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Missouri Counties
Missouri has one hundred and fourteen counties and one independent city. St. Louis City is separate from St. Louis County and is referred to as a "city not within a county." Following the Louisiana Purchase and the admittance of Louisiana into the United States in 1812, five counties were formed out of the Missouri Territory at the first general assembly. Most subsequent counties were apportioned from these five original counties.Texas County, Missouri
Texas County Education, Geography, and History
Texas County is a county located in the southern portion of the state of Missouri. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 26,008. Its county seat is Houston. The county was organized in 1843 as Ashley County, changing its name in 1845 to Texas, after the Republic of Texas.
Etymology - Origin of Texas County Name
Named for the Republic of Texas.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
History of Texas County
The county is located in the south-central and slightly eastern section of the state, in the second tier of counties from the Arkansas line. The region was first settled by Boone, Paddy, Truesdale and others. It was defined as a county in an act approved February 17, 1843, and named Ashley County, after William Henry Ashley, fur trader who later became first lieutenant governor of Missouri . On February 14, 1845 an act was approved changing Ashley to Texas in honor of the Repuiblic, later the State of Texas. Many men from the section emigrated to Texas, and many were members of Doniphan's force on his march to Texas. Perhaps the fact that the county is the largest in the state, just as Texas is the largest state in the Union, had something to do with the choice. Texas is an Indian word used by the Hosinai tribes of Angelina and Upper Niches Valley, Texas, to mean "friend." It also means "ally." The word was extended by the Spaniards to include the tirbes and finally the territory in which they lived. (HIST. TEXAS, p. 430; Campbell (1873); MISSOURI H.R., "Some More Lost Counties of Missouri," p. 170, vol. 27, Jan., 1933; Hodge, p. 738)
Source: O'Brien, Anna. "Place Names Of Five Central Southern Counties of Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1939.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,179 square miles (3,050 km2), of which 1,177 square miles (3,050 km2)
is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.2%) is water. It is the largest county in Missouri by area.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Pulaski County (north)
- Phelps County (north)
- Dent County (northeast)
- Shannon County (east)
- Howell County (south)
- Douglas County (southwest)
- Wright County (west)
- Laclede County (northwest)
Education
Of adults 25 years of age and older in Texas County, 71.4% possesses a high school diploma or higher while 10.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.
Public schools
Cabool R-IV School District - Cabool
Houston R-I School District - Houston
Licking R-VIII School District - Licking
Plato R-V School District - Plato
Raymondville R-VII School District - Raymondville
Success R-VI School District - Success
Summersville R-II School District - Summersville
Private schools
Wellspring Christian School - Houston - (5-8) - Non-denominational Christian
Alternative and vocational schools
Exceptional Child Cooperative - Houston - (K-12) - Special Education
Gentry Residential Treatment Facility - Cabool (6-12) - Alternative
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