From about 1700 to the 1870s,Comanche,Tonkawa,Lipan Apache,Kickapoo, andKiowa roamed the county. These tribes settled in rock shelters in the river and creek valleys, leaving behind artifacts and caches of seeds, implements, burial sites,petroglyphs, river shells, turkey and deer bones, and flint knives, scrapers, and points.[4][5]
In 1851, United States Army postFort Chadbourne[6] was established to protect the frontier, and the fort was manned until the Civil War. TheButterfield Overland Mail[7] ran through the area from 1858 to 1861.
Between 1860 and the early 1880s, the only settlers in what became Coke County were ranchers attracted to open grazing land. J. J. Austin established his ranch headquarters near Sanco[8] in 1875. Pate Francher settled in the area in 1877.
In 1882, the Texas and Pacific Railway began providing service to San Angelo, and settlers started coming into the region in somewhat larger numbers.
Severe drought in the 1880s led tofence cutting and its attendant issues. State authorities eventually settled the disputes.
A few years later, the county was named after Confederate soldier, Texas governor, and U.S. senator Richard Coke.[9]
The Texas Legislature established Coke County in 1889, out ofTom Green County. The county was organized that same year, with Hayrick[10] as county seat. The county's first newspaper, theHayrick Democrat, began publication in 1889, but was renamed theRustler.
In 1891 after an election, the new town ofRobert Lee[11] became the county seat.Robert E. Lee had once served at Fort Chadbourne. That same year, the county's newspaper moved to the new county seat and was renamed theRobert Lee Observer.
Dr. D.W. Key[12][13] started the town ofBronte, named after English writer Charlotte Brontë.[14][15] The town was originally named Oso and then Bronco. A post office was granted in 1890 after residents changed the name to Bronte.
Silver, named after Silver Peak Summit,[16][17][18] was settled between 1870 and 1880 as a ranching hub. Early settlers were S.M. Conner, R.B. Allen, W.G. Jameson, and W.R. Walker. Dr. Joseph Eaton Reed was for 50 years the only physician. Oil discovery and related industries created a boom in Silver in the mid-20th century. After the oil camps closed down in 1966, Silver's population slipped drastically.
Tennyson, named in honor of the British poetAlfred, Lord Tennyson was established in 1892. It received a post office two years later.
The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway built tracks north from San Angelo in 1907, which benefited Tennyson, Bronte, and Fort Chadbourne.
Cotton acreage peaked in 1910, but plunged sharply during the 1920s, because of aboll weevil infestation. Expanding during the same period was the production of corn, wheat, sorghum, and fruit trees. The county population declined during theGreat Depression.
Oil was discovered in the county in 1942, and by 1991, 209,281,131 barrels (33,273,040.9 m3) had been taken from Coke County lands. Tax money derived from oil profits helped the county to improve infrastructure and public facilities and services for its citizens. Oil production accounts for the major share of income for the county.[19]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 928 square miles (2,400 km2), of which 911 square miles (2,360 km2) are land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (1.8%) are covered by water.[21]
Coke County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
At the 2000census,[28] 3,864 people, 1,544 households and 1,068 families resided in the county. Thepopulation density was four per square mile (2/km2). The 2,843 housing units averaged three per square mile. Theracial makeup of the county was 88.85% White, 1.94% Black or African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.94% from other races] and 1.40% from two or more races. About 16.90% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 1,544 households, 27.10% had children under 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were not families; 29.00% of all households was made up of individuals, and 18.30% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.31, and the average family size was 2.84.
Age distribution was 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
Themedian household income was $29,085, and the median family was $36,724. Males had a median income of $30,778 versus $19,596 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,734. About 9.70% of families and 13.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.00% of those under age 18 and 12.80% of those age 65 or over.
