Stamford, Texas
Encyclopedia
Stamford is a small city located on the border of Jones
and Haskell
counties in the western part of the U.S. state
of Texas
. The population was 3,111 in 2008. H. McHarg, president of the Texas Central Railroad, named the site in 1900 for his hometown in Connecticut.
The Jones County portion of Stamford is part of the Abilene, Texas
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.3 km2), of which, 6.0 square miles (15.4 km2) are land and 6.9 square miles (17.8 km2) (53.62%) are covered by water.
The city owns Lake Stamford, which serves as its water supply.
Jones County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,785 people, 6,140 households, and 4,525 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile . There were 7,236 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
and Haskell
Haskell County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, 6,093 people, 2,569 households, and 1,775 families resided in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile . There were 3,555 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
counties in the western part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. The population was 3,111 in 2008. H. McHarg, president of the Texas Central Railroad, named the site in 1900 for his hometown in Connecticut.
The Jones County portion of Stamford is part of the Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Abilene metropolitan area
The Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in west central Texas that covers three counties—Taylor, Jones, and Callahan. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 160,245 .-Counties:*Callahan*Jones*Taylor-Places with 2,500 to 5,000 people:*Anson*Clyde*Dyess...
.
Geography
Stamford is located at 32.949193°N 99.789942°W (32.949193, -99.789942).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 city has a total area of 12.9 square miles (33.3 km2), of which, 6.0 square miles (15.4 km2) are land and 6.9 square miles (17.8 km2) (53.62%) are covered by water.
The city owns Lake Stamford, which serves as its water supply.
Notable people from Stamford
- Poet and performance artist Tammy Gomez, whose work is published in the collection Hecho en Tejas: An Anthology of Texas Mexican Literature (Southwestern Writers Collection Series) [Hardcover], grew up in Stamford, Texas.
- Stamford is the birthplace of professional golfer Charles CoodyCharles CoodyBilly Charles Coody is an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1971 Masters Tournament.Coody was born in Stamford, Texas and raised in Abilene, Texas...
, who beat Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
to win the Masters in 1971.
- Jeannie C. RileyJeannie C. RileyJeannie C. Riley is an American country music and gospel singer. She is best known for her 1968 country and pop hit "Harper Valley PTA" , which missed becoming the Billboard Country and Pop number one hit at the same time...
was born in Stamford. She is best known for her 1968 Country and Pop hit "Harper Valley PTAHarper Valley PTA"Harper Valley PTA" is a country song written by Tom T. Hall that was a major international hit single for country singer Jeannie C. Riley in 1968. Riley's record sold over six million copies as a single. The song made Riley the first woman to top both Billboard's Hot 100 and the U.S...
".
- One of Stamford's best-known natives is former U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Charles StenholmCharles StenholmCharles Walter "Charlie" Stenholm, is a politician from the state of Texas. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives for 13 terms, from 1979 to 2005....
, a DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, who represented the area in Congress prior to 2005.
- ApacheApacheApache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
actor Adam Sanchez (sometimes credited as Adan Sanchez) was born here on September 2, 1956. He acted on the PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
series WishboneWishbone (TV series)Wishbone is a television show which aired from 1995 to 1998 and reruns from 1998 to 2001 in the United States featuring a Jack Russell Terrier of the same name. The main character, the talking dog Wishbone, lives with his owner Joe Talbot in the fictional modern town of Oakdale, Texas...
before his unexpected death in 1998. His interment was located at Hillcrest Cemetery in Gallup, New MexicoGallup, New Mexico- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there were 20,209 people, 6,810 households, and 4,869 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,513.7 people per square mile...
.
- The mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Stamford, Johnny AndersJohnny AndersJohn Earl Anders, Jr., known as Johnny Anders , is an automobile body shop owner who engages in the unusual hobby of metal artwork and also serves as the mayor of Stamford in northern Jones County in West Texas. Stamford is north of Abilene and straddles the boundary with Haskell County to the north...
, who took office in 2005 after eight years on the city councilCity councilA city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
, operates an automobileAutomobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
body shop and does extensive metalMetalA metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
artArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
work as an avocationAvocationAn avocation is an activity that one engages in as a hobby outside one's main occupation. There are many examples of people whose professions were the ways that they made their livings, but for whom their activities outside of their workplaces were their true passions in life...
. He was featured in a 2007 segment of Bob PhillipsBob PhillipsRobert Leon Phillips, known as Bob Phillips , is an American television journalist best known for his long-running program Texas Country Reporter...
' Texas Country ReporterTexas Country ReporterTexas Country Reporter is a weekly syndicated television program hosted and produced by Bob Phillips. It airs in all 22 Texas media markets, generally on weekends, and reruns are broadcast nationally on the satellite/cable channel RFD-TV...
television series.
- Bishop Joe S. VasquezJoe S. VasquezJosé Stephen Vásquez is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was appointed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin on January 26, 2010. He was previously the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston....
, currently the Bishop-designate for the Diocese of AustinRoman Catholic Diocese of AustinThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin includes 125 parishes, or faith communities, in 25 counties in Central Texas. The diocese stretches from West, Texas, in the north to San Marcos in the south to the Bryan/College Station area in the east to Mason in the west...
, was born in Stamford.
- Former MLB player Mike ComptonMike Compton (catcher)Michael Lynn Compton was a Major League Baseball player, who played catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1970.Compton attended Sul Ross State University...
played for the 1970 Philadelphia Phillies1970 Philadelphia Phillies seasonThe 1970 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 88th season for the franchise in Philadelphia. The Phillies finished in fifth place in the National League East with a record of 73-88, 15½ games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, and has worked as a minor league manager and catching coordinator since his since playing days ended.