Lampasas, Texas | |
|---|---|
 The Lampasas County Courthouse was completed in 1884. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1971. | |
 Location of Lampasas, Texas | |
| Coordinates:31°03′51″N98°10′58″W / 31.06417°N 98.18278°W /31.06417; -98.18278 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Lampasas |
| Incorporated | 1883 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | TJ Monroe[citation needed] |
| • City Manager | Finley deGraffenried[citation needed] |
| • Police Chief | Jody Cummings[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 7.33 sq mi (18.98 km2) |
| • Land | 7.31 sq mi (18.94 km2) |
| • Water | 0.015 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,030 ft (310 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 7,291 |
| • Density | 997.0/sq mi (385.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 76550 |
| Area code | 512 |
| FIPS code | 48-41188[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411619[3] |
| Website | www |
Lampasas (/læmˈpæsəs/lam-PASS-əs) is a city in and thecounty seat ofLampasas County, Texas, United States.[6] Its population was 7,291 at the 2020 census.[4]
Lampasas is part of theKilleen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan area.
For his services in theTexas Revolution, John Burleson received 1,280 acres (5.2 km2) of land and established a permanent settlement in the 1850s. The city was first named Burleson, but the name was gradually changed toLampasas Springs because of the existence of seven mineral springs.[7] When the county was created in 1856, the law specified "The county seat shall be same name as the county." The city of Lampasas was officially incorporated in 1883.
Several theories attempt to explain how the name Lampasas came to be. TheTexas Almanac states the word came from a Spanish word for "lilies" found in nearby streams. Another source states the word comes from the Spanish nameLampazos. The name was given to the local river by the Spanish Aquayo Expedition in 1721. It is believed the name was inspired by a Mexican town that also had beautiful springs. The town was also the location of the birth of the Farmers' Alliance, founded in 1876.
In 1952 the US military conducted an experimental drill in which Lampasas was supposedly conquered by a foreign adversary that flooded the town with propaganda, with local officials taking part. Military operations were conducted outside the town.[8]
In the Mother's Day Flood of 1957, Sulphur Creek, a local river, struck the city in devastating flash flood that claimed five lives and destroyed many homes, businesses, and other property around downtown Lampasas. In the aftermath, a series of levees and reservoirs was constructed to prevent damage from future catastrophes.[9]
Since 1972, Lampasas has held an annual fair called the Spring Ho festival each July.[1]
The most notable waterway is Sulphur Creek, which flows from the southwest to the northeast through the south-central part of the city.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16.1 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.64%) is covered by water.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to theKöppen climate classification, Lampasas has ahumid subtropical climate,Cfa.[10]
| Climate data forLampasas, Texas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 95.0 (35.0) | 99.0 (37.2) | 100.0 (37.8) | 103.0 (39.4) | 104.0 (40.0) | 108.0 (42.2) | 112.0 (44.4) | 112.0 (44.4) | 108.0 (42.2) | 104.0 (40.0) | 93.0 (33.9) | 90.0 (32.2) | 112.0 (44.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 60.9 (16.1) | 63.5 (17.5) | 70.7 (21.5) | 78.9 (26.1) | 85.3 (29.6) | 91.3 (32.9) | 95.1 (35.1) | 96.1 (35.6) | 89.6 (32.0) | 80.5 (26.9) | 70.1 (21.2) | 61.1 (16.2) | 78.6 (25.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.6 (2.0) | 38.8 (3.8) | 45.7 (7.6) | 54.0 (12.2) | 63.1 (17.3) | 69.7 (20.9) | 72.3 (22.4) | 71.8 (22.1) | 65.8 (18.8) | 55.8 (13.2) | 45.6 (7.6) | 36.0 (2.2) | 54.5 (12.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −12.0 (−24.4) | −11.0 (−23.9) | 12.0 (−11.1) | 24.0 (−4.4) | 32.0 (0.0) | 47.0 (8.3) | 42.0 (5.6) | 38.0 (3.3) | 33.0 (0.6) | 20.0 (−6.7) | 12.0 (−11.1) | −7.0 (−21.7) | −12.0 (−24.4) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.9 (48) | 2.3 (58) | 3.0 (76) | 2.2 (56) | 4.1 (100) | 4.3 (110) | 1.8 (46) | 1.8 (46) | 2.9 (74) | 3.5 (89) | 2.5 (64) | 2.2 (56) | 32.5 (823) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 68 |
| Source 1: bestplace.net[11] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weatherbase[12] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 653 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,408 | 268.8% | |
| 1900 | 2,107 | −12.5% | |
| 1910 | 2,119 | 0.6% | |
| 1920 | 2,107 | −0.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,709 | 28.6% | |
| 1940 | 3,426 | 26.5% | |
| 1950 | 4,869 | 42.1% | |
| 1960 | 5,061 | 3.9% | |
| 1970 | 5,922 | 17.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,165 | 4.1% | |
| 1990 | 6,382 | 3.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,786 | 6.3% | |
| 2010 | 6,681 | −1.5% | |
| 2020 | 7,291 | 9.1% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 7,517 | 3.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] | |||
As of the2020 census, there were 7,291 people, 2,974 households, and 1,782 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,097.3 inhabitants per square mile (423.7/km2).[14]The median age was 40.8 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.8 males.[14]
There were 2,974 households in Lampasas, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.0% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 3,280 housing units, of which 9.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%.[14]
90.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 9.2% lived in rural areas.[15]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,517 | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 112 | 1.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 58 | 0.8% |
| Asian | 55 | 0.8% |
| Native Hawaiian andOther Pacific Islander | 7 | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 640 | 8.8% |
| Two or more races | 902 | 12.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 1,853 | 25.4% |
Of the 2,554 households, 33.7% had children under 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were not families. About 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54, and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city, the population was distributed as 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,898, and for a family was $31,012. Males had a median income of $26,606 versus $19,959 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $13,409. About 18.3% of families and 21.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 28.5% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Lampasas is served by theLampasas Independent School District.
"Lampasas, Texas" is the title of the second episode of theCBSWesterntelevision seriesTrackdown, starringRobert Culp asTexas Ranger Hoby Gilman. The episode aired on October 11, 1957. In the story line, Gilman tries to block a town from carrying out the legallynching of an innocent man.[17][18]
Municipalities and communities ofLampasas County, Texas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
.svg)
