Prehistoric people lived in Gobbler Shelter, located on a small tributary canyon ofLive Oak Creek. The earliest known Native American tribes were theTonkawa,Lipan Apache, andComanche.[5]
In 1590, Spanish explorerGaspar Castaño de Sosa led a mining expedition of 170 who passed through the western section of Crockett County to reach thePecos River.[6] On May 22, 1684,Juan Domínguez de Mendoza and his expedition crossed the Pecos River and camped at San Pantaleón.[7]
John Coffee Hays's 1849 expedition charted waterholes for transporting people and freight.,[8] and three years later, U.S. Army ColonelJoseph K. Mansfield recommended establishing a new post on Live Oak Creek to protect travelers.[5]Fort Lancaster was established on August 20, 1855, in response to Mansfield's recommendation.[9] In 1866, the Texas legislature provided three battalions ofTexas Rangers to protect settlers in the area.[10] Camp Melvin was established in 1868.[11]
On January 12, 1875, Crockett County, named forDavy Crockett, was formed fromBexar County.[5] Crockett County became a subsidiary ofVal Verde County in 1885, and in 1887 was reduced further asSutton andSchleicher counties were formed from part of its territory.[5] In 1889,Emerald became the first town in Crockett County.[5] Crockett County was organized in 1891, withOzona serving as the county seat. The first water well was drilled at the First Baptist Church in Ozona that same year.[5]
One of the first settlers was W. P. Hoover, who settled on thePecos River in 1885.[5] Throughout the next decade, sheep and cattle ranchers established themselves in the county. The Kirkpatrick Hotel was built to serve stagecoach passengers and cowboys.[5] Stagecoach services began running in 1900, and contemporary county reports listed seven manufacturing firms.[5] TheCrockett County Courthouse was built in 1902 by architectOscar Ruffini. The building does multiple duty for courtroom and county offices, as well as a community center and dance hall.[12]
In 1925, the first producing oil well within the world, on L. P. Powell's ranch in north central Crockett County, by Chester R. Bunker's World Oil Company.[5][13] Ozona erected a statue of Davy Crockett in the town square in 1938[14] and opened the Crockett County Museum the following year. In 1958, it was moved to its current location on the town square.[15]
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 3,098. The median age was 43.2 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.[22][23]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[24]
There were 1,211 households in the county, of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.0% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[22]
There were 1,592 housing units, of which 23.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.0% were owner-occupied and 25.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 23.6%.[22]
Crockett 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.
As of the2000 census, there were 4,099 people, 1,524 households, and 1,114 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 1.46 people per square mile (0.56 people/km2). There were 2,049 housing units at an average density of 0.73 per square mile (0.28/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.34%White, 0.68%Black orAfrican American, 0.59%Native American, 0.27%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 19.71% fromother races, and 2.39% from two or more races. 54.70% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.[26]
There were 1,524 households, out of which 36.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% weremarried couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.90% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,355, and the median income for a family was $34,653. Males had a median income of $29,925 versus $14,695 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $14,414. About 14.90% of families and 19.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.30% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.
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