Navarro County

Navarro County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 52,624. Its county seat is Corsicana. The county is named for José Antonio Navarro, a Tejano leader in the Texas Revolution who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.

Navarro County comprises the Corsicana, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also part of the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Combined Statistical Area.

History

Navarro County was formed from Robertson County in 1846.

In 1860, after the election of Abraham Lincoln to the American presidency, Navarro County lowered the American flag at the courthouse in protest and instead hoisted the Texas flag. Thereafter early in 1861, some 450 Navarro County men enlisted in the new Confederate States Army. Two of the enlistees became outstanding officers, Roger O. Mills and Clinton M. Winkler, a Confederate colonel for whom Winkler County in far West Texas is named. The county commissioners appropriated funds for weapons and ammunition and for the support of the soldiers' families.

The Navarro Rifles constituted an 87-man Confederate infantry unit, formed in Corsicana in July 1861 from area volunteers. They were founded by José Antonio Navarro, all of whose four sons fought for the Confederacy. Clinton Winkler, a founder of Navarro County, served as the initial captain. The group trained near Dresden, Spring Hill, and later Waco and Harrisburg, Texas. The Navarro Rifles became Company I of the Fourth Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment. In September 1861, the unit reached Richmond, Virginia. The regiment was placed in the Texas Brigade under the command of General John Bell Hood.Texas Historical Commission, Navarro Rifles historical marker, Navarro College, Corsicana, Texas

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (7.0%) are covered by water.

Major highways

* Interstate 45
* U.S. Highway 287
* State Highway 14
* State Highway 22
* State Highway 31
* State Highway 75
* State Highway 309

Adjacent counties

* Henderson County (northeast)
* Freestone County (southeast)
* Limestone County (south)
* Hill County (southwest)
* Ellis County (northwest)

Demographics

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

As of the census of 2000, 45,124 people, 16,491 households, and 11,906 families were residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile (17/km²). The 18,449 housing units averaged 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 70.84% White, 16.79% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.33% Pacific Islander, 9.45% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 15.75% of the population.

Of the 16,491 households, 34.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.80% were not families. About 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% 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 3.14.

In the county, the population was distributed as 27.20% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,268, and for a family was $38,130. Males had a median income of $30,112 versus $20,972 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,266. About 13.90% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.10% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Navarro County is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth coverage area, including stations KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. The county is also near Waco, so Waco/ Temple/ Killeen stations also provide coverage for Navarro County. These include: KCEN-TV, KWTX-TV, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV. East Texas NBC affiliate KETK-TV from the Jacksonville/Tyler area provides coverage for Navarro County, as well.

The ''Corsicana Daily Sun'' is the area's newspaper.

Communities

Cities

* Angus
* Barry
* Corsicana (county seat)
* Eureka
* Frost
* Goodlow
* Kerens
* Rice
* Richland

Towns

* Blooming Grove
* Dawson
* Emhouse
* Mildred
* Mustang
* Navarro
* Oak Valley
* Powell
* Retreat
* Streetman (mostly in Freestone County)

Unincorporated communities

* Chatfield
* Emmett
* Montfort
* Purdon
* Pursley
* Roane
* Rural Shade

Ghost town

* Pisgah

Politics

Government

Navarro County, like all Texas counties, is governed by a Commissioners Court, which consists of the county judge, who is elected county-wide and presides over the full court, and four commissioners, who are elected in each of the county's four precincts

County commissioners

County officials

Constables

Justices of the Peace

Community College Board of Trustees

See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Navarro County, Texas
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Navarro County

References

External links

Navarro County government's website

Navarro County Office of Emergency Management website

Navarro County in ''Handbook of Texas Online''
at the University of Texas

Navarro County Genealogical Society

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1846 establishments in Texas
Populated places established in 1846