Mitchell County

Mitchell County, Texas

Mitchell County, Texas

The Mitchell County Courthouse is located in Colorado City, the county seat. Photographby Aualliso.
Mitchell County, Texas

Mitchell County, Texas

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

Mitchell County is in the prairie of west central Texas, bounded on the east by Nolan County, on the south by Sterling and Coke counties, on the west by Howard County, and on the north by Scurry County. The county center is at 32°18' north latitude and 100°55' west longitude. Colorado City, the largest town, is in the northeastern part of the county, roughly 229 miles west of Fort Worth. The area was named for Asa and Eli Mitchell , prominent participants in the Texas Revolution. The county embraces 912 square miles of prairieland surfaced mainly with sandy, red, and dark soils. The altitudes range from 2,004 to 2,616 feet above sea level. The main physical feature is the Colorado River, which enters the county from the north and flows through the center. The river traverses the Callahan Divide, a line of hills that extends from east to west in the southern part of the county. In the county are several lakes, including Lake Colorado City, Champion Creek Reservoir, Lake Gregory, and Lake Butler, all of which are recreational sites. Wild china, live oak, willow cedar, black walnut, pecan, and other trees grow in the area; grasses include bunchgrass, shortgrass, grama, needlegrass, and Johnson grass. During the spring Mitchell County sports a variety of wildflowers, including buttercups, daisies, sunflowers, and honeysuckle. Rabbits, prairie dogs, coyotes, and wolves are found in the area. The most common reptile is the rattlesnake. Temperatures in the county range from an average high of 96° F in July to an average low of 30° in January, rainfall averages 19.68 inches a year, and the growing season lasts 217 days. The county is served by Interstate Highway 20, which runs from west to east, and by State highways 163 (north to south) and 208 (north to southeast). The Missouri Pacific Railroad runs east to west across the county, through Colorado City.

The history of Mitchell County in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries was characterized by Spanish exploration and Indian domination. Because of their interest in the Jumano Indians, the Spanish made a series of expeditions through West Texas in the seventeenth century. Though no major explorations took place in what is now Mitchell County, the expeditions traveled through the area. In 1629 and 1632, Fr. Juan de Salas led expeditions to the Jumanos. Captains Hernán Martín and Diego del Castillo made an expedition through West Texas in 1650 in search of the Jumanos, as did Diego de Guadalajara, sent to find wealth, in 1654. Comanches of the Penateka band settled in the region in 1780 and controlled the area of the future Mitchell County until 1875, when Ranald S. Mackenzie of the United States Army moved them onto reservations.

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Julius A. Amin, 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

Mitchell County is classified as a County

Altitude Range

1930 ft – 2574 ft

Size

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

  • Land Area: 911.1 mi²
  • Total Area: 915.9 mi²

Temperature

January mean minimum: 28.3°F
July mean maximum: 95.0°F

Rainfall, 2019

20.4 inches

Population Count, 2019

8,545

Civilian Labor Count, 2019

2,279

Unemployment, 2019

9.5%

Property Values, 2019

$1,388,315,826 USD

Per-Capita Income, 2019

$31,913 USD

Retail Sales, 2019

$38,297,897 USD

Wages, 2019

$22,550,436 USD

Mitchell County

Highlighted:
  • Mitchell County
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Place Type Population (Year/Source) Currently Exists
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Town 30 (2009) Yes
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Lake Yes
Town 4,391 (2021) Yes
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Town 752 (2021) Yes
Lake Yes
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Town 550 (2021) Yes
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Lake Yes
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Town 224 (2021) Yes

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