Hereford ( ) is a city in and county seat of
Deaf Smith County, Texas
Deaf Smith County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,583. The county seat is Hereford, which is known as the "Beef Capital of the World". The county was created in 1876 and later organi ...
, United States. It is 48 miles southwest of
Amarillo
Amarillo ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat, seat of Potter County, Texas, Potter County. It is the List of cities in Texas by population, 14th-most populous city in Texas and th ...
. Its population was 15,370 at the
2010 census.
It is the only incorporated locality named "
Hereford
Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...
" in the country.
Hereford's local water supply contains an unusually high level of naturally occurring
fluoride
Fluoride (). According to this source, is a possible pronunciation in British English. is an inorganic, monatomic anion of fluorine, with the chemical formula (also written ), whose salts are typically white or colorless. Fluoride salts typ ...
. Because fluoride is used to protect against tooth decay, Hereford earned the title "The Town Without a Toothache".
It is also known as the "Beef Capital of the World" because of the large number of cattle
feedlots
A feedlot or feed yard is a type of animal feeding operation (AFO) which is used in intensive animal farming, notably beef cattle, but also swine, horses, sheep, turkeys, chickens or ducks, prior to slaughter. Large beef feedlots are called con ...
in the area. The city is named for the
Hereford breed. The local economy is affected significantly by growth in the dairy and
ethanol
Ethanol (abbr. EtOH; also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound. It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol with the chemical formula . Its formula can be also written as or (an ethyl ...
industries.
The area is known for its
semiarid
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
climate, with heavy farming and ranching throughout the area sustained by irrigation from the
Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer () is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. One of the world's largest aquifers, it underlies an area of approximately in portio ...
and the saltier Santa Rosa Aquifer beneath it.
Hereford is home to the headquarters of the
Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative
Deaf Smith Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a non-profit rural electric utility cooperative headquartered in Hereford, Texas. The cooperative was organized in 1936 and is a member of the Golden Spread Electric Cooperative. The cooperative is named for ...
, which serves Deaf Smith,
Castro
Castro is a Romance language word that originally derived from Latin ''castrum'', a pre-Roman military camp or fortification (cf: Greek: ''kastron''; Proto-Celtic:''*Kassrik;'' br, kaer, *kastro). The English-language equivalent is '' chester''.
...
,
Parmer, and
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, amid the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, southeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, wh ...
Counties.
A rich Western heritage includes the Las Escarbadas ranch house of the
XIT Ranch
The XIT Ranch was a cattle ranch in the Texas Panhandle which operated from 1885 to 1912. Comprising over 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km²) of land, it ran for 200 miles (300 km) along the border with New Mexico, varying in width from 20 to ...
, once located southwest of Hereford. The restored historic structure can now be seen at the
National Ranching Heritage Center
The National Ranching Heritage Center, a museum of ranching history, is located on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The NRHC features almost fifty authentic ranch buildings dating from the late 18th to the mid-20th century. ...
at
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
in
Lubbock
Lubbock ( )
is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northwe ...
. The
Deaf Smith County Historical Museum
Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is written ...
at 400 Sampson Street in Hereford offers indoor and outdoor exhibits on the settlement of West Texas.
Hereford was once known as the "Windmill City" due to its many windmills supplying fresh water from the Ogallala Aquifer.
In December 2015, the ''
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'' (popularly known as the ''Seattle P-I'', the ''Post-Intelligencer'', or simply the ''P-I'') is an online newspaper and former print newspaper based in Seattle, Washington, United States.
The newspaper was foun ...
'' voted Hereford not only the "most
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
" city in Texas, but also in the United States, in terms of political contributions. Other West Texas communities in the most conservative lineup are
Childress (number 9),
Dalhart
Dalhart is a city in Dallam and Hartley counties in the U.S. state of Texas, and the county seat of Dallam County. The population was 7,930 at the 2010 census.
History
Founded in 1901, Dalhart is named for its location on the border of Dalla ...
(number 8), and
Monahans (number five).
Princeton
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine ...
in
Collin County north of
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
was ranked number two. In contrast,
Vashon Island, Washington
Vashon is a census-designated place (CDP) in King County, Washington, United States. It covers an island alternately called Vashon Island or Vashon–Maury Island, the largest island in Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet. The population was 10,6 ...
, was named the "most
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
" city in the nation regarding political donations.
History
Hereford was founded as "Blue Water" in 1899 after the
Pecos and Northern Texas Railway connected Amarillo to
Farwell. After a town already named Blue Water was discovered, residents renamed the town "Hereford" in honor of the cattle of the local ranchers and the city,
Hereford
Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...
, in the United Kingdom.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, a
prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. P ...
existed there for Italian prisoners of war. It was dismantled in 1947.
In 1975, popular high school teacher Wayne Woodward was fired for his efforts to establish a local branch of the
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...
. Mr. Woodward won a subsequent legal suit, that gained national attention, against the
Hereford Independent School District. The events were documented in the 2022 book ''You Will Never Be One of Us'' by Timothy P. Bowman.
