 | 19,074 | −0.5% | |
1950 | 16,141 | −15.4% | |
1960 | 17,012 | 5.4% | |
1970 | 19,687 | 15.7% | |
1980 | 26,575 | 35.0% | |
1990 | 34,679 | 30.5% | |
2000 | 48,793 | 40.7% | |
2010 | 59,127 | 21.2% | |
2020 | 68,631 | 16.1% | |
2023 (est.) | 78,097 | 13.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1850–2010[9] 2010[10] 2020[11] |
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[12] | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[11] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
White alone (NH)
|
41,991 | 47,122 | 50,495 | 86.06% | 79.70% | 73.57% |
Black or African American alone (NH)
|
584 | 573 | 657 | 1.20% | 0.97% | 0.96% |
Alaska Native alone (NH)
|
309 | 341 | 474 | 0.63% | 0.58% | 0.69% |
Asian alone (NH) | 107 | 234 | 372 | 0.22% | 0.40% | 0.54% |
Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 21 | 15 | 12 | 0.04% | 0.03% | 0.02% |
Other race alone (NH) | 20 | 35 | 172 | 0.04% | 0.06% | 0.25% |
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 513 | 695 | 2,756 | 1.05% | 1.18% | 4.02% |
Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5,248 | 10,112 | 13,694 | 10.76% | 17.10% | 19.95% |
Total | 48,793 | 59,127 | 68,632 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In 2000 there were 48,793 people, 17,178 households, and 13,467 families were residing in the county.
A
American Community Survey 2023 Data
The United States Census Bureau estimated that in 2023, Wise County’s population was 78,097. It was also estimated that the county was 21.5% Hispanic or Latino, 73.5% NH White, 1.8% NH Black, 0.6% NH Asian, 0.7% NH Native American, 0.1% NH Pacific Islander, 1.7% NH Multiracial.[15]
Race | Total | Percentage |
Hispanic or Latino | 16,789 | 21.5% |
NH White | 57,409 | 73.5% |
NH Black | 1,428 | 1.8% |
NH Asian | 506 | 0.6% |
NH Native American | 564 | 0.7% |
NH Pacific Islander | 57 | 0.1% |
NH Multiracial | 1,344 | 1.7% |
Politics
Wise County, like most rural counties in Texas, votes reliably for Republican candidates in statewide and national elections.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2024 | 32,385 | 84.68% | 5,605 | 14.66% | 253 | 0.66% |
2020 | 27,032 | 83.52% | 4,973 | 15.37% | 360 | 1.11% |
2016 | 20,670 | 83.43% | 3,412 | 13.77% | 694 | 2.80% |
2012 | 17,207 | 82.95% | 3,221 | 15.53% | 317 | 1.53% |
2008 | 15,973 | 77.39% | 4,471 | 21.66% | 195 | 0.94% |
2004 | 15,177 | 75.71% | 4,783 | 23.86% | 87 | 0.43% |
2000 | 11,234 | 68.63% | 4,830 | 29.51% | 304 | 1.86% |
1996 | 6,330 | 48.81% | 5,056 | 38.99% | 1,582 | 12.20% |
1992 | 4,555 | 33.57% | 4,478 | 33.00% | 4,535 | 33.42% |
1988 | 6,064 | 53.22% | 5,288 | 46.41% | 43 | 0.38% |
1984 | 6,958 | 64.11% | 3,856 | 35.53% | 39 | 0.36% |
1980 | 4,350 | 47.26% | 4,674 | 50.78% | 181 | 1.97% |
1976 | 2,856 | 35.64% | 5,133 | 64.06% | 24 | 0.30% |
1972 | 4,230 | 70.43% | 1,741 | 28.99% | 35 | 0.58% |
1968 | 1,983 | 33.82% | 2,774 | 47.31% | 1,107 | 18.88% |
1964 | 1,386 | 26.45% | 3,852 | 73.50% | 3 | 0.06% |
1960 | 2,562 | 50.72% | 2,470 | 48.90% | 19 | 0.38% |
1956 | 2,058 | 45.49% | 2,443 | 54.00% | 23 | 0.51% |
1952 | 2,309 | 42.49% | 3,121 | 57.43% | 4 | 0.07% |
1948 | 448 | 11.86% | 3,064 | 81.10% | 266 | 7.04% |
1944 | 444 | 11.16% | 3,114 | 78.26% | 421 | 10.58% |
1940 | 498 | 11.71% | 3,751 | 88.24% | 2 | 0.05% |
1936 | 348 | 11.26% | 2,737 | 88.58% | 5 | 0.16% |
1932 | 286 | 9.60% | 2,681 | 89.97% | 13 | 0.44% |
1928 | 2,141 | 66.20% | 1,093 | 33.80% | 0 | 0.00% |
1924 | 532 | 14.61% | 2,958 | 81.24% | 151 | 4.15% |
1920 | 579 | 21.25% | 2,031 | 74.53% | 115 | 4.22% |
1916 | 263 | 10.73% | 2,023 | 82.57% | 164 | 6.69% |
1912 | 156 | 6.78% | 1,842 | 80.05% | 303 | 13.17% |
Education
These school districts lie entirely within Wise County:
- Alvord Independent School District
- Boyd Independent School District
- Bridgeport Independent School District
- Chico Independent School District
- Decatur Independent School District
- Paradise Independent School District
- Slidell Independent School District
This private educational institution serves Wise County:
This higher education institution serves Wise County:
Transportation
Major highways
- U.S. Highway 81
- U.S. Highway 287
- U.S. Highway 380
State Highway 101
State Highway 114
State Highway 199
Airports
These public-use airports are located in the county:[17]
- Bishop Airport (76T)
- Bridgeport Municipal Airport (XBP)
- Decatur Municipal Airport (LUD)
- Heritage Creek Airstrip (58T)
- Rhome Meadows Airport (T76)
See also
- List of museums in North Texas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wise County, Texas
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Wise County
References
- ^ "Wise County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ WCMessenger.com: Wise Eyes expands its vision[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "Wise County, Texas". www.co.wise.tx.us. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
- ^ "Wise County Family Sues over Natural Gas Fracking", CBS.com, March 8, 2011
- ^ "Wise County pair wins $3 million jury award in drilling lawsuit". Star-Telegram (Fort Worth TX). Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 12, 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 May 12, 2015.
- ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wise County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b c "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Wise County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Wise County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ Leonhardt, David; Quealy, Kevin (June 26, 2015), "Where Same-Sex Couples Live", The New York Times, retrieved July 6, 2015
- ^ "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
- ^ "Wise County Public and Private Airports". www.tollfreeairline.com. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
External links
- Wise County Genealogy Resources
- Wise County on the Web
- Wise County government's website
- "Liberally Lean From The Land of Dairy Queen" - A Local Blog About Wise County
- Wise County in Handbook of Texas Online at the University of Texas
33°13′N 97°39′W / 33.22°N 97.65°W
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Wise County, Texas". www.census.gov. Retrieved January 31, 2024.