Martin County

Martin County, Texas

Martin County, Texas

View of the Historic Carmelite Monastery in the town of Staton, in Martin County, Texas.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Martin County, Texas

Martin County, Texas

View of road leading into the twon of Tarzan, in Martin County, Texas.
Photograph Credit: Robert Plocheck.
Martin County, Texas

Martin County, Texas

Martin County Courthouse is located in Stanton, the county seat. Photograph by Larry D. Moore.
Martin County, Texas

Martin County, Texas

Map of Martin County, Texas. Map Credit: Robert Plocheck.

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.

Comanche Indians displaced Lipan Apaches in the region in the mid-eighteenth century and were in turn forced out by the United States Army after the Civil War. Martin County was formed on August 21, 1876, from Bexar County and named for Wylie Martin, one of Stephen F. Austin's Old Three Hundred colonists. Martin County was attached to Mitchell County for administrative purposes for five months and then attached to Howard County until 1884, when the county was reduced to its present size and organized with Mariensfield (now Stanton) as the county seat. The first White settlement in what is now Martin County was Grelton (later known as Mariensfield), which was established in 1881 by John Konz and his family under the sponsorship of the Texas and Pacific Railway. Railroad promotion was a key element in attracting settlers to West Texas. "It is emphatically the country for the poor man," urged one railroad brochure. "No matter how poor a man may be, if he has health he may easily become the possessor of independent wealth in a few years." In support of such optimistic forecasts the railroad started a twenty-acre experimental farm at Grelton for wheat, barley, rye, and oats. The region was pleasing in appearance and well watered by springs, including Mustang Pond, where United States Army officers had once observed Indians watering 1,000 mustangs. "This beautiful country," said one pioneer, "was just a lush garden with green plums, prairie chicken, and quail galore." In 1881 the Texas and Pacific line began service to its lands in the Martin County area, which it sold to settlers for $1.50 to two dollars per acre. The drought of 1886 almost depopulated the nascent community. Settlers planted grain, cotton, vegetables, vines, and orchards and hunted antelope, deer, quail, and the few buffalo still remaining, to become self-sustaining. Cattle and, especially, sheep were introduced in greater numbers in the mid-1880s to utilize range not already preempted by Christopher C. Slaughter and others who had run cattle since 1877. Slaughter's 37,500 section Lazy S Ranch extended into Martin County and had its headquarters at Mustang Spring. By 1890, 3,316 cattle and 12,600 sheep were in the county; by 1900, however, sheep raising was clearly on the wane, while cattle ranching had increased significantly. In 1890 only 663 sheep but 32,000 cattle were reported. Sheep farming would not really become an important part of Martin County's economy again until the 1930s.

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William R. Hunt, John Leffler | © TSHA

Handbook of Texas Logo

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

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Martin County is classified as a County

Altitude Range

2470 ft – 2976 ft

Size

Land area does not include water surface area, whereas total area does

  • Land Area: 914.9 mi²
  • Total Area: 915.7 mi²

Temperature

January mean minimum: 30.0°F
July mean maximum: 94.0°F

Rainfall, 2019

17.6 inches

Population Count, 2019

5,771

Civilian Labor Count, 2019

2,627

Unemployment, 2019

6.8%

Property Values, 2019

$5,017,872,260 USD

Per-Capita Income, 2019

$56,021 USD

Retail Sales, 2019

$144,617,202 USD

Wages, 2019

$40,813,956 USD

Martin County

Highlighted:
  • Martin County
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Place Type Population (Year/Source) Currently Exists
Town 265 (2021) Yes
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Town 83 (2009) Yes
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Town 131,325 (2021) Yes
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Town 2,649 (2021) Yes
Lake Yes
Town 30 (2009) Yes
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Town 20 (2009) Yes
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