King County, Texas

King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Its population was 265 at the 2020 census, making it the second-least populated county in Texas and the third-least populated county in the United States. King County has no incorporated communities. Its county seat is the census-designated place (CDP) of Guthrie. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1891. It is named for William Philip King, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.

History

Native Americans

The Apache and Comanche were early tribes in the area. The Red River War of 1874-1875 was a United States Army campaign to force the removal of Natives in Texas and their relocation to reservations, to open the region to White settlers.

County established

On August 21, 1876, the Texas Legislature formed King County from Bexar County. By 1880, the United States Census counted 40 residents in the county. In 1891, the county was organized. Guthrie was designated as the county seat.

Early ranchers preserved water by damming canyons and draws to hold the heavy spring rains. In the 1890s, windmills became the method of water provision. Some of the earliest settlers were Isom Lynn, A. C. Tackett, Brants Baker, and Bud Arnett. The Four Sixes Ranch was established in 1902 by Samuel Burk Burnett. The formerly named Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company was organized in 1883, and SMS ranches were established during the same time frame. The 6666 (called Four Sixes Ranch), also founded in 1883, was managed from 1965 to 1986 by George Humphreys, who was also affiliated with the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock.

Dumont was formed in the late 19th century. By that time, farmers began to share the land with ranchers. Cotton was the leading crop for a time, followed by corn, sorghum, and fruit trees.

Oil was discovered in the county in 1943. By January 1, 1991, almost of oil had been pumped from King County lands since the first wells were drilled.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (0.3%) are covered by water.

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 82 / State Highway 114
* U.S. Highway 83
* State Highway 222

Adjacent counties

* Cottle County (north)
* Foard County (northeast)
* Knox County (east)
* Stonewall County (south)
* Dickens County (west)
* Haskell County (southeast)

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, 356 people, 108 households, and 88 families were residing in the county. The population density was . The 174 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.10% White, 1.12% Native American, 3.09% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. About 9.55% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 108 households, 41.7% had children under 18 living with them, 79.6% were married couples living together, 1.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.6% were not families. About 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the age distribution was 33.7% under 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,625, and for a family was $36,875. Males had a median income of $21,389 versus $30,179 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,321. 20.70% of the population and 17.90% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 23.0% are under 18 and 31.6% are 65 or older.

Politics

King County was once a strongly Democratic county even by Solid South standards. In 1948, 95.85% of voters supported Harry S. Truman, in 1960, 76.9% of voters chose John F. Kennedy, and in 1964, 84.1% of voters supported Lyndon Johnson. The county also voted for Hubert Humphrey by a plurality in 1968, with 48.7% supporting Humphrey, while 31.7% voted for George Wallace, and a mere 19.6% voted for Richard Nixon.

However, the county has shifted strongly Republican since the 1980s, and is now almost unanimously Republican. The last Democratic presidential nominee to win over 20% of the vote in King County was Bill Clinton in 1996. In 2016, by percentage of votes, it was the second-most Republican county in the entire country, only being surpassed by Roberts County, Texas.

In the 2004 presidential election, 87.8% (137 votes) supported incumbent U.S. President George W. Bush, a Republican, whereas only 11.5% (18 votes) backed the Democratic challenger, U.S. Senator John Kerry.

In the 2008 presidential election, 92.6% supported the Republican, Senator John McCain, whereas only 4.9% backed the Democrat, Senator Barack Obama. Of all United States counties, King had the largest percentage of support for McCain.

In the 2012 presidential election, President Obama fared even worse in King County. His Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, received 139 votes in the county (95.9% of the county's total votes in the presidential election), while President Obama received only five votes — 3.4% of the total.CNN
Video: Visit the most anti-Obama county in the U.S.
from YouTube. That percentage was the smallest percentage that President Obama received in any county in the United States in 2012.

In addition, in the 2012 Democratic presidential primaries (in which President Obama faced no serious opposition nationwide), King County was one of two counties that voted for Bob Ely over President Obama. Only seven votes were cast in the Democratic presidential primary in King County that year. Ely won four of them, while Obama and two other minor candidates won one each.

In the 2016 presidential election, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continued the downward trend. Her Republican challenger, Donald Trump, received 149 votes in the county (93.7%), while Secretary Clinton received only five votes — 3.1% of the total. Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson also received five votes.

In 2020, Trump did even better, earning 95% of the vote, while Joe Biden slightly improved on Clinton's margin, earning eight votes for 5%. No votes for third-party candidates were cast. Biden's 5% of the vote was the highest percentage of the vote a Democrat has received in King County since 2004, when John Kerry took 11.5%. Kerry remains the last Democrat to receive at least a double-digit number of votes in the county.

In 2024, Trump improved his margins again, garnering 95.6% of the vote. This made King County the third-most Republican county in Texas by vote share, narrowly behind Roberts and Borden.

In the 2012 U.S. Senate election, Republican candidate Ted Cruz received 117 votes (amounting to 95.9% of the county's total vote), while Democratic candidate Paul Sadler received 4 votes, or 3.3 percent of the total.

In the 2014 U.S. Senate election, Republican incumbent Senator John Cornyn received 87 votes (amounting to 96.7% of the county's total vote), while Democratic candidate David Alameel received 1 vote or 1.1 percent of the total. Libertarian Party candidate Rebecca Paddock received 2 votes or 2.2 percent of the total.

In the 2014 Texas gubernatorial election, Republican candidate Greg Abbott received 90 votes (amounting to 96.8% of the county's total vote), while Democratic candidate Wendy Davis received 1 vote or 1.1 percent of the total. Libertarian Party candidate Kathie Glass received 2 votes or 2.2 percent of the total.

Republican James Frank, a businessman from Wichita Falls, has since January 2023 represented King County in the Texas House of Representatives as the representative for House District 69. King County was previously represented by then-Representative (now Senator) Drew Springer, Jr., and briefly by David Spiller after Springer's successful election to the Texas Senate. Republican Charles Perry represents King County and Senate District 28.

Economy

The primary industries are raising beef cattle (since the late 19th century), and oil production (since 1943). Corn and cotton are the leading planted farm crops.

Communities

* Dumont
* Finney
* Grow
* Guthrie (county seat; also a CDP)

Education

School districts serving sections of the county include:
* Crowell Independent School District
* Guthrie Common School District

The county is in the service area of Vernon College.Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.207. VERNON REGIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA

Gallery

File:1914 King County Courthouse August 2020.jpg, 1914 King County Courthouse
File:George Preston Humphreys monument, King Co., TX IMG 6229.JPG, Monument off U.S. Highway 83 to George Preston Humphreys (1899-1979), the manager of the 6666 Ranch, who also served as King County sheriff from 1928 to 1948
File:King County Courthouse August 2020.jpg, King County Courthouse in August 2020

See also

* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in King County

References

External links

*

King County Profile from the Texas Association of Counties

King County website

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1891 establishments in Texas
Populated places established in 1891