PrehistoricClovis culture peoples[4] in Culberson County lived in the rock shelters and caves nestled near water supplies. These people left behind artifacts andpictographs as evidence of their presence.[5] With its treacherous topography, the area remained untouched by white explorations for centuries.
Jumano Indians led theAntonio de Espejo[6] 1582-1583 expedition near Toyah Lake on a better route to the farming and trade area of La Junta de los Ríos. Espejo's diary places the Jumano along thePecos River and its tributaries.[7]
Antonio de Espejo was also the first white person to see theMescalero Apache just east of theGuadalupe Mountains. The Mescalero[8] frequented the area to irrigate their crops. In 1849,John Salmon "Rip" Ford[9] explored the area betweenSan Antonio andEl Paso, noting in his mapped report the productive land upon which the Mescalero Indians farmed. By the mid-17th century, the Mescaleros expanded their territory to the PlainsNavajos andPueblos from the Guadalupes, andEl Paso del Norte. Their feared presence in the area deterred white settlers. In January 1870, a group of soldiers attacked a Mescalero Apache village near Delaware Creek in the Guadalupe Mountains. In July 1880, soldiers at Tinaja de las Palmas attacked a group of Mescaleros led byChief Victorio.[10] August 1880,buffalo soldiers ambushed Victorio at Rattlesnake Springs. Victorio retreated to Mexico and was killed in October by Mexican soldiers.[11]
The demand for new routes from Texas to California caused an uptick in explorations.[12] The San Antonio-to-El Paso leg of the San Antonio-California Trail was surveyed in 1848 under the direction ofJohn Coffee Hays.
Lt. Francis Theodore Bryan[14] camped atGuadalupe Pass while exploring a route from San Antonio to El Paso viaFredericksburg. Upon reaching El Paso in July 1849, his report recommended sink wells along the route. In July 1848, Secretary of WarWilliam L. Marcy wanted a military post established on the north side of theRio Grande. MajorJefferson Van Horne[15] was sent out in 1849 to establish Marcy's goal.
John Russell Bartlett,[16][17] was commissioned in 1850 to carry out theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Bartlett declared theGuadalupe Mountains dark and gloomy, and proposed a transcontinental railroad be built south of the peaks. Three years later, CaptainJohn Pope[18] was sent to scout out a railroad route, and in the succeeding year to search for artesian water supplies.
TheSan Antonio-San Diego Mail Line and theButterfield Overland Mail[19] both serviced the area 1857–1861. These mail coaches provided a means for travelers to reach California in 27 days if the passenger had the $200 for a one-way fare and was courageous enough to withstand the weather and dangers en route.[20]
Rival railway companies began competing for rights of way. TheTexas and Pacific Railway[21] and the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway[22] eventually reached an agreement to share the tracks.
With the opening of the railways, ranchers began to settle in the county.Lobo was settled in part due to misrepresentation by promoters. A class-action lawsuit by the residents forced the promoters to build the Lobo Hotel. Unfortunately, the area was struck by two powerful earthquakes[25] - one in 1929, and the 6.0 quake nearValentine that was felt as far away asDallas. The hotel was destroyed.[26]
Culberson County Hospital and Van Horn Rural Clinic
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,813 square miles (9,880 km2), of which 3,813 square miles (9,880 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.01%) is covered by water.[29] It is the fifth-largest county by area in Texas. The largest part ofGuadalupe Mountains National Park lies in the northwestern corner of the county, includingMcKittrick Canyon andGuadalupe Peak, the highest natural point in Texas at 8,751 ft (2,667 m).
Culberson 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 the2020 United States census, there were 2,188 people, 668 households, and 400 families residing in the county.
As of thecensus[36] of 2000, 2,975 people, 1,052 households, and 797 families resided in the county. Thepopulation density was less than 1/km2 (2.6/sq mi). The 1,321 housing units were at a density less than one per square mile (0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 68.94% White, 0.71% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 27.13% fromother races, and 2.18% from two or more races. About 72.24% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 1,052 households, 39.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.20% were married couples living together, 13.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were not families. About 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county, the population was distributed as 32.20% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,882, and for a family was $28,547. Males had a median income of $22,500 versus $14,817 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $11,493. About 21.50% of families and 25.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 30.20% of those under age 18 and 19.40% of those age 65 or over.
Like most counties in heavilyHispanicSouth Texas, Culberson County leaned Democratic. However, RepublicanDonald Trump won the county by nearly 17 points in2024. Prior to 2024, the last Republican presidential candidate to carry the county wasGeorge W. Bush in2004, who drew even withKerry among Hispanic voters in the state. Democratic strength has declined in the county in recent years, withJoe Biden barely receiving over 50% of the vote in 2020.
United States presidential election results for Culberson County, Texas[39]
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