Ward County, Texas

Native Americans

Archeological investigations conducted in northwestern Ward County have found evidence of prehistoric man in the form of occupational debris, petroglyphs, and pictographs. Tribes occupying the area include Suma-Jumano, Apache, and Comanche. The sand hills have contained native artifacts.^[4]

Growth

The Butterfield Overland Mail in 1858 used Emigrant's Crossing, where exposed rocks afford one of the few places safe for fording the Pecos River. The stage line had an adobe station and a high-walled adobe corral there.^[5]

In 1881, the Texas and Pacific Railway crossed the region and established stations at Sand Hills, Monahans, Aroya, Pyote, Quito, Quito Quarry, and Barstow.^[6]

The Texas State Legislature carved Ward County from a portion of Tom Green County in 1887. The county was organized in 1892. Barstow became the county seat. Barstow became a farming and ranching trade center by 1904. Drought plagued the area in the early part of the 20th century.

Ward County benefitted from the opening of the Hendrick oilfield Winkler County in 1926. Pipelines and railroad loading tanks were constructed at Wickett, Pyote,^[7] and Monahans. Oil was discovered at Grandfalls^[8] in 1929, and the nearby community of Royalty was established. Shell Oil Company constructed an 8-acre (32,000 m²) tank that would hold a million barrels.^[9][10] By January 1, 1991, 668,715,000 barrels (106,317,200 m³) of oil had been produced in the county since 1928.

On May 10, 1938, Monahans won a contested election to move the county seat from Barstow. The election was upheld in 1939, and the county seat moved to Monahans that year.

Pyote Air Force Station ^[11] opened in 1942, becoming the largest bomber installation in the United States. The plane Enola Gay, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, was later stored here. The base became inactive during the Korean War.^[12]

Monahans Sandhills State Park opened in 1957. The Sealy-Smith Foundation leased much of the land to the state in 1956 until 2056. An additional 900 acres (3.6 km²) were leased from the Williams family of Monahans.^[13][14][15]

Major highways

• Interstate 20
• State Highway 18
• State Highway 115
• State Highway 329

Adjacent counties

• Winkler County (north)
• Ector County (northeast)
• Crane County (east)
• Pecos County (south)
• Reeves County (west)
• Loving County (northwest)

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,644. The median age was 35.7 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.9 males.^[23]

The racial makeup of the county was 56.4% White, 4.1% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 18.0% from some other race, and 19.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 54.3% of the population.^[24]

78.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 21.3% lived in rural areas.^[25]

There were 4,221 households in the county, of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.5% were married-couple households, 20.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[23]

There were 5,139 housing units, of which 17.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.7% were owner-occupied and 26.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 23.0%.^[23]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,^[26] 10,909 people, 3,964 households, and 2,929 families were residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile (5.0 people/km²). The 4,832 housing units averaged 6 units per square mile (2.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.79% White, 4.61% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 12.55% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. About 41.98% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

Of the 3,964 households, 36.6% had children under 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were not families. About 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.66, and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the age distribution was 30.6% under 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,386, and for a family was $36,014. Males had a median income of $31,373 versus $18,198 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,393. About 15.80% of families and 17.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.30% of those under age 18 and 20.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Cities

• Barstow
• Monahans (county seat)

Towns

• Grandfalls
• Pyote
• Thorntonville
• Wickett

Census-designated place

• Southwest Sandhill

Unincorporated community

• Royalty