Anson is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Jones County,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, United States.
The population was 2,430 at the
2010 census.
It is part of the
Abilene, Texas metropolitan area
The Abilene metropolitan statistical area is a metropolitan statistical area in west-central Texas that covers three counties—Taylor, Jones, and Callahan. As of the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 176,579.
Counties
* Callahan
* Jon ...
. Originally named "Jones City", the town was renamed "Anson" in 1882 in honor of
Anson Jones
Anson Jones (January 20, 1798 – January 09, 1858) was a doctor, businessman, member of Congress, and the fourth and last President of the Republic of Texas.
Early life
Jones was born on January 20, 1798, in Great Barrington, Massachus ...
, the last president of the
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...
.
Geography
Anson is located in central Jones County at (32.755529, −99.896301).
Three
U.S. highways
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
pass through the city. U.S. Routes
83 and
277
__NOTOC__
Year 277 ( CCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Probus and Paulinus (or, less frequently, year 1030 ''A ...
run north–south through the center as Commercial Avenue, while
U.S. Route 180
U.S. Route 180 is an east–west United States highway. Like many three-digit routes, US 180 no longer meets its "parent", US 80. US 80 was decommissioned west of Mesquite, Texas, and was replaced in Texas by Interstate 20 and Interstate 1 ...
crosses on 17th Street. US 83 leads northwest to
Aspermont, while US 277 leads northeast to
Stamford, and the highways together lead southeast to
Abilene. US 180 leads east to
Albany and west to
Snyder.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, Anson has a total area of , of which , or 0.12%, are water.
The city is part of the
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...
watershed, with the southeast corner of the city crossed by Carter Creek, and the northern part draining to Redmud Creek.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 2,294 people, 869 households, and 532 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, 2,556 people, 950 households, and 681 families resided in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,219.2 people per square mile (469.9/km
2). The 1,089 housing units had an average density of 519.5 per square mile (200.2/km
2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 75.82% White, 2.78% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 18.62% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 32.63% of the population.
Of the 950 households, 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were not families. About 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57, and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city, the population was distributed as 28.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,954, and for a family was $30,284. Males had a median income of $26,893 versus $19,038 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $11,798. About 17.0% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.
Traditions
Anson is home to the "Texas Cowboys' Christmas Ball", a three-night event held the weekend before Christmas. The first ball was held by M.G. Rhodes at his Star Hotel in Anson in 1885 and annually thereafter until 1890, when the hotel burned down. The event happened sporadically until it faded away during
Prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...
. Teacher and folklorist Leonora Barrett revived the event in 1940. The dance was (and still is) held in Pioneer Hall, a
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
project from the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. Music is usually provided by
Michael Martin Murphey
Michael Martin Murphey (born March 14, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, country music and popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including ''Cowboy Songs' ...
and his band.
Anson also may or may not have been the inspiration for the movie "
Footloose
Footloose may refer to:
* ''Footloose'' (1984 film), a musical film
** ''Footloose'' (1984 soundtrack)
** "Footloose" (song), performed by Kenny Loggins
* ''Footloose'' (2011 film), a remake of the 1984 film
** ''Footloose'' (2011 soundtrack) ...
" and, as of 1987, still had an enforced "no dancing" law on the books that is/was only lifted for the annual Christmas danc
An effort was made in 1987 to change the ordinance to allow supervised dancing, which was successful. The conflict was the basis for the book, ''No Dancin' In Anson: An American Story of Race and Social Change'', by University of Texas professor Ricardo Ainslie.
Education
The city is served by the
Anson Independent School District and is home to the
Anson High School Tigers.
Notable people
*
Omar Burleson
Omar Truman Burleson (March 19, 1906 – May 14, 1991) was an attorney, judge, FBI agent and veteran of World War II when he was first elected in 1946 as a Democratic U.S. Representative from Texas's 17th congressional district. He was re-elected ...
, late
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
born in Anson
*
Greg Glazner
Greg Glazner (born in Anson, Texas in 1958) is an American poet.
Life
He graduated from Hardin–Simmons University, and the University of Montana, with an M.A. and M.F.A.
His work has appeared in ''Poetry'', ''Ironwood'', ''The Laurel Review'', ...
,
Walt Whitman Award
The Academy of American Poets is a national, member-supported organization that promotes poets and the art of poetry. The nonprofit organization was incorporated in the state of New York in 1934. It fosters the readership of poetry through outreac ...
-winning poet born in Anson
*
Jeannie C. Riley, Country singer who in the second half of 1968 had a number-one pop and country hit with "
Harper Valley PTA
"Harper Valley P.T.A." is a country song written by Tom T. Hall which in 1968 became a major international hit single for country singer Jeannie C. Riley. Riley's record, her debut, sold over six million copies as a single, and it made her the f ...
"; born in Anson
Gallery
file:First United Methodist Church, Anson, TX IMG 6242.JPG, Historic First United Methodist
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
Church in Anson, Texas
file:Downtown Anson, TX, near sunset IMG 6248.JPG, Downtown Anson south of the courthouse at sunset
file:U.S. Post Office, Anson, TX IMG 6253.JPG, U.S. Post Office in Anson
file:Opera House Anson Wiki (1 of 1).jpg, Opera house
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Anson has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Anson, Texas
/ref>
References
External links
City of Anson official website
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Jones County, Texas
County seats in Texas
Cities in the Abilene metropolitan area