Sheffield, Texas
Encyclopedia
Sheffield is an unincorporated community
in Pecos County
, Texas
, United States
. According to the Handbook of Texas
, the community had an estimated population of 600 in 2000.
, State Highway 349
, and FM 1217 on the eastern edge of Pecos County, approximately 16 miles southeast of Iraan
and 60 miles east of Fort Stockton
in eastern Pecos County.
and his men, who traveled up the Pecos River
in 1590. Although several Spanish-led expeditions followed, no permanent settlements were established in the area. In 1849, the Army surveyed a road from San Antonio
to El Paso
and they included what is now Sheffield on their route because of the Pecos Spring and the Pecos River. The first settler was John Cannon, who arrived in 1888 and purchased a tract along the Pecos River. A post office was established in 1898, with Will Sheffield as its first postmaster. Around 1900, a small settlement sprang up on land adjoining the Cannon ranch owned by Mr. Sheffield and the town became known as Sheffield. Another Sheffield pioneer was William Franklin Smith, who purchased and ranched part of the Sheffield land adjacent to the small community. The town prospered in the early 1900s as a supply point and social center for surrounding ranchers. The discovery of oil in the Trans-Pecos region
during the 1920s radically altered the local economy. Sheffield became a stopping point for traveling motorists when U.S. Highway 290 was constructed during the 1920s. Sheffield grew slowly, from an estimated 124 inhabitants in 1925 to 350 by 1949. Natural gas production was introduced in 1971. Although the community was bypassed by Interstate 10, Sheffield continued to support several stores and businesses throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. In 2000, Sheffield was home to an estimated 600 inhabitants and fifteen businesses.
Although Sheffield is unincorporated, it has a post office
, with the ZIP code
of 79781.
.
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 Pecos County
Pecos 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....
, 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...
. According to the Handbook of Texas
Handbook of Texas
The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
, the community had an estimated population of 600 in 2000.
Geography
Sheffield is located at 30°41′26"N 101°49′21"W (30.6904452, -101.8226258). It is situated at the intersection of U.S. Highway 290U.S. Route 290
U.S. Highway 290 is an east–west U.S. Highway located entirely within the State of Texas. Its current western terminus is at Interstate 10 milepost 477 , southeast of Junction, and its eastern terminus is at Interstate 610 on the northwest side of Houston.-Route Description:West of Austin, U.S...
, State Highway 349
Texas State Highway 349
State Highway 349 or SH 349 is a 194.43 mile state highway in the western part of Texas.-History:The original formation of the highway in 1943 included only the section from Rankin to Midland, replacing a former route of . In 1947 and FM 306 were redesignated to form the part of SH 349 from...
, and FM 1217 on the eastern edge of Pecos County, approximately 16 miles southeast of Iraan
Iraan, Texas
Iraan is a city in Pecos County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,238 at the 2000 census. The correct pronunciation is "Eye-ruh-ann"; it was named for Ira and Ann Yates, owners of the ranchland upon which the town was built.-Geography:...
and 60 miles east of Fort Stockton
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 ....
in eastern Pecos County.
History
The first documented Europeans to visit the area were Spanish explorer Gaspar Castaño de SosaGaspar Castaño de Sosa
Gaspar Castaño de Sosa was a colonist and explorer who attempted to establish a Spanish colony in New Mexico in 1591.-Life and background:Castaño de Sosa was born about 1550 in Portugal. He is believed by many authorities to have been a converso or "Crypto-Jew" – an ostensible Christian who...
and his men, who traveled up 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...
in 1590. Although several Spanish-led expeditions followed, no permanent settlements were established in the area. In 1849, the Army surveyed a road from San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
to 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...
and they included what is now Sheffield on their route because of the Pecos Spring and the Pecos River. The first settler was John Cannon, who arrived in 1888 and purchased a tract along the Pecos River. A post office was established in 1898, with Will Sheffield as its first postmaster. Around 1900, a small settlement sprang up on land adjoining the Cannon ranch owned by Mr. Sheffield and the town became known as Sheffield. Another Sheffield pioneer was William Franklin Smith, who purchased and ranched part of the Sheffield land adjacent to the small community. The town prospered in the early 1900s as a supply point and social center for surrounding ranchers. The discovery of oil in the Trans-Pecos region
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...
during the 1920s radically altered the local economy. Sheffield became a stopping point for traveling motorists when U.S. Highway 290 was constructed during the 1920s. Sheffield grew slowly, from an estimated 124 inhabitants in 1925 to 350 by 1949. Natural gas production was introduced in 1971. Although the community was bypassed by Interstate 10, Sheffield continued to support several stores and businesses throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. In 2000, Sheffield was home to an estimated 600 inhabitants and fifteen businesses.
Although Sheffield is unincorporated, it has a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, with the ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
of 79781.
Education
Public education in the community of Sheffield is provided by the Iraan-Sheffield Independent School DistrictIraan-Sheffield Independent School District
Iraan-Sheffield Independent School District is a public school district based in Iraan, Texas .In addition to Iraan, the district serves the communities of Sheffield and Bakersfield....
.