Cameron is a city in
Milam County, Texas
Milam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,754. The county seat is Cameron. The county was created in 1834 as a municipality in Mexico and organized as a county in 1837. Milam Cou ...
, United States. Its population was 5,306 at the 2020 census. It is 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 Milam County.
Geography
Cameron is located at (30.854544, –96.978716).
It is situated at the junction of
U.S. Highways 77 and
190, about 71 miles northeast of
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
in north-central Milam County.
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 ...
, the city has a total area of , all land.
History
Early years
Soon after Texas became a U.S. state, the
Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a powerful ...
authorized a seven-member commission to find a permanent site for the Milam County seat.
The commission purchased a 60-acre tract of Daniel Monroe's headright on the
Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
in 1846 and named the new community Cameron after
Ewen Cameron, a
Scottish highlander prominent in the
Texas Revolution and a member of the
Mier Expedition during the war with
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. When the courthouse in Cameron was completed later that year, county records were transferred to Cameron from
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
—a community situated along 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 ...
that had served as the Milam County seat during the period when Texas was an independent
republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
.
The new town struggled due to its isolated location, with the nearest railroad being 50 miles away. In the late 1840s and early 1850s, several attempts were made to navigate the Little River to give Cameron easier access to trade routes.
The most successful attempts occurred in 1850 after heavy rains made the river rise. J.W. McCown Sr. persuaded Captain Basil M. Hatfield to bring his steamboat ''Washington'' through the upper Brazos up to the Little River. The steamboat and the merchandise it brought caused great excitement among the locals, and a two-day celebration was held when the boat tied up 2.5 miles east of Cameron.
Despite this, however, navigation of the river was impractical on a regular basis, and places such as
Port Sullivan and Nashville developed into Milam County's dominant business centers during the 1850s and 1860s.
More competition came in the 1870s when nearby
Rockdale was established on the
International-Great Northern Railroad. Faced with these challenges, some Milam County residents began to question whether Cameron should remain the county seat instead of the newly prosperous town of Rockdale. Elections were held in 1874 and 1880 on the issue, with the results going in favor of maintaining the status quo.
Incorporation and growth
In 1881, the
Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway
The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. From its starting point in Galveston, Texas, the railroad eventually extended northwestwards across the state to Sweetwater and northwards via ...
arrived in Cameron. This improved the local economy and led to population growth. Between 1878 and 1884, the total number of residents increased by 60%, from around 500 to 800.
Cameron had attempted to incorporate in 1856, 1866, and 1873, but each time the charter was allowed to lapse. It was officially incorporated in 1889.
The
San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway
The San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway first began operation in the U.S. state of Texas in 1886. It was developed by Uriah Lott and businessmen of San Antonio as a direct route from the city to Aransas Bay on the Texas Gulf coast. It was eventual ...
arrived in 1890, giving the town another boost. By 1892, the population stood at nearly 2,000.
Although cotton dominated the economy of Cameron during the 19th century, the 20th century brought more diversified industries. The discovery of oil in neighboring
Williamson County in 1915 prompted Milam County residents to initiate their own exploration. The Minerva-Rockdale oil field, discovered in 1921, provided new opportunities for investment.
In the 1920s and 1930s, several milk-product companies also operated in Cameron, including the Kraft-Phenix Cheese Corporation.
At the
1930 census
The United States census of 1930, conducted by the Census Bureau one month from April 1, 1930, determined the resident population of the United States to be 122,775,046, an increase of 13.7 percent over the 106,021,537 persons enumerated during ...
, the population was 4,565. That figure rose to 5,040 in 1940.
Modern times
Cameron residents received much-needed job opportunities in the 1950s when the
Aluminum Company of America
Alcoa Corporation (an acronym for Aluminum Company of America) is a Pittsburgh-based industrial corporation. It is the world's eighth-largest producer of aluminum. Alcoa conducts operations in 10 countries. Alcoa is a major producer of primary ...
built a plant southwest of Rockdale. Jobs at the plant, as well as the
lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible, sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35%, and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat ...
industry that supplied the plant's power, revitalized the economy of Milam County. Between 1950 and 1960, Cameron registered an increase of 588 residents, from 5,052 to 5,640.
