Kountze, Texas
Encyclopedia
Kountze is a city in Hardin County, Texas
, United States
. The population was 2,115 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Hardin County. The city is part of the Beaumont
–Port Arthur
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
Kountze was originally established as a railroad town in 1881. The city was named for Herman
and Augustus Kountze
, financial backers of the Sabine and East Texas Railroad. The seat of Hardin County, Kountze boasts an area of more than 89 percent forested lush green terrain. Local area produces over 3.5 million board feet (8,300 m³) of lumber annually.
Kountze describes itself as "The Big Light in The Big Thicket" - a Thicket is that vast area of tangled, often impenetrable woods, streams and marshes. Now portions of this thicket are nationally protected as the Big Thicket National Preserve.
The cradle of this country's oil industry is found in the Big Thicket of east Texas. The thicket is a 50 miles (80 km) circle of swampland about 30 miles (48 km) north of Beaumont.
In 1991 Kountze became the first American city with a Muslim mayor in African-American Charles Bilal.
The Big Thicket National Preserve was established by Congress in 1974. This combination of virgin pine and cypress forest, hardwood forest, meadow and blackwater swamp is managed by the National Park Service. The Preserve was established to protect the remnant of its complex biological diversity. What is so extraordinary is not the rarity or abundance of its life forms, but how many species coexist here.
The City of Kountze is home to the world's only known pair of married armadillo
s, Hoover and Star, married on June 10, 1995.
of 2000, there were 2,115 people, 747 households, and 537 families residing in the city. The population density
was 532.7 people per square mile (205.7/km²). There were 897 housing units at an average density of 225.9 per square mile (87.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.59% White, 26.43% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races
, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.84% of the population.
There were 747 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,352, and the median income for a family was $34,318. Males had a median income of $30,656 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,522. About 19.0% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.8% of those under age 18 and 24.9% of those age 65 or over.
The City of Kountze is served by the Kountze Independent School District
.
The Kountze Lions' Varsity Basketball Team has brought home State titles, including the years of: 1970, 2004, 2005, and 2007 in both 2A & 3A of UIL standings.
The Kountze Lionette's Varsity Basketball Team have also made four appearances that were held at The Frank Erwin Center at The University of Texas at Austin.
The Kountze Odyssey of the Mind Team, which is lead by Vic Miller, has brought home World Championship titles in Division 3 in both 2002 and 2004.
The Kountze Robotics Team, The Dapper Dans, coached by the above, Vic Miller, won the Lone Star Regional in Houston, Texas, and proceeded to go on to St. Louis to become one of the top 8 robotics teams in the world.
The Kountze Volleyball team has also brought home several State championship titles as well as advanced to the final four many times.
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...
. The population was 2,115 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Hardin County. The city is part of the Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
–Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area
The Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Area is defined by the United States Census Bureau as a three-county region in Southeast Texas, east of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The area is also known as the Golden Triangle...
.
Kountze was originally established as a railroad town in 1881. The city was named for Herman
Herman Kountze
Herman Kountze was a powerful and influential pioneer banker in Omaha, Nebraska in the late 19th century. After organizing the Kountze Brothers Bank in 1857 as the second bank in Omaha, Herman and his brothers Augustus, Charles and Luther changed the charter in 1863, opening the First National...
and Augustus Kountze
Augustus Kountze
Augustus Kountze was a pioneer banker, politician, philanthropist and railroad supporter in Omaha, Nebraska, Kountze, Texas and New York City...
, financial backers of the Sabine and East Texas Railroad. The seat of Hardin County, Kountze boasts an area of more than 89 percent forested lush green terrain. Local area produces over 3.5 million board feet (8,300 m³) of lumber annually.
Kountze describes itself as "The Big Light in The Big Thicket" - a Thicket is that vast area of tangled, often impenetrable woods, streams and marshes. Now portions of this thicket are nationally protected as the Big Thicket National Preserve.
The cradle of this country's oil industry is found in the Big Thicket of east Texas. The thicket is a 50 miles (80 km) circle of swampland about 30 miles (48 km) north of Beaumont.
In 1991 Kountze became the first American city with a Muslim mayor in African-American Charles Bilal.
Events
Kirby-Hill Historical Home This historical home was built in 1902 by James L. Kirby, brother of the legendary timber baron and philanthropist John Henry Kirby. James' daughter, Lucy Kirby Hill purchased the house from her father in 1907. It is the first Hardin County home listed in the National Register of Historic Places.The Big Thicket National Preserve was established by Congress in 1974. This combination of virgin pine and cypress forest, hardwood forest, meadow and blackwater swamp is managed by the National Park Service. The Preserve was established to protect the remnant of its complex biological diversity. What is so extraordinary is not the rarity or abundance of its life forms, but how many species coexist here.
The City of Kountze is home to the world's only known pair of married armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
s, Hoover and Star, married on June 10, 1995.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,115 people, 747 households, and 537 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 532.7 people per square mile (205.7/km²). There were 897 housing units at an average density of 225.9 per square mile (87.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.59% White, 26.43% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.84% of the population.
There were 747 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,352, and the median income for a family was $34,318. Males had a median income of $30,656 versus $22,083 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,522. About 19.0% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.8% of those under age 18 and 24.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Kountze's King royal regement has never made a rating under a 2 in the history since bobby fife has been there with william bradly long.The City of Kountze is served by the Kountze Independent School District
Kountze Independent School District
Kountze Independent School District is a public school district based in Kountze, Texas .In addition to Kountze, the district serves the unincorporated community of Honey Island....
.
The Kountze Lions' Varsity Basketball Team has brought home State titles, including the years of: 1970, 2004, 2005, and 2007 in both 2A & 3A of UIL standings.
The Kountze Lionette's Varsity Basketball Team have also made four appearances that were held at The Frank Erwin Center at The University of Texas at Austin.
The Kountze Odyssey of the Mind Team, which is lead by Vic Miller, has brought home World Championship titles in Division 3 in both 2002 and 2004.
The Kountze Robotics Team, The Dapper Dans, coached by the above, Vic Miller, won the Lone Star Regional in Houston, Texas, and proceeded to go on to St. Louis to become one of the top 8 robotics teams in the world.
The Kountze Volleyball team has also brought home several State championship titles as well as advanced to the final four many times.