Hockley County

Hockley County is in northwestern Texas, south of the Panhandle and on the Llano Estacado, bordered on the east by Lubbock County, on the south by Terry County, on the west by Cochran County, and on the north by Lamb County. The center of the county lies at approximately 33°36' north latitude and 102°21' west longitude, thirty miles west of Lubbock. The county, named for George W. Hockley, comprises 908 square miles of generally flat land that drains to numerous playas, the Yellow House River, and Yellow House Lake. Elevations range from 3,300 to 3,650 feet above sea level. Soils vary from clay loam to sandy loam, with most of the latter in the western and southern regions. Grasses include buffalo, grama, and mesquite. Yellow House Canyon cuts into the northern part of the county and is mostly grass-covered, although sand hills and gravel deposits occur. The canyon, once a tributary of the Brazos River, is one of the most salient landmarks on the South Plains; it takes its name from high, yellow bluffs near its head. The annual rainfall in Hockley County averages 16.6 inches; the temperature varies from average minimum of 24° F in January to an average maximum of 93° in July; the growing season lasts 196 days. The county's economy produces an average annual income of $71 million from agriculture, 70 percent of which comes from crops that include cotton, sorghums, wheat, soybeans, corn, hay, and sunflowers. The rest comes from cattle, hogs, and sheep. Irrigated land totals about 200,000 acres. In 1982 oil production in Hockley County totaled more than 39,000,000 barrels, worth $1,203,962,293. Petroleum processing, the manufacture of oilfield equipment, processing of vegetable oil, and cattle feeding are industries complementing the area's large oil production. Major roads are U.S. Highway 385 and State Highway 303 (north to south), and State Highway 114 (east to west).

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.