Electra is a city in Wichita County,

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,292 at the 2020 census., down from 2,791 in 2010. Electra claims the title of Pump Jack Capital of Texas, a title made official by the state in 2001,Bernadette Pruit
"A fading town's liquid legacy: Once-thriving Electra hopes 'Pump Jack' title brings new fortune,"
''The Dallas Morning News'', September 23, 2001. Retrieved December 30, 2007. and has celebrated an annual Pump Jack Festival since 2002.First Pump Jack Festival
photographs of the April 20, 2002, festival. Retrieved December 30, 2007. It was named in honor of Electra Waggoner, an heiress to the

Waggoner Ranch The Waggoner Ranch is a historic ranch located 13 miles south of Vernon, Texas, in north Texas near the Red River and Oklahoma border. Founded in 1852 by Daniel Waggoner, it is the largest ranch within one fence in the United States.

. Electra is also known for its Grand Theatre which was refurbished and now a functioning theater.

History

Daniel Waggoner started a ranch in present-day Electra in 1852. Around 30 years later, the

Fort Worth and Denver Railway The Fort Worth and Denver Railway , nicknamed "the Denver Road," was a Class I railroad, class I Rail transport in the United States, American railroad company that operated in the northern part of Texas from 1881 to 1982, and had a profound infl ...

was built, and its railroad tracks ran through the area. In 1885, Waggoner's son, William Thomas Waggoner, successfully lobbied railroad executives to build a railroad station at the site. By this time, the Waggoner ranch covered a half-million acres. Until this time, the town was called Waggoner, but following the building of the station and a post office in 1889, it was dubbed Beaver Switch, after the nearby Beaver Creek. The opening of of land north of the railroad station brought more farmers to the area. The town was renamed again in 1907, this time after Waggoner's daughter, Electra Waggoner. Water can be scarce in this region of Texas, so Waggoner started drilling for water for the town's new residents. Most of these drilling sites were befouled by crude oil, which made the water unfit for drinking. Three years later, a developer from Fort Worth named Solomon Williams bought the land from Waggoner. Soon thereafter, he annexed nearby land, subdivided the land, and placed advertisements in national media trying to increase the population. His efforts were successful, and the town grew from a population of 500 to 1,000 between 1907 and 1910. The Waggoner family still owns much of the same land they did in the beginning and still drills for oil there. In 1911, the Electra Independent School District was created. On 1 April 1911, the Clayco Oil gusher brought in an oil strike at a depth of , producing 260

barrels A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers for liquids ...

of oil per day (BOPD). Word spread quickly, and the population increased to over 1,000, with many more oil workers commuting from Wichita Falls. The town soon had brick buildings, cement sidewalks, and a telephone exchange. In 1936, Electra had well over 6,000 residents, but by the 1960s, the population had decreased to just over 5,000. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex was growing, and many people moved away. By 2000, Electra's population had fallen to about 3,000.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of 2.4 mi² (6.3 km²), all land.

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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Electra has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,292 people, 1,253 households, and 606 families residing in the city.

Education

The City of Electra is served by the Electra Independent School District, which is composed of . The three public schools are
B.M. Dinsmore Elementary School
with 225 students enrolled in prekindergarten through fourth grade
Electra Junior High
with 172 students in grades five through eight; an
Electra High School
with 149 students enrolled in ninth through 12th grades. Electra High School's athletic teams are called the Tigers. The student/teacher ratio at each of the schools is 14:1, 13:1, and 9:1, respectively.

Notable Persons

* Stanley Kroenke, a billionaire sports magnate who is married into the Walton family-- founders of Walmart. * Ace Reid, an artist and humorist, grew up and lived in Electra until 1943, when he joined the NavyAsa Elmer (Ace) Reid, Jr. (1925-1991)
at ''Handbook of Texas'' OnLine] * Herschel Cunningham,founder of Austin records and Austin Texas based recording studio “riverside sound”.

Utilities

*Telephone and Internet is provided by Hilliary Communications.

References

External links

Electra Official Website

The Pump Jack Capital Association
Electra ISD
Electra Independent School District
Electra Hospital District

Cowpokes Film Festival Official Website for Electra
{{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Wichita County, Texas Wichita Falls metropolitan area