Geography
Hereford is located in southeastern Deaf Smith County at (34.821961, –102.398617)
and is located on the
Llano Estacado
The Llano Estacado (), sometimes translated into English as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas. One of the largest mesas or tablelands on the North A ...
. 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.
U.S. Highway 60 passes through the city as 1st Street, leading northeast to Amarillo and southwest to
Clovis, New Mexico
Clovis is a city in and the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, Curry County, New Mexico. The city had a population of 37,775 as of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, and a 2019 estimated population of 38,319. Clovis is located in th ...
.
U.S. Highway 385 (25 Mile Avenue) runs north-south through the city, leading north to
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
at
Vega
Vega is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Lyra. It has the Bayer designation α Lyrae, which is Latinised to Alpha Lyrae and abbreviated Alpha Lyr or α Lyr. This star is relatively close at only from the Sun, an ...
and south to
Dimmitt.
Climate
Hereford's climate is classified as a
steppe climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(''BSk'') using the 2006 map of
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 ...
, meaning it is
semiarid
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
. Hereford was named as the "coolest" city in Texas with an average summer temperature of .
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 14,972 people, 4,776 households, and 3,593 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, 15,370 people resided in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 71.7% Hispanic or Latino, 26.3% White, 0.9% Black, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% from some other race, and 0.5% from two or more races.
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, 14,597 people, 4,839 households, and 3,730 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 2,600.8 people per square mile (1,004.6/km). The 5,323 housing units averaged 948.4 per square mile (366.3/km). 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 69.86% White, 1.76% African American, 0.82% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 24.77% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 61.37% of the population.
Of the 4,839 households, 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were not families. About 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.44.
In the city, the population was distributed as 34.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,599, and for a family was $33,387. Males had a median income of $26,488 versus $18,920 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 $12,787. About 19.4% of families and 20.2% 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 25.9% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The first public school was opened in 1900. Today, Hereford's seven public schools serve around 4,000 students and are directed by the
Hereford Independent School District.
Hereford ISD
retrieved 2009-12-30
Notable people
* Parker Bridwell
Parker Alan Bridwell (born August 2, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. The Baltimore Orioles selected Bridwell in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Orioles and the Lo ...
, pitcher for MLB's New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, was born in Hereford
* Ron Ely
Ronald Pierce Ely (born June 21, 1938) is an American actor and novelist born in Hereford, Texas, and raised in Amarillo.
Ely is best known for having portrayed Tarzan in the 1966–1968 NBC series ''Tarzan'' and for playing the lead role in ...
, actor, best remembered for his role as Tarzan
Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
on an NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
in the 1960s, was born in Hereford in 1938
* Lon L. Fuller
Lon Luvois Fuller (June 15, 1902 – April 8, 1978) was an American legal philosopher, who criticized legal positivism and defended a secular and procedural form of natural law theory. Fuller was a professor of Law at Harvard University for many ...
(1902–1978), American legal philosopher known for his advocacy of a secular form of natural law theory
Natural law ( la, ius naturale, ''lex naturalis'') is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied independently of positive law (the express enacted ...
, was born in Hereford
* Edgar Mitchell
Edgar Dean Mitchell (September 17, 1930 – February 4, 2016) was a United States Navy officer and aviator, test pilot, aeronautical engineer, ufologist, and NASA astronaut. As the Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 14 in 1971 he spent nine hour ...
(1930–2016), who on Apollo 14
Apollo 14 (January 31, 1971February 9, 1971) was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to land on the Moon, and the first to land in the lunar highlands. It was the last of the " H missions", landings at s ...
in 1971 became the sixth astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...
to walk on the Moon, was born in Hereford
* Skeeter Skelton, gun writer
Gallery
File:Hereford,_Tex._(25637244773).jpg, Hereford in 1909
Image:Downtown Hereford, TX IMG 4850.JPG, Downtown Hereford, with the grain elevator
A grain elevator is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lower level and deposits ...
to the rear
Image:Hereford, TX, City Hall IMG 4852.JPG, Hereford City Hall
Image:First Bank Southwest, Hereford, 'TX IMG 4848.JPG, First Bank Southwest in Hereford
Image:St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Hereford, TX IMG 4895.JPG, St. Anthony's Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
Church in Hereford is located off U.S. Highway 385.
Image:Hereford Swimming Pool, Hereford, TX IMG 4896.JPG, Swimming in Hereford
Image:Hereford depot IMG 4844.JPG, Hereford train depot
Image:"Hereford Brand" newspaper office, Hereford, TX IMG 4894.JPG, ''Hereford Brand'' newspaper office
Image:Mills' Ranch Store, Hereford, TX IMG 4849.JPG, The former Mills Ranch Western Store, once a fixture of downtown Hereford
References
External links
City of Hereford official website
Historic photographs of Hereford from the Deaf Smith County Library hosted by the Portal to Texas History
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas
Micropolitan areas of Texas
Cities in Deaf Smith County, Texas