Reeves County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Reeves County is a county located in the US state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos
region of West Texas
. In 2000, its population was 13,137. Its seat
is Pecos
. Reeves County is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the Confederate Army
.
, the county has a total area of 2,642 square miles (6,843 km²), of which 2,636 square miles (6,827 km²) is land and 6 square miles (16 km²) (0.23%) is water.
Racial Makeup
Household Makeup
In the county, the population was spread out with 29.90% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 112.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $23,306, and the median income for a family was $24,856. Males had a median income of $23,913 versus $13,248 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,811. About 25.40% of families and 28.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.20% of those under age 18 and 21.60% of those age 65 or over.
Clovis culture
peoples in Reeves County lived in the rock shelters and caves nestled near water supplies. These people left behind artifacts and pictographs
as evidence of their presence. Jumano Indians
led the Antonio de Espejo
1582–1583 expedition near Toyah Lake on a better route to the farming and trade area of La Junta de los Ríos. Espejo's diary places the Jumano along the Pecos River
and its tributaries. The Mescalero Apache
frequented San Solomon Springs
to irrigate their crops. In 1849 John Salmon "RIP" Ford explored the area between San Antonio and El Paso
noting in his mapped report the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians farmed.
in 1883, and named it after Texas legislator and soldier George Robertson Reeves. The county was organized in 1884. The town of Pecos
was named as county seat.
Toyah Valley farmers George B. and Robert E. Lyle were the first Anglo settlers 1871. White settlers started arriving in the area four years later, lured by open range ranching. For the remainder of the century, the county economy was dependent upon farming and ranching as it segued into the manufacturing and oil industries of the 20th century.
The Texas and Pacific Railway
built through Reeves County in 1881, with stations at Pecos and Toyah. By 1990 the Pecos River Railway had built from Pecos to the New Mexico. Toyahvale
, which means "flowing water", became the western terminus of the railroad.
Balmorhea State Park
was built at Toyahvale by the Civilian Conservation Corps
. The park was deeded to the State of Texas in 1934 and opened to the public in 1968.
Pecos Army Air Field
was one of the 120 airbases that trained the pioneer Women Airforce Service Pilots
to fly military aircraft. At the Pecos installation, WASP flew AT-6, UC-78, and AT-17 in engineering test, administrative, and transporting freight. The base was activated in 1942 as a World War II pilot school. The base was deactivated in 1945. At its peak, the base population of 4,034 rivaled the town of Pecos in size. Portions of the base were sold off over the years, with Pecos Municipal Airport retaining the remainder.
headquarters is located 20 miles south of Fort Stockton, Texas
and is owned and operated by the Gerald Lyda
family. The ranch extends over much of Pecos County and portions of Reeves County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County.
Originally owned by California-based Elsinore Land & Cattle Company, the 100-year old ranch was acquired by building contractor Gerald Lyda of San Antonio, Texas and re-named La Escalera Ranch (Spanish for "The Ladder"). It is known for its reputation Black Angus cattle and its abundant wildlife. Gerald Lyda died in 2005. Today, the ranch is owned and operated by Lyda's sons Gerald D. and Gene Lyda, as well as Lyda's daughter Jo Lyda Granberg.
Located near the entrance to the ranch is Sierra Madera crater
. La Escalera Ranch has been ranked by Texas Monthly
, Worth and The Land Report magazines as one of the largest cattle ranch
es in Texas and in fact, all of the United States.
Trans-Pecos
The term Trans-Pecos, as originally defined in 1887 by the Texas geologist Robert T. Hill, refers to the portion of Texas that lies west of the Pecos River. The term is considered synonymous with "Far West Texas", a subdivision of West Texas...
region of West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
. In 2000, its population was 13,137. Its 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....
is Pecos
Pecos, Texas
Pecos is the largest city in and the county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States. It is situated in the river valley on the west bank of the Pecos River at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas and near the southern border of New Mexico...
. Reeves County is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the Confederate Army
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 2,642 square miles (6,843 km²), of which 2,636 square miles (6,827 km²) is land and 6 square miles (16 km²) (0.23%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 10
Interstate 20
U.S. Highway 285
State Highway 17State Highway 17 (Texas)State Highway 17, or SH 17, runs from Marfa to Pecos in west Texas. The road is maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation .- Route description :...
Adjacent counties
- Eddy County, New MexicoEddy County, New Mexico-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*77.4% White*1.4% Black*1.5% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.0% Two or more races*16.0% Other races*44.1% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
(north) - Loving CountyLoving County, TexasUS Census 2000Of the 67 residents, 60 were White, 6 of "some other race", and 1 person of two or more races. There were 7 residents who were Hispanic or Latino of any race...
