Martin County

Martin County, on the southern High Plains of west Central Texas, comprises 911 square miles and is bounded on the north by Dawson County, on the west by Andrews County, on the east by Howard County, and on the South by Midland and Glasscock counties. Its center lies at 32°18' north latitude and 101°70' west longitude, twenty-five miles northeast of Midland, and its elevation is 2,550 to 3,000 feet. Soils are predominantly red sandy loam; trees include hackberry, wild china, willow, plum, and mesquite. The annual average rainfall is 15.72 inches. The January minimum temperature averages 30° F, and the average maximum in July is 95° F. The growing season of 215 days produces a $36 million annual agricultural income, 90 percent of which is derived from the production of cotton, small grains, and corn, with the remainder from cattle, hogs, and goats. In 1982 the county produced 8,859,780 barrels of oil valued at $234 million. Sulphur Spring Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River, and Mustang Creek, a tributary of the North Concho River, drain the northern and southern portions of the county, respectively.

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.