Lampasas County
Lampasas County, Texas
Lampasas County, Texas
Lampasas County covers an area of 714 square miles near the center of Texas. The county's center point is at 31°15' north latitude and 98°14' west longitude, seventy-five miles northwest of Austin. The major part of Lampasas County lies within the Grand Prairies region in an area formed during the Cretaceous period and is characterized by high rolling prairie with steep slopes and limestone benches that give a stairstep appearance to the landscape, and by some areas of flat to rolling prairie and steeply to moderately sloping hills, particularly along the county's eastern and western edges. The northwestern corner lies on the edge of the Cross Timbers region in an area formed during the Pennsylvania era; the southwestern corner is on the edge of the Llano basin in an area formed during the Ordovician era and is characterized by somewhat rougher and more dissected terrain. Soils consist chiefly of shallow and sometimes stony clays and loams over a limestone base, with darker, richer soils in the lowland areas along the riverbeds. The primary natural resources are derived from the limestone and sandstone formations underlying these areas and include sand, gravel, crushed stone, and lime, with some coal, lignite, and clay in the western portion of the county. Most of the county displays an assortment of scrub brush, grasses, and open stands of live oak, mesquite, and juniper, with some cacti growing in the west. Oak, elm, pecan, and willow trees also grow along the streams, particularly in the west along the Colorado River, and cedars can be found in some areas. The county's abundant wildlife includes white-tail deer, game birds, and a variety of furbearing mammals; Lampasas County is a popular hunting and trapping area. Coyotes, which had been hunted nearly to extinction by 1915, became common again by 1965, especially in the western and northern sections, and caused much damage to livestock through the 1980s. The majority of Lampasas County is drained by the Lampasas River, which runs north to south in the eastern portion of the county. The remainder of the county is drained by the Colorado River, which forms the county's western border. There are a number of spring-fed creeks throughout the county. Four reservoirs are located near the town of Lampasas in the southwestern corner of the county, as well as various mineral springs along Sulphur and Burleson creeks. Lampasas County water is usually hard and somewhat mineralized. The county also overlies the Trinity Group aquifer, with some sections overlying the Ellenburger-San Saba, Hickory Sandstone, and Marble Falls Limestone aquifers. Rainfall averages approximately thirty inches a year, temperatures range from an average high of 96° F in July to an average low of 30° in January, and the growing season lasts approximately 225 days.
For centuries various Indians hunted in the area, attracted by the large herds of buffalo, the plentiful streams, and the various mineral springs on Burleson and Sulphur creeks, which were noted for their healing properties. In 1721 the Aguayo expedition supposedly passed through the county on its way to East Texas, and in 1735 a missionary expedition from San Antonio is said to have discovered mineral springs in the future county on the way home from an inspection trip. The region was later part of what came to be known as Robertson's colony; although no known settlements were established there, the colony brought a number of families near the area when it was settled in the 1830s.
Alice J. Rhoades | © TSHA
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.
- ✅ Adoption Status:
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Lampasas County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
800 ft – 1669 ft
Size
Land area does not include water surface area, whereas total area does
- Land Area: 712.8 mi²
- Total Area: 713.9 mi²
Temperature
January mean minimum:
33.4°F
July mean maximum:
95.6°F
Rainfall, 2019
32.2 inches
Population Count, 2019
21,428
Civilian Labor Count, 2019
8,811
Unemployment, 2019
6.0%
Property Values, 2019
$4,822,950,058 USD
Per-Capita Income, 2019
$49,457 USD
Retail Sales, 2019
$240,675,697 USD
Wages, 2019
$45,960,677 USD
County Map of Texas
Lampasas County
- Lampasas County
Places of Lampasas County
Place | Type | Population (Year/Source) | Currently Exists |
---|---|---|---|
Town | – | – | |
Town | 75 (2014) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | 115 (2009) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | 17 (2014) | Yes | |
Town | 1,182 (2021) | Yes | |
Town | 7,517 (2021) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | 766 (2021) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | 32 (2009) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | 14 (2014) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | 30 (2014) | Yes | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – | |
Town | – | – |
Photos Nearby:
Lampasas, Texas
Historical Markert on the historic Gunfight at the Lampasas Saloon in the city of Lampasas, the county seat. Photograph by Sarah Reveley for TexasEscapes.
Adamsville, Texas
Patterson Family Home, Adamsville, Texas John Patterson House Photograph #1, January 1963; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth496329/m1/1/: accessed July 19, 2021), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Commission.
Proud to call Texas home?
Put your name on the town, county, or lake of your choice.
Search Places »