Runnels County

Runnels County is in west central Texas. Ballinger, the county seat and largest town, is 225 miles west of Dallas and 200 miles northwest of Austin. The center of the county, just north of Ballinger, lies at 31°45' north latitude and 99°58' west longitude. Runnels County encompasses 1,060 square miles of broad, rolling prairie with a small section of the Edwards Plateau in the very southeastern corner of the county and is bounded on the north by Nolan and Taylor counties, on the east by Coleman County, on the south by Concho County, and on the west by Tom Green and Coke counties. The gently sloping land is broken in the northeastern section by a few very steep limestone hills, including the highest point in the county, Moro Mountain. In general, county elevation ranges from 1,650 to 2,350 feet above sea level. The Colorado River flows through the southern third of the county from northwest to southeast, passing out of the county at the mouth of the Concho River. A number of streams, including Mustang, Oak, Elm, and Valley creeks, rise in the northern part of the county and flow south into the Colorado. The main tributaries from the south, above the mouth of the Concho River, are Pony, Redbank, and Mule creeks. A large number of smaller, spring-fed streams help to provide a generally abundant water supply to the area. Three-quarters of the land in Runnels County is well adapted to cultivation. The soil, black waxy and sandy loam, is mostly shallow to moderately deep over limy earth, red beds, or limestone. Some soils are deep with loamy surface layers and clayey subsoils. The clay is an excellent source of material for the production of bricks, and the massive limestone deposits have provided building material to the surrounding towns. The vegetation of the county can best be described as a mesquite savanna. A small number of other trees, such as shin oak, cedar, and post oak, can be found. Along the numerous streams stands of willow, hackberry, walnut, and pecan are abundant. The grasslands are composed of buffalo grass, various gramas, purple triple-awn, and fox-tails. Under more moist conditions and in the stony outcroppings, little bluestem and other bunch grasses appear. Wildflowers flourish in great variety. Mineral resources include the brick-making clay and oil and gas deposits. Temperatures in this subtropical climate range from 34° to 96° F with generally dry winters and humid summers. The growing season is usually 228 days, with the last freeze around March 30 and the first freeze around November 13. The prevailing winds are from the south, but the strongest winds, generally accompanying cold fronts, are from the north. The average rainfall is twenty-two inches, two-thirds of which occurs from April through September.

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.