Bee County, Texas

The Bee County is a county located in the state of Texas in the United States. The seat of the county government ( County Seat) is located in Beeville.

Geography

The County is located in southeast Texas, located about 80 km from the Gulf of Mexico and has an area of 2,280 square kilometers, without significant water surface. The county is bordered clockwise to the following counties: Karnes County, Goliad County, Refugio County, San Patricio County and Live Oak County.

History

Bee County was formed on December 8, 1857 from parts of San Patricio County, Goliad County, Refugio County, Live Oak County and Karnes County. It was named after Barnard Elliott Bee, Sr., an early Secretary of State of Texas. In the same year the county also got its first post office. The first seat of the county government was Beeville, which was relocated in 1860 to Marysville. 1858, the first public schools were opened. The main economic activity was cattle breeding and farm land had only a minor role. 1870 began the first farmer with sheep and 1880 there were already more than 61,000 sheep and were followed for the next 20 years the most important export commodity. 1880 was also the beginning of cultivation of agricultural land. Was there in 1870 only 25 farms, there were already 264 in 1890 and in 1900 already 628 farms. Mainly cereals, flax, peanuts, fruits, vegetables and onions were grown.

The railroad made for a further growth of the farms because they could now bring their returns easier and faster in the next largest cities. They also took care of the influx of new settlers. 1886 built the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, a route from San Antonio to Beeville and Pettus and 1888 built the Gulf, Western Texas and Pacific Railway, a distance of Victoria to Beeville. Between 1870 and 1890 the population had nearly quadrupled. In 1910 there were 1,381 settlers and 188 Mexican settlers of German descent.

In 1929 there was the first oil discoveries from 1930 and also chicken, turkeys and geese were bred. Horse breeding also gained importance. Opened in 1954, the U.S. Navy, a military base in the county, which in addition to new problems also meant a further upswing.

Demographic data

According to the census in 2000 lived in Bee County 32 359 people in 9,061 households and 6,578 families. The population density was 14 people per square kilometer. The racial the population was made up of 67.85 percent White, 9.90 percent African American, 0.42 percent Native American, 0.51 percent Asian, 0.03 percent of residents from the Pacific Islander and 19.15 percent from other races groups; 2.13 percent were descended from two or more races. 53.93 percent of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 9,061 households out of which 37.8 per cent of children or young people who lived with them. 52.9 percent were married couples living together, 14.8 percent were single mothers and 27.4 percent were non-families. 23.7 percent of all households and 9.9 percent had someone living alone at the age of 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.25 persons.

23.4 percent of the population was under 18 years old, 13.3 percent between 18 to 24, 35.4 percent between 25 and 44, 17.8 percent between 45 and 64 and 10.2 percent were 65 years of age or older. The average age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 148.4 males to 100 females age 18 and over, there were 164.9 males.

The median income for a household was $ 28,392, and the median income for a family was $ 32,967. Males have a median income of $ 26,473, women $ 20,666. The per capita income was $ 10,625. 19.7 percent of families and 24.0 percent of the population lived below the poverty line.

Places in County

Beeville
Blanconia
Blueberry Hill
Blue Berry Hill Colonia
Cadiz
Caesar
Clarenville
Mineral
Monteola
Standard Anna
Oaks
Olmos
Orangedale
Papalote
Pawnee
Pettus
Skidmore
Tuleta
Tulsita
Tynan

Reserves and Parks

Alta Vista Park
Ann Burke Park
Beeville City Park
Flournoy Park
Kobler Park
Northwest Area Park
Poesta Park
Reyes Park
Ten Acre Park
Veterans Memorial Park

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