Mason County, Texas
The Mason County Courthouse in Mason, Texas.
Location in the state of Texas
Texas's location in the U.S.
Founded	1858
Seat	Mason
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	932 sq mi (2,414 km²) 932 sq mi (2,414 km²) 1 sq mi (3 km²), 0.01%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	4,012 5/sq mi (2/km²)
Website	www.co.mason.tx.us

Mason County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 4,012.^[1] Its county seat is Mason^[2]. Mason County is named for Fort Mason, which was located in the county.

History Timeline[link]

• Original inhabitants Lipan Apache, Comanches^[3]
• 1847 Meusebach–Comanche Treaty^[4]
• 1851, July 6 - Fort Mason is established.^[5]
• 1858, January 22 - Mason County, named for Fort Mason, is established by an act of Texas state legislature.^[6] First post offices are established.
• 1860 Population of 630 includes 18 slaves
• 1861

February - County, spurred in part by anti-slavery sentiments of German residents, overwhelmingly votes against secession from the Union.

March - Fort Mason surrendered to the Confederacy, who leave it mostly vacant and thereby cause an uptick in Indian attacks on the area.^[7][8]

May 20 - Voters select town of Mason as County Seat.^[9]

• 1866-1868 Federal troops occupy Fort Mason, only to eventually abandon it.^[10]
• 1869 Courthouse and jail are erected.^[11]
• 1870 May 16 - Herman Lehmann and brother Willie are captured by Apaches, but Willie escapes within days.^[12][13]
• 1870-1898 The county had four women homesteaders: Louisa J. Hendryx, Mahala Hunnicutt, Sarah E. Morris and Priscilla Sparks^[14]
• 1875-1877

County’s first newspaper begins publication.^[15]

Hoo Doo War over cattle rustling.^[16]

Most famous participant in the war is Johnny Ringo, who on September 25, 1875, kills James Cheyney.^[17][18][19]

Courthouse fire destroys all records.^[11]

• 1878, May 12 - Herman Lehmann, escorted by soldiers, finally returns to his family.^[12]
• 1880s Manganese is discovered. Wakefield Company opens Spiller mines. Iron ore is discovered. Prospecting begins for gold, silver and coal.^[20]
• 1882-83 Hereford cattle are introduced into the county.^[21] Provisions made for county wide road work.
• 1887 The county petitions for state aid for needy residents.
• 1897, May 27 - John O. Meusebach dies at his farm at Loyal Valley, is buried in the Marschall Meusebach Cemetery at Cherry Spring.^[22]
• 1890s County places a bounty on wolves, wildcats and mountain lions.
• 1902 Mason installs its first telephone in the county judge's office.
• 1913 County hires an agricultural agent.
• 1918 October 3 - Eighteen months after United States Congress declares war on Germany, the Mason County Council of Defense draws up resolution to abandon the use of the German language in the county. The majority of County residents are of German heritage.^[3]
• 1919 First oil and gas lease in the county. Construction begins on the Mason County section of the Puget Sound-to-the-Gulf Highway.
• 1920s Radios come to Mason County.
• 1938 Pedernales Electric Cooperative is formed to provide rural electrification . Mason County joins in June.^[23]
• 1946 Local soil-conservation board organized. County schools consolidated.

Geography[link]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 932 square miles (2,410 km²), virtually all of which is land.

Major highways[link]

• U.S. Highway 87
• U.S. Highway 377
• State Highway 29
• State Highway 71

Adjacent counties[link]

• McCulloch County (north)
• San Saba County (northeast)
• Llano County (east)
• Gillespie County (south)
• Kimble County (southwest)
• Menard County (west)

Demographics[link]

As of the census^[26] of 2000, there were 3,738 people, 1,607 households, and 1,110 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,372 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.60% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 20.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,607 households out of which 25.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 20.70% from 25 to 44, 28.80% from 45 to 64, and 23.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,921, and the median income for a family was $39,360. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,931. About 10.10% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.50% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people[link]

• J. Marvin Hunter (1880–1957) Born in Mason County. Historian, journalist, printer of the American West founder of Frontier Times magazine and Frontier Times Museum in Bandera
• Anna Mebus Martin (1820–1864) Chartered the Commercial Bank of Mason, wealthy business woman and rancher
• Louis (Ludwig) Martin (1820–1864) Co-founder of Hedwigs Hill, Mason County Justice of the Peace
• Governor Coke Stevenson (1888–1975) Born in Mason County

Localities[link]

City[link]

• Mason

Unincorporated places[link]

• Art
• Behrens
• Camp Air
• Cold Spring
• Double Knobbs
• Fly Gap
• Fredonia
• Grit
• Grossville
• Katemcy
• Hedwigs Hill
• Hilda
• Koockville
• Long Mountain
• Loyal Valley
• Pontotoc
• Streeter
• Wagram

See also[link]

• Adelsverein
• German Texan
• List of museums in Central Texas
• Louis (Ludwig) Martin
• Meusebach Homesite
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Mason County, Texas
• Spy Rock

