Ranger, Texas Explained

Official Name:Ranger, Texas
Settlement Type:City
Mapsize:250px
Image Map1:Eastland County Ranger.svg
Mapsize1:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Texas
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Eastland
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:18.46
Area Land Km2:18.12
Area Water Km2:0.34
Area Total Sq Mi:7.13
Area Land Sq Mi:7.00
Area Water Sq Mi:0.13
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:2300
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation M:438
Elevation Ft:1437
Coordinates:32.47°N -98.6767°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:76470
Area Code:254
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:48-60632[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1344793[3]

Ranger is a city in Eastland County, Texas, United States. Its population was 2,300 at the 2020 census. Ranger College, a community college, is the second-largest employer in the community.

During the 1920s, Ranger, like nearby Cisco, Eastland, and Desdemona, was a petroleum boomtown.[4]

History

The Texas Pacific Coal Company of Thurber drilled a gas well north of Ranger in August 1917, after town civic leaders offered acreage in return for four test wells. Then on October 11, 1917, the McClesky well, one mile southwest of Ranger, produced oil at 1200 BOPD. Production came from the Strawn Formation sandstones at 1300feetto2000feetft (toft), the Smithwick Shale, and the Marble Falls Formation limestone at 3200feetto3400feetft (toft) feet. The Ranger Oil Field production peaked in July 1919 at 80,000 BOPD. The oil boom brought many seeking jobs, including farm boys and demobilized veterans.[5] [6]

Geography

Ranger is located in northeastern Eastland County at 32.47°N -98.6767°W (32.470102, –98.676734).[7] Interstate 20 passes south and east of the city, with access from Exits 349, 351, 352, and 354. I-20 leads east to Fort Worth and west to Abilene. Eastland, the county seat, is to the west.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Ranger has a total area of 18.5km2, of which 0.3km2, or 1.83%, is covered by water.[8]

Ranger Antique Airfield dates back to 1911. Pilot Amelia Earhart landed at the field in 1931 in her Pitcairn Autogyro. Ranger Airfield has two grass runways: 1/19 – 3400 x 80 ft and 17/35; 1950 x 60 ft.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Ranger has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.[9]

Demographics

2020 census

Ranger racial composition[10]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)!Race!Number!Percentage
White (NH)1,63371.0%
Black or African American (NH)1034.48%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)231.0%
Asian (NH)220.96%
Some Other Race (NH)40.17%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)381.65%
Hispanic or Latino47720.74%
Total2,300
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,300 people, 1,017 households, and 516 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, 2,584 people, 989 households, and 616 families resided in the city. The population density was 369sp=usNaNsp=us. The 1,214 housing units averaged 173.4 per square mile (67.0/km). The racial makeup of the city was 84.83% White, 6.73% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 5.65% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 13.51% of the population.

Of the 989 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were not families. About 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the age distribution was 22.7% under 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,500, and for a family was $28,255. Males had a median income of $24,333 versus $15,946 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,698. About 14.4% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The city is served by the Ranger Independent School District and home to the Ranger High School Bulldogs, 1953 state football champions (Class 1A). The city is also home to Ranger College.

Notable people

References

  1. Web site: 2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. August 7, 2020.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
  3. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
  4. Web site: H. Allen Anderson, "Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad". tshaonline.org. April 19, 2013.
  5. Web site: Reeves . Frank . GEOLOGY OF THE RANGER OIL FIELD, TEXAS, in Contributions to Economic Geology, Part II . USGS . 22 August 2020 . 111–170 . 1922.
  6. Book: Olien . Diana . Olien . Roger . Oil in Texas, The Gusher Age, 1895-1945 . 2002 . University of Texas Press . Austin . 0292760566 . 79–83.
  7. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. 2011-04-23. 2011-02-12.
  8. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Ranger city, Texas . dead . https://archive.today/20200213082049/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4860632 . February 13, 2020 . March 24, 2016 . American Factfinder . U.S. Census Bureau.
  9. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=624714&cityname=Ranger%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Ranger, Texas
  10. Web site: Explore Census Data . 2022-05-21 . data.census.gov.