Liberty is a city in the U.S. state of
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 ...
, within Liberty County. The population was 8,279 at the 2020 census.
It serves as the seat of
Liberty County.
Liberty is the third oldest city in the state—established in 1831 on the banks of the
Trinity River. The city also has a twin of the
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell, previously called the State House Bell or Old State House Bell, is an iconic symbol of American independence, located in Philadelphia. Originally placed in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House (now renamed Independence ...
from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. Its area code is 936 and its ZIP code is 77575.
Geography
Liberty is located at (30.057546, –94.796662).
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 , of which is land and (1.02%) is water.
Demographics
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 8,279 people, 3,308 households, and 2,421 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 census Liberty had a population of 8,397. The racial composition of the population was 70.3% white, 13.3% black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 13.4% from some other race and 2.1% from two or more races. 23.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
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, there were 8,033 people, 2,860 households, and 2,053 families 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 229.2 people per square mile (88.5/km). There were 3,187 housing units at an average density of 90.9 per square mile (35.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 75.54%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 13.11%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.40%
Native American, 0.68%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.01%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 9.25% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.01% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 14.83% of the population.
There were 2,860 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,325, and the median income for a family was $41,369. Males had a median income of $33,013 versus $24,688 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 $16,635. About 12.4% of families and 13.2% 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 15.7% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city of Liberty is served by the
Liberty Independent School District
The Liberty Independent School District is a public school district in Liberty, Texas ( USA), based in Liberty, Texas. In addition to Liberty, the district serves the city of Ames and the unincorporated community of Moss Bluff. In 2009, the sch ...
. All residents are zoned to San Jacinto Elementary School, Liberty Elementary School, Liberty Middle School, and
Liberty High School.
Cody Abshier is the Superintendent of Schools.
Residents of Liberty ISD are zoned to
Lee College
Lee College is a public community college in Baytown, Texas. Lee College's main campus occupies near downtown Baytown and extension campuses throughout its service area. The school has an enrollment of over 7,773 total students as of Fall 2018. ...
.
Public libraries
The 43,000 volume Liberty Municipal Library is located in the Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center in Liberty. The Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center, including the Humphreys-Burson Theatre which is home to the Valley Players theatrical company, was renovated in a major multimillion-dollar remodeling completed in 2010. The project has doubled the size of the municipal library serving Liberty, Texas and southeastern Liberty County.
The
Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center The Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center is located in unincorporated Liberty County, Texas. The facility is located north of Liberty, east of Downtown Austin and northeast of Downtown Houston. It is owned and operated by the Texas ...
, operated by the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) refers to the agency in the state of Texas that assists the people of Texas to effectively use information, archival resources, public records and library materials to improve their lives, th ...
is located north of Liberty in an
unincorporated area
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
. Judge and Mrs.
Price Daniel
Marion Price Daniel Sr. (October 10, 1910August 25, 1988), was an American jurist and politician who served as a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th governor of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the Na ...
donated of land for the purpose of establishing a library on September 27, 1973. Construction began in the fall of 1975; by then $700,000 had been raised through private donations. The library opened on May 14, 1977. Archives and displays show development of region, artifacts, furniture,
Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte ( – ) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte". Th ...
's journals, and 1826 census. It also contains the Texana collection of former Governor
Price Daniel
Marion Price Daniel Sr. (October 10, 1910August 25, 1988), was an American jurist and politician who served as a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th governor of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the Na ...
.
Transportation
Liberty Municipal Airport, a
general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport is located approximately 6 miles east of Liberty, just north of the intersection of FM 160 east with FM 2830. The runway is 3,801 ft. long and is oriented 16 – 34 ( 160 degrees – 340 degrees ).
The Liberty Municipal Airport has a pilot courtesy room and fueling facilities with 100LL and Jet-A available. A new set of T-Hangars were completed with room for more in the future. Other major renovations and technology improvements are in progress. A runway extension is planned for the near future. The city provides a courtesy car for transient pilots. Pilots are encourage to check it availability prior to arrival.
Liberty has public transportation service provided by the
Brazos Transit District
The Brazos Transit District, branded as The District, is the primary provider of mass transportation in a 16-county area of East Texas. The agency was established in 1974 as the Brazos Valley Transit Authority, with the primary purpose of providin ...
. The city shares a circulator bus route with the adjacent city of
Dayton, Texas
Dayton is a city in Liberty County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,777 at the 2020 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all but is land.
Demographics
As of the 2020 United ...
.
Parks and recreation
The Park Theater was constructed and opened in 1938. This movie house entertained people for years before closing its doors. The theatre sat idle, then in 1993, the John W. Cox family purchased the theater and refurbished the building, reopening it as The Liberty Opry; a live, Branson-style musical entertainment venue. The theater seats 400 and has a building adjoined to the theater with restroom facilities, office, dressing rooms to accommodate the entertainers, and a concession area, which seats 80. The owners have changed over the years. In 2006 John W. Cox sold it to Bruce Boehner, who owned it until he sold it in 2010 to Jay and Nina Cantu who provided weekly shows ranging from Country to Gospel to Rock & Roll every Saturday 4:00 pm. However, as of January 26, 2018, performances have decreased to an average of two shows per month.
The Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center, a municipal facility, houses the Liberty Municipal Library and the 153 seat Humphreys-Burson Theatre. The Geraldine D. Humphreys Cultural Center opened and was dedicated on October 18, 1970. The Geraldine D. Humphrey's Cultural Center has undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation project completed in 2010, including renovation of the Humphreys-Burson Theater adding new seating, expanded storage space and new carpeting.
Media
KSHN-FM– Liberty County's only daily news source.
The Liberty Vindicator– Serving Liberty and Liberty County since 1887.
Liberty County CourierThe Liberty Gazette– Liberty County's only Home-Owned Newspaper since 1960
Notable people
*
Bill Daniel, Governor of Guam, member of Texas House of Representatives
*
Vara Martin Daniel, Educator, First Lady of Guam
*
Marion Price Daniel, Sr., 38th governor of Texas, US senator
*
Bill Dodd
William Joseph Dodd (November 25, 1909 – November 16, 1991) was an American politician who held five positions in the Louisiana state government in the mid-20th century, including state representative, lieutenant governor, state auditor, pre ...
, Louisiana politician
*
Bobby Seale
Robert George Seale (born October 22, 1936) is an American political activist and author. Seale is widely known for co-founding the Black Panther Party with fellow activist Huey P. Newton. Founded as the "Black Panther Party for Self-Defense", ...
, co-founder of the
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, Califo ...
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, Liberty 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° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
References
Sources
*
External links
*
Liberty–Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce* ''
The Handbook of Texas Online
The ''Handbook of Texas'' is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA).
History
The original ''Handbook'' was the brainchild of TSHA President Wa ...
,'' article o
Liberty, Texas
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Liberty County, Texas
County seats in Texas
Greater Houston
1831 establishments in Texas