Spearman is a city in and
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
Hansford County, Texas
Hansford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 5,285. Its county seat is Spearman. The county was created in 1876 and organized in 1889. It is named for John M. Hansford, a Texas state ...
, United States. As of the
2010 census, the city population was 3,368.
It is known for its collection of windmills from the J.B. Buchanan windmill collection.
History
Spearman was platted in May 1917 in anticipation of construction of the North Texas and Santa Fe Railway. A post office opened in 1917, and by that time, E. C. Hays had a store near the site. The city was named for Thomas E. Spearman, a vice president of the North Texas and Santa Fe Railway.
World War I delayed completion of the railroad from Shattuck, Oklahoma, until October 1919, but Spearman was already thriving; several churches and businesses had moved in from Hansford. Spearman remained the terminus of the railroad until 1931, when the line was extended to Morse and points south. The town was incorporated in 1921 and had 30 businesses, a brick school building, and a population of 1,000 by 1926.
In the November 2011 election, Spearman residents voted to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages within the city limits, making Spearman a "wet" city in an otherwise "dry" county. The law took effect December 15, 2011, and allows the sale of beer and wine in retail establishments such as grocery stores and all liquor sales in a licensed liquor store. Additionally, all alcoholic beverages may now be sold in restaurants that apply for and receive a liquor license.
Geography
Spearman is located at (36.194450, –101.194048).
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 t ...
, the city has a total area of , all of it land.
Climate
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, Spearman has a
semiarid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...
, ''BSk'' on climate maps.
Climate Summary for Spearman, Texas
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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 3,171 people, 1,178 households, and 815 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the censusracial 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 49.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 48.9% of the population. These numbers represent significant demographic changes in Spearman over the past decade.
Of the 1,137 households, 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were not families. About 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city, the population was distributed as 28.8% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
As of 2009, the median income for a household in the city was $48,021, and for a family was $52,085. The median per capita income for the city was $17,314. About 12.5% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The City of Spearman is served by the Spearman Independent School District. Schools in Spearman ISD include Gus Birdwell Elementary School, Spearman Junior High School, and Spearman High School.
Notable people
* Mickey Gates, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Hot Springs, Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
, was reared in Spearman prior to the age of 14
* Rex Linn
Rex Maynard Linn (born November 13, 1956) is an American film and television actor. He is best known domestically for playing the role of Sgt. Frank Tripp in the CBS drama ''CSI: Miami'' and more recently for playing Kevin Wachtell in the televi ...
, the actor best known for his role as Frank Tripp on '' CSI: Miami'', lived in the area and attended school in Spearman
* Smokey Mayfield, Bluegrass musician and ranch
A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most ofte ...
supervisor lived in Spearman
* Joe Redington, founder of the Iditarod
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod, is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome, entirely within the US state of Alaska. Mushers and a team of between 12 ...
, lived in Spearman for a brief time
* Krista Gerlich, Texas Tech Women's Head Basketball coach, 1993 national champion at Texas Tech, was born and raised in Spearman
References
External links
Spearman Chamber of CommerceTexas State Historical AssociationThe Hansford County Reporter-StatesmanU.S. Census Bureau
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Cities in Hansford County, Texas
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas