McCulloch County

McCulloch County is 250 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico in Central Texas and is bounded by Coleman, Brown, San Saba, Mason, Menard, and Concho counties. The Colorado River separates McCulloch County from Coleman and Brown counties. Brady, the county seat and largest town, is 120 miles northwest of Austin on U.S. highways 87, 190, and 377. The center of the county lies at 31°11' north latitude and 99°21' west longitude, three miles north of Brady. The geographical center of Texas is located in northeastern McCulloch County at 31°21' north latitude and 99°14' west longitude, sixteen miles northeast of Brady. The present county comprises 1,071 square miles of the Edwards Plateau; elevations range from 1,350 to 2,000 feet above sea level. Traversing the county from east to west, the Brady Mountains form a ridge which is broken by Salt, Cow, and Onion gaps. The surface of the land varies from rolling to hilly, sloping northward to the Colorado River and southward to the San Saba River. The county is supplied with underground water that can be tapped at widely varying depths. Soils, varying from deep black loam in the valleys to dark and light sand in the uplands, produce corn, grain sorghums, barley, wheat, peanuts, cotton, berries, peaches, pecans, and other fruit. Sheep, goats, beef and dairy cattle, hogs, and turkeys are also produced commercially. The chief timbers are cedar and post oak in the hills and live oak, mesquite, and pecan along the streams. Wildlife in the county has included buffalo, antelope, prairie dogs, wolves, and coyotes; more common in recent years are deer, beaver, fox, weasel, raccoon, and skunk, as well as a variety of birds, fish, and reptiles. Mineral resources include coal, brick clay, sand, and gravel. The area has a somewhat dry, subtropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 70° to 96° F in July and from 31° to 59° in January. The annual rainfall in the county averages 25 inches, and the growing season averages 226 days.

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.