Junction is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of
Kimble County, Texas
Kimble County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 4,286. Its county seat is Junction. The county was created in 1858 and organized in 1876. It is named for Georg ...
, United States.
Its population was 2,451 at the
2020 census.
History

The community was founded in 1876 after the organization of Kimble County earlier that year.
The original town site was named "Denman" after Marcellus Denman, who had surveyed and platted the new community. The name was quickly changed to "Junction City". In late 1876, Junction City won the designation of county seat from the unsuccessful and flood-prone settlement of Kimbleville. By 1879, a drugstore, livery stable, sawmill, and a few general stores were active in the community. Around 300 people were living in Junction City in 1882. The ''West Texas'', Kimble County's first newspaper, began publishing in 1882. The county courthouse and its records were lost to a fire in 1884. A second, two-story brick and stone courthouse was partially destroyed in an 1888 fire, but was repaired and remained in use until 1929, when the present courthouse was constructed. In 1894, Junction City became known simply as "Junction".
Infrastructure improvements marked the decade of the 1890s. Businessman Ernest Holekamp provided the city's first waterworks with a canal dug from the South Llano to Junction in 1895. A dam was built in 1896 on the South Llano River to provide power and water to the city and irrigation to surrounding lands.
The population stood at 536 in 1900. Four Mile Dam, a more permanent and extensive dam, was completed in 1904. Junction continued to grow rapidly, with around 800 residents living in the community in 1910. That figure had grown to 1,250 by 1920. By the late 1920s, citizens felt the need for the benefits of a municipal government.
On August 27, 1927, H.O. Denman and 152 others presented an incorporation petition to Kimble County Judge J.B. Randolph. In the election, 390 votes were cast: 274 (70%) "For Incorporation" and 116 (30%) "Against Incorporation". A city officers' election took place on October 13, 1927, with Ernest Holekamp elected as Junction's first mayor.
During the mid-1920s, highway connections from Junction to Menard and
San Angelo
San Angelo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas, United States. Its location is in the Concho Valley, a region of West Texas between the Permian Basin (North America), Permian Basin to the northwest, Chihuahuan Desert ...
were made available. A sewer system was built in 1929. In the 1930 census, the city recorded 1,415 residents. Junction was the chief shipping and commercial center of Kimble County, as well as a tourist resort and hunting center. A new municipal building and fire station were opened in 1939 and 1940, respectively. In the mid-1940s, the cedar-oil business enhanced the economy, but the city's growth slowed.
Throughout the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st, Junction's population continued to hover around 2,600.
Geography
Junction is located approximately northwest of
San Antonio
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
and west of
Austin
Austin refers to:
Common meanings
* Austin, Texas, United States, a city
* Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...
in central Kimble County. It lies near the western end of the Texas Hill Country, which grades into the southernmost parts of the West Texas Rolling Plains, to the west of Junction.
Highways include:
*
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost transcontinental highway in the Interstate Highway System of the United States. It is the fourth-longest Interstate in the country at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. It was part of the origina ...
*
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 (US 83) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that extends in the central United States. Only four other north–south routes are longer: US 1, US 41, US 59, and US 87, while ...
*
U.S. Route 377
* U.S. 377
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 ...
, Junction has a total area of , of which , or 0.26%, is covered by water.
The city is named for its location at the confluence of the North and South
Llano River
The Llano River ( ) is a tributary of the Colorado River, about long, in Texas in the United States. It drains part of the Edwards Plateau in Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin.
Two spring-fed tributaries, the North and South Llano, stret ...
s.
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 ...
, Junction 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
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 2,451 people, 1,091 households, and 661 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, 2,618 people, 1,028 households, and 699 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 1,222 housing units averaged 534.5 per square mile (206.0/km
2). The
racial makeup of the city was 86.13% White, 0.04% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 11.12% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 28.99% of the population.
Of the 1,028 households, 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were not families. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city, the population was distributed as 28.2% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,833, and for a family was $30,865. Males had a median income of $24,096 versus $18,750 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $14,971. About 16.4% of families and 21.7% 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 ...
, including 30.9% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Major celebrations in Junction include the Billie Sale and Parade held in August, and the annual Kimble Kow Kick, which takes place in September.
The Kimble County Historical Museum contains documents, tools, and other relics from the days of early settlers and military artifacts. The
O.C. Fisher Museum, housed in the Kimble County Library, contains an exact duplicate of the
Washington, DC
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...
, office of the long-time congressman who represented the Junction area.
Parks and recreation
Junction is home to several parks, including the
South Llano River State Park. The city also has eight swimming pools, golf and tennis courts, and abundant hotel/motel options due mainly to its location along the heavily traveled Interstate 10 corridor.
The
Fort McKavett State Historic Site
The Fort McKavett State Historic Site is a former United States Army installation located in Menard County, Texas. The fort was first established in 1852 as part of a line of forts in Texas intended to protect migrants traveling to California. T ...
is also located near Junction.
Government
The city of Junction is a "Type A" General Law municipality under Texas law. The local government is headed by an elected mayor and five-member city council.
The Junction Economic Development Corporation, Tourism Board, and Chamber of Commerce are given the task of attracting jobs and visitors to Junction while supporting local business establishments.
Education
Public education in the city of Junction is provided by the
Junction Independent School District
Junction Independent School District is a public school district based in Junction, Texas (USA).
Schools
* Junction High School
*Junction Middle School
*Junction Elementary School
In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptab ...
. The district supports an elementary, middle, and
high school
A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
housed on a single campus at 1700 College Street.
Junction is home to the
Texas Tech University Center at Junction, a satellite school of
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...
in
Lubbock
Lubbock ( )
is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Lubbock County. With a population of 272,086 in 2024, Lubbock is the 10th-most populous city in Texas and the 84th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the ...
. The center is situated on a campus, and offers a broad spectrum of programs in both the undergraduate and graduate disciplines.
Infrastructure
Notable highways serving the city include Interstate 10, U.S. Route 83, and U.S. Route 377.
Kimble County Airport consists of a paved runway. Commercial service is available to and from
Mathis Field in San Angelo.
Electric power for the city of Junction is provided by
AEP/West Texas Utilities, while member-owned
Pedernales Electric distributes power to rural Kimble County.
A four-member police force and county sheriff officers serve the community. The 30-member volunteer fire department, as well as the Kimble County Ranch Fire Association, has firefighting personnel and equipment. Ambulance and rescue services are also provided.
Notable people
*
Les Cox
Leslie Warren Cox (August 14, 1904 – October 14, 1934) was an American professional baseball player. A pitcher, he appeared in two games in Major League Baseball in 1926 for the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American pro ...
, former
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player
*
Clinton Manges,
South Texas
South Texas is a geographic and cultural region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of—and includes—San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of th ...
businessman
*
Andrew Murr current
Republican member of the
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. There are no Term limits in the United States, term limits. The ...
*
Coke Stevenson,
governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of state of the U.S. state of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the government of Texas and is the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Forces.
Established in the Constit ...
from 1941 to 1947, was a native of Junction.
References
External links
Official websiteKimble County Chamber of Commerce*
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Kimble County, Texas
County seats in Texas
1876 establishments in Texas