This level of growth would not continue, however. The
Texas and New Orleans Railroad
The Texas and New Orleans Railroad was a railroad in Texas and Louisiana. It operated of railroad in 1934; by 1961, remained when it merged with parent company Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific.
Location
The Morgan's Louisiana and ...
discontinued its track from Cameron south to
Giddings Giddings may refer to:
* Giddings (surname)
*Giddings, Texas
Giddings is the county seat of Lee County, Texas, United States situated on the intersection of U.S. Highway 77 and U.S. Route 290. Its population was 4,969 at the 2020 census. The ci ...
.
Southern Pacific
The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...
, which had taken over the Texas and New Orleans, abandoned its track from Cameron north to
Rosebud
Rosebud may refer to:
* Rose bud, the bud of a rose flower
Arts
* The name of Jerry Garcia's guitar from 1990 until his death in 1995.
* In the 1941 film ''Citizen Kane'', the last words of Charles Foster Kane and an overall plot device.
* "Ros ...
.
The population continued to experience slight fluctuations throughout the remainder of the late 20th century. The Alcoa plant closed in 2009.
Since 2010, the annual
Burning Flipside festival has been held at the nearby Apache Pastures campground, drawing tourists to the area.
On February 23, 2021, a collision between a flatbed tractor-trailer and a BNSF railroad train on
Farm to Market Road 2095 near Cameron caused a
derailment
In rail transport, a derailment occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails. Although many derailments are minor, all result in temporary disruption of the proper operation of the railway system and they are a potentially ...
. The train's petroleum cargo exploded, resulting in the evacuation of nearby homes. At least one structure burned, but no loss of life or injuries were reported.
Demographics
![Cameron, Texas CIMG7552](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Cameron%2C_Texas_CIMG7552.JPG)
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 5,306 people, 1,891 households, and 1,209 families residing in the city.
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, 5,634 people, 2,090 households, and 1,404 families were residing 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 1,327.9 people/sq mi (513.0/km
2). The 2,383 housing units averaged 561.6/sq mi (217.0/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 66.68% White, 20.66% African American , 0.60% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 10.17% from other races, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 26.66% of the population.
Of the 2,090 households, 32.9% had children under 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were not families. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.58, and the average family size was 3.25.
In the city, the age distribution was 28.0% under 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,878, and for a family was $30,927. Males had a median income of $23,988 versus $18,497 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 $14,122. About 20.8% of families and 22.0% 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 26.8% of those under age 18 and 22.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The City of Cameron is served by the
Cameron Independent School District.
Notable people
*
Daniel E. Garcia, bishop of the
Diocese of Monterey
''This article describes the present Diocese of Monterey in California. The entity previously known as the Diocese of Monterey from 1849 until 1859, and subsequently known as the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles from 1859 until 1922, is the presen ...
in California, was born and grew up in Cameron
*
William Graham Gillis Jr., killed in France during WWII, was from Cameron. He is the namesake of
Gillis Field House at
West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
*
Virgil Johnson, lead singer of
The Velvets
The Velvets were an American doo-wop group from Odessa, Texas, United States. They were formed in 1959 by Virgil Johnson, a high-school English teacher, with four of his students. Roy Orbison heard the group and signed them to Monument Records i ...
and retired educator, was born in Cameron
*
Manse Jolly, a Confederate during the Civil War, lived in Cameron for two years at the end of his life
*
Drayton McLane Jr., a third-generation leader of
McLane Company
McLane is an American wholesale supply chain services company which distributes grocery and non-food to convenience stores, discount retailers, wholesale clubs, drug stores, military bases, quick service restaurants, and casual dining restaurants ...
, a former owner of the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
, and namesake for
McLane Stadium
McLane Stadium is an American football stadium in Waco, Texas owned and operated by Baylor University. Originally named "Baylor Stadium", the facility's name was changed to "McLane Stadium" in December 2013 to honor Baylor alumnus and business ma ...
, was born and grew up in Cameron
*
Dede Westbrook
Decrick De'Shawn "Dede" Westbrook (; born November 21, 1993) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma. He was drafted 110th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft by the Jacks ...
, wide receiver for the NFL's
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansion ...
, is a native of Cameron
*
Sam Williams, a former NFL player for the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
, was born in Cameron
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 ...
, Cameron 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 Cameron, Texas
/ref>
References
External links
*
Official website
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Milam County, Texas
County seats in Texas