Sutton County, Texas Explained
| County: | Sutton County |
| State: | Texas |
| Founded: | 1890 |
| Seat Wl: | Sonora |
| Largest City Wl: | Sonora |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1454 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1454 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.5 |
| Area Percentage: | 0.03 |
| Census Yr: | 2020 |
| Pop: | 3372 |
| Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Ex Image: | Sutton County courthouse May 2020.jpg |
| Ex Image Size: | 250 |
| Ex Image Cap: | The Sutton County Courthouse in Sonora |
| Web: | www.co.sutton.tx.us |
| Time Zone: | Central |
| District: | 23rd |
| Named For: | John S. Sutton |
Sutton County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,372.[1] Its county seat is Sonora.[2] The county was created in 1887 and organized in 1890.[3] Sutton County is named for John S. Sutton, an officer in the Confederate Army.
History
- 9500 BC – c. 1860s AD Paleo-Indians in the county leave behind archaeological remains of a burned-rock midden with mortar and pestle, as well as other tools. Later native inhabitants include Tonkawa, Comanche and Lipan Apache.[4]
- 1736 Lt. Miguel de la Garza Falcón leads 100 soldiers along the Devils River[5] [6]
- 1852, February 2 - Camp Terrett, later known as Fort Terrett, established to protect settlers from Comanches. Founded by Lt. Col. Henry Bainbridge and named for Lt. John Terrett, who was killed in the Battle of Monterrey in 1846.[7]
- 1881 Wall's Well discovered by Tim Birtrong and Ed Wall. Town of Wentworth discovered. Birtrong Ranch is the area's only ranch.[8]
- 1885 Charles G. Adams, a merchant and sometime rancher from Fort McKavett, founds Sonora, Texas, named after a family servant from Sonora, Mexico.[9]
- 1887 The Texas legislature establishes Sutton County, carved out of eastern Crockett County named for Confederate officer John Schuyler Sutton.[4]
- 1890 Sonora becomes the county seat.[4]
- 1915 Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers’ Association organized.[10]
- 1928 The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway acquires Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway to connect Sonora with San Angelo, Del Rio, and the outside world by rail.[4]
- 1930 Sonora Wool and Mohair Company established.[4]
- 1936 WPA projects help local economy.[4]
- 1958, August 1 – Sonora Municipal Airport activated.[11]
- 1960, July 16 – Caverns of Sonora open to the public.[12]
- 1965 Caverns of Sonora designated National Natural Landmark.[13]
- 1975 Fort Terrett Ranch is purchased by the Texas oil industrialist Bill Noël and used in part for the growing of pecans.[14]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.03%) is water.[15]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
Demographics
Sutton County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)!Race / Ethnicity!Pop 2010[16] !Pop 2020[17] !% 2010!% 2020| White alone (NH) | 1,639 | 1,200 | 39.70% | 35.59% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 6 | 6 | 0.15% | 0.18% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 2 | 5 | 0.05% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 5 | 6 | 0.12% | 0.18% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 7 | 14 | 0.17% | 0.42% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 10 | 48 | 0.24% | 1.42% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,459 | 2,093 | 59.57% | 62.07% |
| Total | 4,128 | 3,372 | 100.00% | 100.00% | |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 4,077 people, 1,515 households, and 1,145 families residing in the county. The population density was 3/mi2. There were 1,998 housing units at an average density of 1/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 45.28% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 2.27% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. 49.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,515 households, out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.60% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.40% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.80% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,385, and the median income for a family was $38,143. Males had a median income of $31,193 versus $18,587 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,105. About 14.10% of families and 18.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.20% of those under age 18 and 16.10% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Sutton County is served by the Sonora Independent School District based in Sonora.
Communities
City
Ghost towns
Politics
Sutton County is very conservative in national politics. In 2016, it gave 76% of its vote to Republican candidate Donald Trump. It last supported a Democrat in 1964, when Texan Lyndon B. Johnson was the Democratic candidate. However, this was not always the case. In fact, in 1916, the Democratic candidate received 10 times as many votes as the Republican. It hasn't supported a Democrat in Texas gubernatorial elections since 1974, when Dolph Briscoe, the Democrat, carried all but five counties in the state.
See also
External links
30.5°N -100.54°W
Notes and References
- Web site: Sutton County, Texas. United States Census Bureau. February 23, 2021.
- Web site: Find a County. June 7, 2011. National Association of Counties.
- Web site: Texas: Individual County Chronologies. Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. May 26, 2015.
- Web site: Hosmer. Brian C. Sutton County, Texas. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. November 30, 2010.
- Web site: Smith. Julia Cauble. Devils River. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. November 30, 2010.
- Book: Skiles, Jack. Judge Roy Bean Country. 1996. Texas Tech University Press. 978-0-89672-369-6. Kelton, Elmer . 45.
- Book: Uglow, Loyd and Loyd M. Standing in the Gap: Army Outposts, Picket Stations, and the Pacification of the Texas Frontier, 1866-1886. 2001. Texas Christian University . 978-0-87565-246-7. 62.
- Web site: Wentworth - Sonora, Sutton County, Texas. Texas Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. November 30, 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162310/http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5435005752. July 18, 2011.
- Web site: Sonora, Texas. Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. November 30, 2010.
- News: Lackey. Jerry. HOMESTEAD: 'Stockman's Paradise' true to the past. San Angelo Standard Times. December 21, 2009.
- Web site: Sonora Municipal Airport. AirNav. November 30, 2010.
- Web site: History Caverns of Sonora. Caverns of Sonora. November 30, 2010.
- Web site: NPS Caverns of Sonora. National Park Service. November 30, 2010.
- Encyclopedia: William Douglas Noël. The Handbook of Texas. June 27, 2011.
- Web site: 2010 Census Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. May 10, 2015. August 22, 2012.
- Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Sutton County, Texas. United States Census Bureau.
- Web site: P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Sutton County, Texas. United States Census Bureau.
- Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. May 14, 2011.