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mason County government's website
• Mason County from the Handbook of Texas Online
• Texas Beyond History, Honey Creek

		McCulloch County	San Saba County
	Menard County		Llano County
		Mason County, Texas    East
	Kimble County	Gillespie County

v t e Municipalities and communities of Mason County, Texas, United States County seat: Mason City Mason Unincorporated communities Art Fredonia Grit Hedwigs Hill Hilda Katemcy Loyal Valley Pontotoc

v t e  State of Texas Austin (capital) Topics Architecture Climate Cuisine Geography Government History Languages Literature Sports Texans Transportation Symbols Visitor attractions Society Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Politics Regions Ark‑La‑Tex Big Bend Blackland Prairies Brazos Valley Central Texas Coastal Bend Cross Timbers Deep East Texas East Texas Edwards Plateau Golden Triangle Hill Country Llano Estacado Northeast Texas North Texas Osage Plains Panhandle Permian Basin Piney Woods Rio Grande Valley Southeast Texas South Plains South Texas Trans-Pecos West Texas Metropolitan areas Abilene Amarillo Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos Beaumont–Port Arthur Brownsville–Harlingen College Station–Bryan Corpus Christi Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington El Paso Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Laredo Longview Lubbock McAllen–Edinburg–Mission Midland Odessa San Angelo San Antonio–New Braunfels Sherman–Denison Texarkana Tyler Victoria Waco Wichita Falls Counties There are 254 counties in Texas. (See Table of Texas counties or List.)

Coordinates: 30°43′N 99°13′W / 30.72°N 99.22°W / 30.72; -99.22

State of Texas
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Lone Star State
Motto(s): Friendship
Official language(s)	No official language (see Languages spoken in Texas)
Spoken language(s)	English 68.7% Spanish 27.0%[1]
Demonym	Texan Texian (archaic) Tejano
Capital	Austin
Largest city	Houston
Largest metro area	Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex[2]
Area	Ranked 2nd in the U.S.
- Total	268,581[3] sq mi (696,241 km2)
- Width	773[4] miles (1,244 km)
- Length	790 miles (1,270 km)
- % water	2.5
- Latitude	25° 50′ N to 36° 30′ N
- Longitude	93° 31′ W to 106° 39′ W
Population	Ranked 2nd in the U.S.
- Total	25,674,681 (2011 est)[5]
- Density	98.1/sq mi  (37.9/km2) Ranked 26th in the U.S.
Elevation
- Highest point	Guadalupe Peak[6][7][8] 8,751 ft (2667.4 m)
- Mean	1,700 ft  (520 m)
- Lowest point	Gulf of Mexico[7] sea level
Before statehood	Republic of Texas
Admission to Union	December 29, 1845 (28th)
Governor	Rick Perry (R)
Lieutenant Governor	David Dewhurst (R)
Legislature	Texas Legislature
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) John Cornyn (R)
U.S. House delegation	23 Republicans, 9 Democrats (list)
Time zones
- most of state	Central: UTC −6/−5
- tip of West Texas	Mountain: UTC −7/−6
Abbreviations	TX Tex. US-TX
Website	www.texas.gov

Texas (ⁱ/ˈtɛksəs/) (Alibamu: Teksi ^[9]) is the second most populous and the second most extensive of the 50 United States, and the most extensive state of the 48 contiguous United States. The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas.^[10] Located in the South Central United States, Texas shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south, and borders the US states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km²), and a growing population of 25.7 million residents.^[11]

During the Spanish colonial rule, the area was officially known as the Nuevo Reino de Filipinas: La Provincia de Texas.^[12] Antonio Margil de Jesús was known to be the first person to use the name in a letter to the Viceroy of Mexico in July 20, 1716. The name was not popularly used in daily speech but often appeared in legal documents until the end of the 1800s.

Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States, while San Antonio is the second largest in the state and seventh largest in the United States. Dallas–Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest United States metropolitan areas, respectively. Other major cities include El Paso and Austin—the state capital. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State to signify Texas as a former independent republic and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico. The "Lone Star" can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal today.^[13]

Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault, Texas contains diverse landscapes that resemble both the American South and Southwest.^[14] Although Texas is popularly associated with the Southwestern deserts, less than 10% of the land area is desert.^[15] Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies, grasslands, forests, and the coastline. Traveling from east to west, one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hills, and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend.

The term "six flags over Texas" came from the several nations that had ruled over the territory. Spain was the first European country to claim the area of Texas. France held a short-lived colony in Texas. Mexico controlled the territory until 1836 when Texas won its independence, becoming an independent Republic. In 1845 it joined the United States as the 28th state. The state's annexation set off a chain of events that caused the Mexican–American War in 1846. A slave state, Texas declared its secession from the United States in early 1861, joining the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. After the war and its restoration to the Union, Texas entered a long period of economic stagnation.

