Fort Stockton, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County, Texas. As of the United States Census, 2000, the city had a total population of 7,846. It is the county seat of Pecos CountyGR6.
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[edit] Geography
Fort Stockton is located at (30.891383, -102.885032)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.3 km² (5.1 mi²), all land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 7,846 people, 2,790 households, and 2,106 families residing in the city. The population density was 591.7/km² (1,531.3/mi²). There were 3,189 housing units at an average density of 240.5/km² (622.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.06% White, 0.89% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 25.16% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 69.87% of the population.
There were 2,790 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,713, and the median income for a family was $30,941. Males had a median income of $25,735 versus $17,885 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,834. About 19.7% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
Fort Stockton, the county seat of Pecos County, is on Interstate Highway 10, U.S. highways 67, 290, and 385, and the Santa Fe Railroad, 329 miles northwest of San Antonio and 245 miles east of El Paso. It grew up around Comanche Springs, at one time the third largest source of spring water in Texas, and near the military fort founded in 1859 and named for Robert Field Stockton. Comanche Springs was a favorite rest stop on the Comanche Trail to Chihuahua, the Old San Antonio Road, The Butterfield Overland Mail Route, and the San Antonio-Chihuahua freight-wagon road. The Confederates took possession of the fort at the outbreak of the Civil War but abandoned it the next year. In 1867 the army rebuilt the fort on a larger and more permanent basis to protect travelers and settlers from Indians. Until abandoned in 1886, the fort provided employment for freighters and laborers and a market for farmers, stockmen, and merchants.
Fort Stockton was garrisoned by companies of the 9th Cavalry, known as "Buffalo Soldiers". In July 1867, Fort Stockton was re-established by four Companies of the 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment on 960 acres leased from civilian landowners, one-half mile northeast of the first post. Companies A, B, E, and K of the 9th Cavalry began construction under the command of Colonel Edward Hatch. The 9th was one of the new regiments organized after the Civil War staffed with Black enlisted men. When the 9th Cavalry was moved to New Mexico in 1875, Colonel Benjamin Grierson's 10th Cavalry took over the duties of protecting the westward migration and trade routes.
About 87 percent of all soldiers garrisoned at Fort Stockton from 1867 until 1886 were Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments and the 41st, 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments. Surmounting obstacles of harsh living conditions, difficult pay and racial prejudice, they gained a reputation of tenacity and bravery. Stationed continuously on the frontier during the years of Indian hostility, Black regiments played a major role in the settlement and development of America's western frontier.
San Antonio entrepreneurs, convinced that the water from Comanche and nearby Leon springs could be used for irrigation, purchased large tracts of land for agricultural development. In 1868, Peter Gallagher bought the land that included the military garrison and Comanche Springs, platted 160 acres for a townsite named Saint Gall, and established two stores at Comanche Springs. Later, Gallagher and John James purchased 5,500 acres along Comanche Creek. By 1870, the Saint Gall region had a population of 420 civilians, predominantly Irish, German, and Mexican Catholics who had come by way of San Antonio. The first church in Saint Gall was Catholic. When Pecos County was organized in 1875, Saint Gall became the county seat. The name, however, was never popular with the citizens, and on August 13, 1881, it was changed officially to Fort Stockton.
By 1870, some settlers were using the water from the Pecos River for irrigation. Seven years later, irrigated farmland comprised 7,000 acres, and by 1945 the total reached 12,900 acres. After the military post was abandoned on June 30, 1886, and both the Texas and Pacific and the Southern Pacific railroads had bypassed it, Fort Stockton experienced a decline. By then, however, it was rapidly becoming the center for an extensive sheep and cattle ranching industry, and in 1926, the opening of the nearby Yates oilfield brought on an economic boom.
[edit] Current
Today, the original fort's guardhouse remains, and some of the officers' quarters have become private dwellings. Several other buildings of the fort have been refurnished to the 1880s. The refurbished fort site includes a row of officers' quarters, enlisted men's barracks, and the parade grounds. A museum and visitor's center can be found at the site.
Fort Stockton has been in a state of economic decline as oilfield production has declined, but recent natural gas exploration and rising oil prices hold great promise for Pecos County. The town itself has over 950 motel rooms, 6 RV parks, 26 restaurants, a municipal golf course, pecan orchards, unique shopping, a National Register Historic District, and an official Main Street.
A multicultural community conveniently located midway between San Antonio and El Paso on Interstate 10, Fort Stockton is only 100 miles southwest of Midland International Airport. Offering numerous motels and excellent restaurants, the town is within driving distance of major sights and sites in the Big Bend country. Be sure to tour St. Genevieve Wines and Vineyard, the history-packed Annie Riggs Memorial Museum, historic Fort Stockton, and Paisano Pete, the world's largest roadrunner.
[edit] Education
The City of Fort Stockton is served by the Fort Stockton Independent School District.
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
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