Sabine County is a
county located on the central eastern border of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...
of
Texas. As of the
2020 census, its population was 9,894. The county was organized on December 14, 1837, and named for the
Sabine River, which forms its eastern border.
Geography
According to the
U.S. 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 county has a total area of , of which is land and (15%) is water.
Major highways
*
U.S. Highway 96
*
State Highway 21
*
State Highway 87
*
State Highway 103
*
State Highway 184
National Protected Areas
*
Sabine National Forest
Sabine National Forest is located in East Texas near the Texas-Louisiana border. The forest is administered together with the other three United States National Forests and two National Grasslands located entirely in Texas, from common offices in ...
(part)
Adjacent counties and parish
*
Shelby County (north)
*
Sabine Parish, Louisiana (east)
*
Newton County (south)
*
Jasper County (southwest)
*
San Augustine County (west)
History
Like other eastern Texas counties, Sabine was originally developed as cotton plantations, which depended on the labor of numerous enslaved African Americans. After the Civil War and emancipation, many
freedmen remained in the rural area, working as tenant farmers and sharecroppers. There was considerable violence by whites against blacks during and after Reconstruction. After 1877 and through the early 20th century, Sabine County had 10
lynchings of blacks by whites in acts of racial terrorism. This was the fourth-highest total in the state, where lynchings took place in nearly all counties through this period.
From 1930 to 1970, the population declined as many African Americans left this rural county and other parts of the South in the
Great Migration to escape
Jim Crow oppression and seek better jobs, especially in Northern industrial cities and on the West Coast, where the defense industry built up during World War II.
Demographics
2020 census
''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.''
2000 Census
As of the
census of 2000, there were 10,469 people, 4,485 households, and 3,157 families residing in the county. The
population density was 21 people per square mile (8/km
2). There were 7,659 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.85%
White, 9.92%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have of ...
or
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 enslav ...
, 0.41%
Native American, 0.09%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Oce ...
, 0.82% from
other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. 1.81% of the population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 4,485 households, out of which 23.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were
married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.78.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.10% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 21.10% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 24.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $27,198, and the median income for a family was $32,554. Males had a median income of $28,695 versus $21,141 for females. The
per capita income for the county was $15,821. About 11.80% of families and 15.90% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 23.90% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The following school districts serve Sabine County:
*
Brookeland Independent School District
Brookeland Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Brookeland, Texas (USA).
In addition to Brookeland, the district covers portions of four counties - southwestern Sabine, northeastern Jasper (including ...
(partial)
*
Hemphill Independent School District
Hemphill Independent School District is a public school district based in Hemphill, Texas (USA).
In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch ...
*
Shelbyville Independent School District
Shelbyville Independent School District is a public school district based in the community of Shelbyville, Texas (USA). The district is located in southeastern Shelby County and includes part of Huxley. A small portion of northwestern Sabine ...
(partial)
*
West Sabine Independent School District
West Sabine Independent School District is a public school district based in Pineland, Texas (USA) that serves western Sabine County. The district was formed in 1962 by the consolidation of Bronson and Pineland school districts.
In 2009, the ...
The county is in the service area of
Angelina College
Angelina College is a public community college with its main campus in Lufkin, Texas. It has nine off-campus centers in Crockett, Hemphill, Jasper, Livingston (Polk County Center), Nacogdoches, Pineland (Sabine Center), San Augustine ...
.
Communities
Cities
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Hemphill (county seat)
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Pineland
Unincorporated areas
Census-designated places
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Milam
Unincorporated communities
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Bronson
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Brookeland (partly in
Jasper County)
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Fairmount
*
Geneva
*
Isla
Isla or ISLA may refer to:
Organizations
* International Securities Lending Association, a trade association
* International School of Los Angeles
* International Bilingual School, later named International School of Los Angeles
People
* Isla ...
*
Pendleton Harbor
*
Rosevine
*
Sexton
*
Yellowpine
Historical communities
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Bayou
In usage in the Southern United States, a bayou () is a body of water typically found in a flat, low-lying area. It may refer to an extremely slow-moving stream, river (often with a poorly defined shoreline), marshy lake, wetland, or creek. They ...
*
East Mayfield
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Fairdale
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Gravehill
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Pendleton
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Plainview
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Sabinetown
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Tebo
*
Time
*
Vesta
COVID-19 pandemic
In July 2021, Sabine County ranked the highest in the United States for cases of Coronavirus per 100,000 people. Deaths in Texas are especially high among those that had not been vaccinated.
Politics
Sabine County has become a solidly Republican county since the beginning of the 21st century but previously leaned Democratic, voting for
Bill Clinton in both 1992 and 1996 and also against Texan
George H. W. Bush in 1988 and 1992.
Sabine County is represented in the
Texas House of Representatives by
Republican Chris Paddie, a radio broadcaster and former mayor of
Marshall in
Harrison County.
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Sabine County, Texas
*
Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Sabine County
References
External links
Sabine County websiteSabine County Chamber of Commerce*
{{coord, 31.34, -93.85, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-TX_source:UScensus1990
1837 establishments in the Republic of Texas
Populated places established in 1837