Fort Stockton, Texas

Pecos County

48-26808

Fort Stockton is a city in Pecos County in the U.S. state of Texas. The city bills itself as the " friendliest city in Texas" ("The Friendliest Town in Texas" ). In Fort Stockton, the the county seat is ( county seat ) of the Pecos counties.

Geography

Fort Stockton is located in west-central Texas, just north of the geographical center of the Pecos County and is respectively about 125 km in the distance from the eastern border of New Mexico to the north and Mexico to the southeast.

Traffic

Fort Stockton has access to Interstate 10 as well as to the U.S. Highways 67, 290 and 385 There is also a station of the Santa Fe Railroad and 3 km to Fort Stockton Airport.

History

The town was founded in 1859 from a small settlement near the military base Fort Stockton, named after Robert F. Stockton, a Commodore of the U.S. Navy in the Mexican-American War and later U.S. Senator from New Jersey.

In the American Civil War Fort Stockton was almost destroyed in 1867 built by General Edward Hatch again and the headquarters of the 9th U.S. Cavalry. After the Apaches were defeated in 1882 in this area, the government reduced the troops on the ground. What remained were only two companies of the 16th Infantry.

After the withdrawal of troops was reduced, the proportion of civilians, which only changed after 1886 after the Texas and Pacific Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad. In the following years the city was known as a commercial center for cattle and sheep. Another economic boom experienced the city as 1926, the first oil discoveries were known in the area.

Demographic data

At the time of the 2000 census, 7,846 people lived in Fort Stockton. Of these, 101 people were living in collective centers, the other residents living in 2,790 households and 2,106 families. The population density was 592 people per square kilometer. The racial the population was composed of 70.1 percent White, 0.9 percent African American, 0.6 percent Native American, 0.8 percent Asian, and 25.2 percent from other ethnic groups; about 2.5 percent reported mixed race. 69.9 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 2,790 households, 39.2 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them. 58.1 percent were married couples living together. 13.3 percent were single mothers and 24.5 percent were non-families. 21.7 percent of all households were single-person households and 9.6 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.25 persons to.

30.1 percent of the population was under 18 years old, 9.9 percent from 18 to 24, 25.6 percent of 25-44, 20.8 percent from 45 to 64, and 13.6 percent were 65 years or older. The average age was 33 years. For every 100 females of all ages were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, 89.9 males.

The median income for a household was $ 27,713, and the median income for a family $ 30,941. Males had a median income of $ 25,735 versus $ 17,885 for females. The per capita income was $ 12,834. 22.3 percent of the population and 19.7 percent of families are below the poverty line. Of these, 30.6 percent were children and adolescents under 18 years and 17.7 percent were 65 or older.

Attractions

• Pecos County Courthouse
• Hood Mendel Arena
• Annie Riggs Memorial Museum
• Fort Stockton Historical Society
• E & E Editions -Pac & Ship

Sons and daughters of the town

• Saxton Pope (1875-1926), Archer