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Physical Features: Hilly, rolling, almost half covered by timber; drains to Navasota, Trinity rivers and tributaries; Lake Limestone; sandy, dark, alluvial soils.

Economy: Poultry farming, cattle ranching, hay.

History: Bidais, absorbed into the Kickapoos and other groups. Permanent settlement by Anglo-Americans occurred after the Texas Revolution; Germans arrived in the 1870s. County created and organized in 1846 from Robertson County; named for founder of Victoria, Martín de León.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 76.1; Black, 7.5; Hispanic, 14.2; Asian, 0.8; Other, 0.9; Two or more races, 1.5.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 205; deaths, 223; marriages, 115; divorces, 61.

Recreation: Hilltop Lakes resort area; sites of Camino Real, Fort Boggy State Park; deer hunting.

Minerals: Oil, natural gas, lignite coal.

Agriculture: Poultry, cow-calf production. Hay, small grains. Market value $148.7 million. Hardwoods, pine marketed.

CENTERVILLE (891) county seat; farm center, hunting, tourism, oil, gas, timber.

BUFFALO (1,907) coal mining, oil/gas; library; May Spring Fest with fiddlers’ contest.

Other towns include: Concord (28); Flynn (81); Hilltop Lakes (1,003) resort, retirement center; Jewett (1,234) electricity-generating plant, steel mill, strip mining, civic center, museum, library, Classic Coon Hunt in January; Leona (176) candle factory; Marquez (276); Normangee (717, partly in Madison County) farming, tourism; library, museum, city park; Oakwood (517).

The main street of Buffalo. Photo by Robert Plocheck.