Ladonia is a town in
Fannin County, Texas
Fannin County is a county in the far northeast of the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, its population was 35,662. The county seat is Bonham.
The county was named for James Fannin, who commanded the grou ...
, United States. Its population was 612 at the 2010 census.
History
The area was first settled around 1840. Originally called McCownville, its name was changed to Ladonia in 1857, supposedly in honor of A. T. Donitz. Its population grew late in the 19th century when the Gulf Colorado Santa Fe Railroad went through Ladonia, making it a shipping point for corn, cotton, and grain crops. Because of this, the population increased rapidly to 1,500 in the 1890s and peaked at over 2,000 by the turn of the 20th century. However, Ladonia suffered during the Great Depression. At a population of 1,199 thereafter, it never recovered, but continued to decrease in population, falling to 658 in 1990 and 612 in 2010.
Geography
Ladonia is located in southeastern Fannin County at (33.429336, –95.946668).
Texas State Highway 34
State Highway 34 (SH 34) is a route that runs from Honey Grove, Texas, Honey Grove to Italy, Texas, Italy just east of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
History
SH 34 was originally proposed on November 19, 1917, starting in Ft. Worth travelling ...
passes through the town, leading north to
Honey Grove and southwest to
Wolfe City.
Texas State Highway 50
State Highway 50 (SH 50) is a state highway in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. Its southern terminus is at SH 24 and SH 224 near Commerce. Its northern terminus is at SH 34 in Ladonia. It previous ...
leads south from Ladonia to
Commerce
Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...
. Ladonia Fossil Park is located north of town on the
North Sulphur River.
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 ...
, Ladonia has a total area of , all land.
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 597 people, 304 households, and 219 families residing in the town.
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, 667 people, 266 households, and 188 families were residing in the town. The population density was . The 316 housing units averaged 172.2 per square mile (66.7/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 town was 70.61% White, 25.34% African American, 0.75% Asian, 1.65% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.55% of the population.
Of the 266 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 20.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were not families. About 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51, and the average family size was 2.97.
In the town, the population was distributed as 26.4% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,389, and for a family was $31,591. Males had a median income of $26,806 versus $19,615 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 town was $13,851. About 18.9% of families and 24.6% 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 34.3% of those under age 18 and 30.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Ladonia is served by the
Fannindel Independent School District
Fannindel Independent School District is a public school district based in Ladonia, Texas, Ladonia, Texas (United States, USA). The district's mascot is the Falcon.
The district primarily serves the City of Pecan Gap, Texas, Pecan Gap and the ...
.
Parks and recreation
The Ladonia Fossil Park is often visited by avid fossil hunters and amateurs, with finds ranging from shark teeth to
Mosasaur
Mosasaurs (from Latin ''Mosa'' meaning the 'Meuse', and Greek ' meaning 'lizard') comprise a group of extinct, large marine reptiles from the Late Cretaceous. Their first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on th ...
veterbrae. It was temporarily relocated in 2021 due to construction.
Photo gallery
Image:Ladonia2.jpg
Image:Ladonia3.jpg
Image:Ladonia4.jpg
Image:Old map-Ladonia-1891.jpg, Map of the city 1891
External links
City of Ladonia official websiteChamber of Commerce of Ladonia
References
{{authority control
Towns in Fannin County, Texas
Towns in Texas