One Texas industry that thrived after the Civil War was cattle. Due to its long history as a center of the industry, Texas is associated with the image of the cowboy. The state's economic fortunes changed in the early 20th century, when oil discoveries initiated an economic boom in the state. With strong investments in universities, Texas developed a diversified economy and high tech industry in the mid-20th century. As of 2010 it shares the top of the list of the most Fortune 500 companies with California at 57.^[16] With a growing base of industry, the state leads in many industries, including agriculture, petrochemicals, energy, computers and electronics, aerospace, and biomedical sciences. It leads the nation in export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product.

Geography[link]

Guadalupe Mountains

Texas is the second largest U.S. state, behind Alaska, with an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km²). It is 10% larger than France and almost twice as large as Germany or Japan, though it ranks only 27th worldwide amongst country subdivisions by size. If it were a country, Texas would be the 40th largest behind Chile and Zambia.

Texas is in the south-central part of the United States of America. Three of its borders are defined by rivers. The Rio Grande river forms a natural border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south. The Red River forms a natural border with Oklahoma and Arkansas to the north. The Sabine River forms a natural border with Louisiana to the east. The Texas Panhandle has an eastern border with Oklahoma at 100° W, a northern border with Oklahoma at 36°30' N and a western border with New Mexico at 103° W. El Paso lies on the state's western tip at 32° N and the Rio Grande.^[17]

Hill Country

With 10 climatic regions, 14 soil regions, and 11 distinct ecological regions, regional classification becomes problematic with differences in soils, topography, geology, rainfall, and plant and animal communities.^[18] One classification system divides Texas, in order from southeast to west, into the following: Gulf Coastal Plains, Interior Lowlands, Great Plains, and Basin and Range Province. The Gulf Coastal Plains region wraps around the Gulf of Mexico on the southeast section of the state. Vegetation in this region consists of thick piney woods. The Interior Lowlands region consists of gently rolling to hilly forested land and is part of a larger pine-hardwood forest. The Great Plains region in central Texas is located in spans through the state's panhandle and Llano Estacado to the state's hill country near Austin. This region is dominated by prairie and steppe. "Far West Texas" or the "Trans-Pecos" region is the state's Basin and Range Province. The most varied of the regions, this area includes Sand Hills, the Stockton Plateau, desert valleys, wooded mountain slopes and desert grasslands.

Texas has 3,700 named streams and 15 major rivers.^[19][20] The largest of these rivers is the Rio Grande. Other major rivers include the Pecos, the Brazos, Colorado, and Red River, which forms the border with Oklahoma. While Texas has few natural lakes, Texans have built over 100 artificial reservoirs.^[21]

The size and unique history of Texas make its regional affiliation debatable: it can be fairly considered a Southern or a Southwestern state, or both. The vast geographic, economic, and cultural diversity within the state itself prohibits easy categorization of the whole state into a recognized region of the United States. Notable extremes range from East Texas which is often considered an extension of the Deep South, to Far West Texas which is generally acknowledged to be part of the interior Southwest.

Geology[link]

Shaded Relief Map of the Llano Estacado

Texas is the southernmost part of the Great Plains, which ends in the south against the folded Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. The continental crust forms a stable Mesoproterozoic craton which changes across a broad continental margin and transitional crust into true oceanic crust of the Gulf of Mexico. The oldest rocks in Texas date from the Mesoproterozoic and are about 1,600 million years old. These Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rocks underlie most of the state, and are exposed in three places: Llano uplift, Van Horn, and the Franklin Mountains, near El Paso. Sedimentary rocks overlay most of these ancient rocks. The oldest sediments were deposited on the flanks of a rifted continental margin, or passive margin that developed during Cambrian time. This margin existed until Laurasia and Gondwana collided in the Pennsylvanian subperiod to form Pangea. This is the buried crest of the Appalachian Mountains–Ouachita Mountains zone of Pennsylvanian continental collision. This orogenic crest is today buried beneath the Dallas–Waco—Austin–San Antonio trend.

The late Paleozoic mountains collapsed as rifting in the Jurassic period began to open the Gulf of Mexico. Pangea began to break up in the Triassic, but seafloor spreading to form the Gulf of Mexico occurred only in the mid and late Jurassic. The shoreline shifted again to the eastern margin of the state and the Gulf of Mexico passive margin began to form.

Palo Duro Canyon

Today 9 miles (14 km) to 12 miles (19 km) of sediments are buried beneath the Texas continental shelf and a large proportion of remaining US oil reserves are located here. At the start of its formation, the incipient Gulf of Mexico basin was restricted and seawater often evaporated completely to form thick evaporite deposits of Jurassic age. These salt deposits formed salt dome diapirs, and are found in East Texas along the Gulf coast.^[22]

East Texas outcrops consist of Cretaceous and Paleogene sediments which contain important deposits of Eocene lignite. The Mississippian and Pennsylvanian sediments in the north; Permian sediments in the west; and Cretaceous sediments in the east, along the Gulf coast and out on the Texas continental shelf contain oil. Oligocene volcanic rocks are found in far west Texas in the Big Bend area. A blanket of Miocene sediments known as the Ogallala formation in the western high plains region is an important aquifer.^[23] Located far from an active plate tectonic boundary, Texas has no volcanoes and few earthquakes.^[24]

Climate[link]