(northeast) - Ward County (east)
- Pecos CountyPecos County, TexasPecos County is a county located in Texas which is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 16,809. The county seat is Fort Stockton....
(southeast) - Jeff Davis CountyJeff Davis County, TexasJeff Davis County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. It is named for Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,207, and 2,258 by 2009...
(southwest) - Culberson CountyCulberson County, TexasCulberson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 2,975. Culberson was founded in 1911. It is named for David B. Culberson, a lawyer and Confederate soldier in the American...
(west)
Demographics
US Census 2000| Population | Households | Families | Population Density | Housing Units | Housing Unit Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13,137 | 4,091 | 3129 | 5/sq.mi. | 5,043 | 2/sq.mi. (1/km2.) |
Racial Makeup
| White 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... | Black 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... | Native American 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... | Asian 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... | Pacific Islander 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... | 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... | From two or more Races |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79.33% | 2.10% | 0.51% | 0.35% | 0.01% | 15.03% | 2.68% |
| % Hispanic 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... or Latino 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... of any race | |
|---|---|
| 73.38% |
Household Makeup
| %(of Households) with Children under 18 | % married couples living together | % Female Householder with no Husband Present | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38.80% | 59.60% | 12.40% |
| % Non-Families | % Made up of Individuals | % Made up of Individual Age 65 or older | Average Household Size | Average Family Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.50% | 21.60% | 10.10% | 2.93 | 3.45 |
In the county, the population was spread out with 29.90% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 112.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $23,306, and the median income for a family was $24,856. Males had a median income of $23,913 versus $13,248 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,811. About 25.40% of families and 28.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.20% of those under age 18 and 21.60% of those age 65 or over.
Native Americans
PrehistoricPrehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
Clovis culture
Clovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
peoples in Reeves County lived in the rock shelters and caves nestled near water supplies. These people left behind artifacts and pictographs
Pictogram
A pictograph, also called pictogram or pictogramme is an ideogram that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and graphic systems in which the characters are to considerable extent pictorial in appearance.Pictography is a...
as evidence of their presence. Jumano Indians
Suma-Jumano
The Suma and the Jumano were people in western Sonora and Trans-Pecos region of western Texas. The Suma was the western division and the Jumano were the eastern division.-History:...
led the Antonio de Espejo
Antonio de Espejo
Antonio de Espejo was a Spanish explorer who led an expedition into New Mexico and Arizona in 1582-1583. The expedition created interest in establishing a Spanish colony among the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande valley.-Life:...
1582–1583 expedition near Toyah Lake on a better route to the farming and trade area of La Junta de los Ríos. Espejo's diary places the Jumano along the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
and its tributaries. The Mescalero Apache
Mescalero
Mescalero is an Apache tribe of Southern Athabaskan Native Americans. The tribe is federally recognized as the Mescalero Apache Tribe of the Mescalero Apache Reservation in southcentral New Mexico...
frequented San Solomon Springs
San Solomon Springs
San Solomon Springs is a collection of artesian springs located near the small towns of Toyahvale and Balmorhea in Reeves County, Texas. Between 20 million and 28 million US gallons of water a day flow from the springs, supplying water for a 1.75-acre swimming hole before flowing through a...
to irrigate their crops. In 1849 John Salmon "RIP" Ford explored the area between San Antonio and El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
noting in his mapped report the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians farmed.
County established and growth
The state legislature formed Reeves from Pecos CountyPecos County, Texas
Pecos County is a county located in Texas which is named for the Pecos River. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. In 2000, its population was 16,809. The county seat is Fort Stockton....
in 1883, and named it after Texas legislator and soldier George Robertson Reeves. The county was organized in 1884. The town of Pecos
Pecos, Texas
Pecos is the largest city in and the county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States. It is situated in the river valley on the west bank of the Pecos River at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas and near the southern border of New Mexico...
was named as county seat.
Toyah Valley farmers George B. and Robert E. Lyle were the first Anglo settlers 1871. White settlers started arriving in the area four years later, lured by open range ranching. For the remainder of the century, the county economy was dependent upon farming and ranching as it segued into the manufacturing and oil industries of the 20th century.
The Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
built through Reeves County in 1881, with stations at Pecos and Toyah. By 1990 the Pecos River Railway had built from Pecos to the New Mexico. Toyahvale
Toyahvale, Texas
Toyahvale is an unincorporated community in southern Reeves County, Texas, United States. It lies along State Highway 17 and FM 3078 south of the city of Pecos, the county seat of Reeves County. Despite its similar name, Toyahvale is distinct from the town of Toyah, which lies 25 miles to...
, which means "flowing water", became the western terminus of the railroad.
Balmorhea State Park
Balmorhea State Park
Balmorhea State Park is a state park located on the San Solomon Springs in Reeves County, Texas, opened in 1968. The closest major town is Balmorhea, Texas. The park is open year round.-Features:...
was built at Toyahvale by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
. The park was deeded to the State of Texas in 1934 and opened to the public in 1968.
Pecos Army Air Field
Pecos Municipal Airport
Pecos Municipal Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Pecos, a city in Reeves County, Texas, United States...
was one of the 120 airbases that trained the pioneer Women Airforce Service Pilots
Women Airforce Service Pilots
The Women Airforce Service Pilots and its predecessor groups the Women's Flying Training Detachment and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron were pioneering organizations of civilian female pilots employed to fly military aircraft under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces...
to fly military aircraft. At the Pecos installation, WASP flew AT-6, UC-78, and AT-17 in engineering test, administrative, and transporting freight. The base was activated in 1942 as a World War II pilot school. The base was deactivated in 1945. At its peak, the base population of 4,034 rivaled the town of Pecos in size. Portions of the base were sold off over the years, with Pecos Municipal Airport retaining the remainder.
Ranching Industry
The sprawling 320,000 deeded acre (1,400 km²) La Escalera RanchLa Escalera Ranch
La Escalera Ranch consists of approximately 260,000 acre , located south of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch extends over portions of Pecos County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County, with the majority of the ranch lying in Pecos County.The 100-year old ranch was acquired by building...
headquarters is located 20 miles south of Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton, Texas
Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 7,846 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pecos County.-Geography:Fort Stockton is located at ....
and is owned and operated by the Gerald Lyda
Gerald Lyda
Gerald Lyda ) was an American cattle rancher, contractor and developer prominent in the state of Texas....
family. The ranch extends over much of Pecos County and portions of Reeves County, Brewster County, Archer County, and Baylor County.
Originally owned by California-based Elsinore Land & Cattle Company, the 100-year old ranch was acquired by building contractor Gerald Lyda of San Antonio, Texas and re-named La Escalera Ranch (Spanish for "The Ladder"). It is known for its reputation Black Angus cattle and its abundant wildlife. Gerald Lyda died in 2005. Today, the ranch is owned and operated by Lyda's sons Gerald D. and Gene Lyda, as well as Lyda's daughter Jo Lyda Granberg.
Located near the entrance to the ranch is Sierra Madera crater
Sierra Madera crater
Sierra Madera crater is a meteorite crater in southwestern Pecos County, Texas, United States. The central peak of the rebound structure of the impact crater rises 793 feet above the surrounding land. The peak is visible from U.S. Highway 385 between Fort Stockton, Texas and Marathon, Texas...
. La Escalera Ranch has been ranked by Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
, Worth and The Land Report magazines as one of the largest cattle ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
es in Texas and in fact, all of the United States.
Cities and towns
- BalmorheaBalmorhea, TexasBalmorhea is a city in Reeves County, Texas, United States. The population was 527 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Balmorhea is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land...
- Brogado
- LindsayLindsay, Reeves County, TexasLindsay is a census-designated place in Reeves County, Texas, United States. The population was 394 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lindsay is located at ....
- OrlaOrla, TexasOrla is a ghost town in Reeves County, Texas, United States. It lies about 38 miles north of Pecos. It is believed to have two residents and has its own post office, located on U.S. Route 285. The post office was established 26 December 1906 with Joshua D. McAdams as first postmaster....
- PecosPecos, TexasPecos is the largest city in and the county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States. It is situated in the river valley on the west bank of the Pecos River at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas and near the southern border of New Mexico...
- SaragosaSaragosa, TexasSaragosa is an unincorporated community in Reeves County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 185 in 2000....
- ToyahToyah, TexasToyah is a town in Reeves County, Texas, United States. The population was 100 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Toyah is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- ToyahvaleToyahvale, TexasToyahvale is an unincorporated community in southern Reeves County, Texas, United States. It lies along State Highway 17 and FM 3078 south of the city of Pecos, the county seat of Reeves County. Despite its similar name, Toyahvale is distinct from the town of Toyah, which lies 25 miles to...
- Verhalen