Quitman is a city and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Wood County, Texas, United States.
Its population was 1,942 at the 2020 census. It is most notable for being the birthplace of
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning actress
Sissy Spacek. The city was named for
John A. Quitman
John Anthony Quitman (September 1, 1798 – July 17, 1858) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. As President of the Mississippi Senate, he served one month as Acting Governor of Mississippi (from December 3, 1835, to January 7, 1836) a ...
, a veteran of the
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
, and once governor of
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
.
Geography
Quitman is located at .
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 .
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 ...
, Quitman 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° ...
, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.
Government
Quitman operates under a mayor-council form of government in which the mayor is the head. The mayor, with advice from the council, hires a professional administrator who oversees the day-to-day operation of the city. the mayor is Randy Dunn.
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 1,942 people, 824 households, and 559 families residing in the city.
At the
2010 census, 1,809 people were in 775 households, including 509 families, in the city. The population density was . The 874 housing units averaged . 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 White, African American, Native American, Asian, from other races, and from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were .
Of the 775 households, 28.1% had children under 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were not families. About 32.0% of households were one person, and 23.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32, and the average family size was 2.91.
The age distribution was 22.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 29.0% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.
The median household income was and the median family income was . Males had a median income of versus for females. The per capita income for the city was . About 9.2% of families and 11.3% 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 12.6% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Quitman serves as the home to many local businesses, most of which provide services to Wood County.
BTH Bank, however, has spread its roots beyond county lines, and continues to grow throughout the East Texas area. Several locally owned restaurants provide a "mom and pop" service to the town. Quitman is also the home to several co-operative businesses. Wood County Electric Co-operative, Inc. and Peoples Telephone Co-operative, Inc are both located in Quitman.
Culture
The Quitman Community Theatre, awarded by ''County Line'' magazine as the Best Small Town Community Theatre in the Upper Eastside of Texas for five consecutive years, has provided the town with live productions since 2001. Each production takes place at the Carroll Green Civic Center, and the theatre typically produces around three productions per year, including a musical. The 2017 Reaching Others Through Christ award went to Quitman to build wheelchair ramps for some of the families living in Quitman and the surrounding cities.
Education
The City of Quitman is served by the
Quitman Independent School District
Quitman Independent School District is an Independent school district based in Quitman, Texas.
In 2015, the district was rated ''Met Standard'' by the Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government ...
, a
University Interscholastic League (UIL) class-3A school district. Recently, the school has produced a state championship in golf, UIL news writing, and powerlifting, and received first runner-up at the 2011 state
UIL one-act play contest.
Public Library
The Quitman Public Library is located at 202 East Goode Street, one block east of the Wood County Courthouse. The library was formed in 1975 when a group of citizens gathered to study the need for a public library that would serve Quitman and the surrounding community. The Quitman City Council chartered the library in 1975. The library's first building was in a frame house offered by the Liles family located at the corner of Main and Lane Streets near the courthouse square.
In August 1980, a financial drive began to purchase a larger building to house the many books that had been collected from donations. The community supported the drive, and the former facility of the First National Bank, at 202 East Goode Street, Quitman, was purchased. In early 1987, a local fundraising effort was started for additional space in the library to accommodate a children's department, a staff book-processing area, and a community meeting room. The library received several grants, and in October 1988, the Thurman Shamburger Wing was dedicated.
Today, the Quitman Public Library is fully staffed and houses a collection of nearly 30,000 items in a variety of formats; the library also houses the collection of the Wood County Genealogical Society. The library has an advisory board and active Friends of the Library group.
The mayor of Quitman and the Quitman city council are the governing body of the Quitman Public Library as it is a department of the city government.
Notable people
*
Will Hogg
William Clifford Hogg (January 31, 1875 September 12, 1940) was an American attorney, developer, civic activist, and philanthropist.
Early life
William Clifford Hogg was born on January 31, 1875, in Quitman, Texas, the eldest child of Sallie ( ...
, Houston attorney, philanthropist, and founder of
River Oaks, Houston
*
Bryan Hughes, American politician, Texas State Senator for
District 1 District 1 may refer to:
* I District, Turku, in Finland
* District 1, Düsseldorf, a district in Düsseldorf, Germany
* Sector 1 (Bucharest), also known as District 1, in Bucharest, Romania
* District I, Budapest in Budapest, Hungary
* District ...
*
Thomas Morrow Reavley
Thomas Morrow Reavley (June 21, 1921 – December 1, 2020) was an American jurist, who was a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (and the oldest serving federal judge) at the time of his ...
,
senior judge
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges. To qualify, a judge in the federal court system must be at least 65 years old, and the sum of the judge's age and years of service as a federal judge must be at least ...
of the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (in case citations, 5th Cir.) is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following federal judicial districts:
* Eastern District of Louisiana
* M ...
*
Sissy Spacek, prolific actress who won an
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
for her role as country star
Loretta Lynn in the 1980 film ''
Coal Miner's Daughter''
Notes
References
External links
*
Quitman Public Library
{{authority control
Cities in Wood County, Texas
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas
Populated places established in 1850
1850 establishments in Texas