Click Image to Enlarge
Texas Counties
Texas is divided into two hundred and fifty-four counties, more than any other state. Texas was originally divided into municipalities, a unit of local government under Spanish and Mexican rule. When the Republic of Texas gained its independence in 1836, there were 23 municipalities, which became the original Texas counties. Many of these would later be divided into new counties. The most recent county to be created was Kenedy County in 1921. The most recent county to be organized was Loving County in 1931Bee County, Texas
Bee County Education, Geography, and History
Bee County is a county located in the state of Texas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 31,861. Its county seat is Beeville. The
county was founded December 8, 1857 and organized the next year. It is named for Barnard E. Bee, Sr., a secretary of state of the Republic of
Texas.
The Beeville, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Bee County.
Etymology - Origin of Bee County Name
Barnard Elliott Bee, Sr., a secretary of state of the Republic of Texas
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Bee County History
Bee County was officially formed on December 8, 1857 from sections of Refugio, Live Oak, San Patricio, Goliad, and
Karnes counties. Its county seat is Beeville. It was created and named in honor of Colonel Barnard Elliot Bee, a political leader who had
served as Secretary of War under Sam Houston and later, as Secretary of State under Mirabeau B. Lamar during the governmental period of the
Republic of Texas. The early European settlers of this area were mainly Irish immigrants, but towards the end of the 1840s and early 1850s,
more settlers from the Southern states began to move in and build settlements.
The Bee County Courthouse was designed by the architect William Charles Stephenson, originally from Buffalo, New York. The original
courthouse, completed in 1912, cost $72,000. He also sculpted the "Justice Is Blind" monument (In his own words, an "Enlightened Justice")
that tops the Courthouse; he intentionally chose the "non-blindfolded" concept. The structure uses the Chicago window style of a glass pane
flanked by two narrow ones. It is classical with the grand portico having Corinthian columns at the entry.
Handbook of Texas Online
Bee County was established shortly after the settlement of the Cart War,
which originated ten miles east of the site of Beeville. The county, named
for Barnard E. Bee, Sr.,
was formed from San Patricio, Goliad, Refugio, Live Oak, and Karnes counties
on December 8, 1857, and officially organized on January 25, 1858, when the
first officers were elected. Beeville, the first county seat, was on Medio
Creek, near Medio Hill, where the first post office had been established in
1857. In 1860 Maryville became county seat; this community was later
designated Beeville-on-the-Poesta to distinguish it from the former county
seat. More at
Grace Bauer, "BEE COUNTY," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hcb05),
accessed January 23, 2016. Uploaded on June 12, 2010. Modified on January 22, 2016. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 880
square miles (2,280 km2), of which, 880 square miles (2,280 km2) of it is
land and 0 square miles (0 km2) of it (0.02%) is water. The Aransas River
forms in Bee County, southwest of Beeville and north of Skidmore.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Karnes County (north)
- Goliad County (northeast)
- Refugio County (east)
- San Patricio County (southeast)
- Live Oak County (west)
Education
The following school districts serve Bee County:
Beeville Independent School District
Mathis Independent School District (partial)
Pawnee Independent School District (partial, K-8)
Pettus Independent School District (partial)
Refugio Independent School District (partial)
Skidmore-Tynan Independent School District (partial)
Three Rivers Independent School District (partial)
The following post-secondary institutions serve Bee County (and the surrounding area):
Coastal Bend College
Click Image to Enlarge
