Kamay, Texas
Encyclopedia
Kamay is an unincorporated community
in Wichita County
, Texas
, United States
. It had an estimated population of 640 in 2000.
Kamay is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
, twelve miles (19 km) southwest of Wichita Falls in southwestern Wichita County. Its elevation is 1033 feet (314.9 m) above sea level.
The community that developed around the oil field
s became known as Kemp City by 1928. Within ten years, more than 100 wells were operating in and around Kemp City. The community's name again changed in the 1930s. Texas already had a post office operating under the name Kemp (in Kaufman County
), while using the initials K-M-A was deemed unacceptable. The name Kamay was chosen to solve the problem. Despite Kamay being the official name, Kemp City remained in use as well.
At its peak in the 1940s, Kamay had a population of around 700 and twenty-one businesses. There were twenty-seven businesses in Kamay by the mid-1950s. In 2000, the population had declined to approximately 640 with seven businesses operating in the community.
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Wichita County
Wichita County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 131,664 people, 48,441 households, and 32,891 families residing in the county. The population density was 210 people per square mile . There were 53,304 housing units at an average density of 85 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It had an estimated population of 640 in 2000.
Kamay is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls, Texas
Wichita Falls is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Texas, United States, United States. Wichita Falls is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay and Wichita counties. According to the U.S. Census estimate of 2010,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Wichita Falls metropolitan area
The Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in North Texas that covers three counties - Archer, Clay, and Wichita. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 151,524 .-Counties:*Archer*Clay*Wichita-Places with 1,000 to 25,000 people:*Archer...
.
Geography
Kamay is located on State Highway 258Texas State Highway 258
-Route description:SH 258 begins at in the rural community of Kadane Corner. The highway runs eastward, just north of the Archer County line. The route ends at a junction with southwest of Wichita Falls.-Major intersections:...
, twelve miles (19 km) southwest of Wichita Falls in southwestern Wichita County. Its elevation is 1033 feet (314.9 m) above sea level.
History
Development in the area began in 1912 when Joseph A. Kemp, W. Munger, and Reese S. Allen formed a land company that purchased 1000 acres (4 km²) of Wichita River valley land for resale. By the 1920s, investors had turned their attention to oil exploration and the K-M-A Oil Company was established. The name was formed from each of the three principals' last names.The community that developed around the oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
s became known as Kemp City by 1928. Within ten years, more than 100 wells were operating in and around Kemp City. The community's name again changed in the 1930s. Texas already had a post office operating under the name Kemp (in Kaufman County
Kaufman County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 71,313 people, 24,367 households, and 19,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 91/sq mi . There were 26,133 housing units at an average density of 33/sq mi...
), while using the initials K-M-A was deemed unacceptable. The name Kamay was chosen to solve the problem. Despite Kamay being the official name, Kemp City remained in use as well.
At its peak in the 1940s, Kamay had a population of around 700 and twenty-one businesses. There were twenty-seven businesses in Kamay by the mid-1950s. In 2000, the population had declined to approximately 640 with seven businesses operating in the community.
Education
The community of Kamay is part of the Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School DistrictIowa Park Consolidated Independent School District
Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District is a public school district based in Iowa Park, Texas .Located in central Wichita County, the district extends into a small portion of northwestern Archer County...
.