Reeves County, Texas

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Reeves County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 14,748,[1] and was estimated to be 11,956 in 2024.[2] Its county seat and most populous city is Pecos.[3] The county was created on April 14, 1883 and organized on November 4, 1884.[4] It is named for George R. Reeves, a Texas state legislator and colonel in the Confederate Army. It is one of the nine counties that comprise the Trans-Pecos region of West Texas. Reeves County comprises the Pecos micropolitan statistical area.

History

Native Americans

Prehistoric Clovis culture peoples[5] in Reeves County lived in the rock shelters and caves nestled near water supplies. These people left behind artifacts and pictographs as evidence of their presence.[6] Jumano Indians led the Antonio de Espejo[7] 1582–1583 expedition near Toyah Lake on a better route to the farming and trade area of La Junta de los Ríos. Espejo's diary places the Jumano along the Pecos River and its tributaries.[8] The Mescalero Apache[9][10] frequented San Solomon Springs to irrigate their crops. In 1849, John Salmon "RIP" Ford[11] explored the area between San Antonio and El Paso, noting in his mapped report the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians farmed.

County established and growth

The state legislature formed Reeves from Pecos County on April 14, 1883, and named it after Texas legislator and soldier George Robertson Reeves.[12][13] The county was organized on November 4, 1884. The town of Pecos[14] was named as county seat.

Toyah Valley farmers George B. and Robert E. Lyle were the first Anglo settlers 1871. White settlers started arriving in the area four years later, lured by open-range ranching.[15] For the remainder of the century, the county economy was dependent upon farming and ranching as it moved into the manufacturing and oil industries of the 20th century.

The Texas and Pacific Railway built through Reeves County in 1881, with stations at Pecos[16] and Toyah.[17] By 1890, the Pecos River Railway[18] had built from Pecos to New Mexico. Toyahvale,[19] which means "flowing water", became the western terminus of the railroad.

Balmorhea State Park was built at Toyahvale by the Civilian Conservation Corps.[20] The park was deeded to the State of Texas in 1934 and opened to the public in 1968.

Pecos Army Air Field was one of the 120 airbases that trained the pioneer Women Airforce Service Pilots[21] to fly military aircraft. At the Pecos installation, WASP flew AT-6, UC-78, and AT-17 aircraft in engineering tests, administrative duties, and transporting freight. The base was activated in 1942 as a World War II pilot school.[22] The base was deactivated in 1945. At its peak, the base population of 4,034 rivaled the town of Pecos in size. Portions of the base were sold off over the years, with Pecos Municipal Airport retaining the remainder.

Pecos is the site of the largest private prison in the world, the Reeves County Detention Complex, operated by the GEO Group.[23]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Script error: No such module "convert"., of which Script error: No such module "convert". is land and Script error: No such module "convert". (0.25%) is water.[24] It is the 9th largest county in Texas by total area.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Template:Sronly
18901,247
19001,847Script error: No such module "String".%
19104,392Script error: No such module "String".%
19204,457Script error: No such module "String".%
19306,407Script error: No such module "String".%
19408,006Script error: No such module "String".%
195011,745Script error: No such module "String".%
196017,644Script error: No such module "String".%
197016,526Script error: No such module "String".%
198015,801Script error: No such module "String".%
199015,852Script error: No such module "String".%
200013,137Script error: No such module "String".%
201013,783Script error: No such module "String".%
202014,748Script error: No such module "String".%
2024 (est.)11,956[25]Script error: No such module "String".%
U.S. Decennial Census[26]
1790–1960[27] 1900–1990[28]
1990–2000[29] 2010–2020[2]

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As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Reeves County was $117,940.[30]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 4,145 estimated households in Reeves County with an average of 2.94 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $56,056. Approximately 17.6% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Reeves County has an estimated 58.1% employment rate, with 6.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 71.3% holding a high school diploma.[2]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (38.5%), Spanish (61.3%), Indo-European (0.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.2%), and Other (0.0%).

The median age in the county was 34.4 years.

Reeves County, Texas – racial and ethnic composition
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Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980[31] Pop. 1990[31] Pop. 2000[32] Pop. 2010[33] Pop. 2020[34]
White alone (NH) 5,561
(35.19%)
3,909
(24.66%)
3,131
(23.83%)
2,690
(19.52%)
1,697
(11.51%)
Black or African American alone (NH) 358
(2.27%)
340
(2.14%)
238
(1.81%)
672
(4.88%)
224
(1.52%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 23
(0.15%)
26
(0.16%)
34
(0.26%)
21
(0.15%)
27
(0.18%)
Asian alone (NH) 33
(0.21%)
31
(0.20%)
46
(0.35%)
118
(0.86%)
165
(1.12%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0
(0.00%)
2
(0.01%)
3
(0.02%)
Other race alone (NH) 36
(0.23%)
1
(0.01%)
3
(0.02%)
20
(0.15%)
39
(0.26%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) 45
(0.34%)
27
(0.20%)
83
(0.56%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9,790
(61.96%)
11,545
(72.83%)
9,640
(73.38%)
10,233
(74.24%)
12,510
(84.83%)
Total 15,801
(100.00%)
15,852
(100.00%)
13,137
(100.00%)
13,783
(100.00%)
14,748
(100.00%)

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 14,748 people, 4,178 households, and 2,895 families residing in the county.[35] The population density was Script error: No such module "convert".. There were 5,068 housing units at an average density of Script error: No such module "convert".. The racial makeup of the county was 54.74% White, 1.97% African American, 0.68% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 16.48% from some other races and 24.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 84.83% of the population.[36]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 13,783 people, 3,839 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was Script error: No such module "convert".. There were 4,640 housing units at an average density of Script error: No such module "convert".. The racial makeup of the county was 77.23% White, 5.01% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 14.85% from some other races and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 74.24% of the population.

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Politics

In 2020, Donald Trump not only flipped Reeves County, but he won the greatest margin of victory for a Republican presidential candidate since Richard Nixon's 1972 re-election at 61.1%. In 2024, Trump expanded his vote share, winning 68% of the vote. As a result, Reeves County shifted to the right from 2012 to 2024 by 53 percentage points, representing one of the strongest such rightward shifts for any county in the country.[37] Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot

Education

Two school districts serve sections of the county:[38]

All of the county is in the service area of Odessa College.[39]

See also

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Notes

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References

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  7. Blake, Robert Bruce: Antonio de Espejo from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010. Texas State Historical Association
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  11. Connor, Seymour V.: John Salmon Ford from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  12. Britton, Morris L.: George Robertson Reeves from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
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  15. Smith, Julia Cauble: Reeves from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
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  18. Cravens, Cris: Pecos River Railway from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  19. Smith, Julia Cauble: Toyahvale from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
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  22. Colwell, James L.: Pecos Army Airfield from the Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
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  39. Texas Education Code, Section 130.193, "Odessa College District Service Area".

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External links

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