Mason 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,
Mason County, Texas, United States.
The city is an agricultural community on Comanche Creek southwest of Mason Mountain, on the
Edwards Plateau and part of the
Llano Uplift. Its population was 2,121 at the
2020 census.
History
The first settler is thought to have been Peter S. Parker in 1846. The settlement of Mason grew up around
Fort Mason, which was established by the
United States War Department
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, als ...
as a front-line defense against
Kiowa
Kiowa ( ) or Cáuigú () people are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribe and an Indigenous people of the Great Plains of the United States. They migrated southward from western Montana into the Rocky Mountains in Colora ...
,
Lipan Apache
Lipan Apache are a band of Apache, a Southern Athabaskan languages, Southern Athabaskan Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous people, who have lived in the Oasisamerica, Southwest and Southern Plains for centuries. At the time of European ...
, and
Comanche
The Comanche (), or Nʉmʉnʉʉ (, 'the people'), are a Tribe (Native American), Native American tribe from the Great Plains, Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the List of federally recognized tri ...
, on July 6, 1851. George W. Todd established a Fort Mason post office March 8, 1858, which became consigned to the civilian settlement on June 26, 1858.
The protection and commercial possibilities of the fort drew settlers. W. C. Lewis opened a general store that served soldiers and settlers. In 1860, James E. Ranck opened a second store and later became known as "the Father of Mason". Ben F. Gooch and he began leasing of land to cotton sharecroppers. Mason was voted the county seat in 1861.
After the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, returning Confederate veterans and German ranchers clashed in 1875 over cattle rustling and other crimes. The resulting killings were known as the "HooDoo Wars". In the midst of the war, Loyal Valley homeowner Tim Williamson
was murdered by a dozen masked vigilantes, who accused him of cattle theft. Williamson's adopted son,
Texas Ranger Scott Cooley,
sought revenge. Cooley and his desperadoes, which included
Johnny Ringo,
created a reign of terror over the area. During this episode, Ringo committed his first murder, that of James Cheyney.
The first courthouse and jail were built in 1869 of stone walls lined with post oak timbers. After the Hoo Doo War, a new two-story red sandstone jail was built in 1898 by L.T. Noyes of
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. Noyes was a contractor with Diebold Safe and Lock Company. A courthouse was built in 1875 and burned down in 1877. A new courthouse was built in 1878 and burned down in 1900. The current granite courthouse was erected in 1909 by architect E. H. Hosford and Co. in the Classic Revival style. It burned down in 2021, but courthouse records and most furniture had been removed prior to the fire to prepare for a renovation.
On October 3, 1918, 18 months after
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
declared war on
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, the Mason County Council of Defense drew up a resolution to abandon the use of the German language in the county. Most county residents are of German heritage.
The Broad Street Bridge, a reinforced-concrete truss and the only one of its kind in Texas, was built across the Comanche Creek in 1918. The span is 102 ft long and composed of two 51-ft spans supported by concrete abutments with a pier at the center. The bridge was slated for replacement by the Texas Department of Transportation, but funding was cancelled.
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 3.7 square miles (9.5 km), all land.
Largest topaz
The largest gem-quality topaz found in North America came from Mason County, weighing almost . It had been kept in the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
, and was transferred to Mason's Museum on the Square.
Climate
Mason experiences a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and a generally mild winter.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census, 2,121 people, 817 households, and 463 families resided 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, 2,134 people, 914 households, and 585 families resided in the city. The population density was . The 1,103 housing units averaged 299.6/sq mi (115.7/km). The
racial makeup of the city was 58.1% White, 0.19% African American, 0.61% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 8.25% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 30.04% of the population.
Of the 914 households, 28.0% had children under 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were not families. About 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30, and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the population was distributed as 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,344, and for a family was $39,310. Males had a median income of $26,736 versus $14,461 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 $16,525. About 15.9% of families and 18.2% 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 26.9% of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city of Mason is served by the
Mason Independent School District and home to the
Mason High School Punchers and Cowgirls.
Infrastructure
*
U.S. Highway 87
*
Texas State Highway 29
State Highway 29 (SH 29) runs from south of Menard, Texas, east to State Highway 95 (Texas), SH 95 in Circleville, Texas, Circleville (6.0 miles north of Taylor, Texas, Taylor) via Mason, Texas, Mason, Llano, Texas, Llano, Burnet, Texas, Bur ...
*
Ranch to Market Road 1871
*
Ranch to Market Road 386
Notable people
*
Jacob Bickler (1849–1902) German immigrant, founder of two Austin academies
*
Fred Gipson (1908–1973), author of ''
Old Yeller''
*
Herman Lehmann (1859–1932) German immigrant, captured as a child by Native Americans
*
Anna Mebus Martin (1820–1864) businesswoman and rancher
*
Rebecca Tobey (born 1948), American artist of animal sculptures
*
Hugh Wolfe (1912–2010), football player
See also
*
Central Texas Electric Cooperative
References
External links
Mason Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control
Cities in Texas
Cities in Mason County, Texas
County seats in Texas