Roberts County

Roberts County Offices

Roberts County Town List

Roberts County has an area of 2,393km². It was created in 1876 and organized in 1889 and is one of the least densely populated counties in Texas.

You’ll find Roberts County in the northeastern Panhandle, and it is bounded on the east by Hemphill County, Ochiltree County on the north, Hutchinson County on the west, and on the south by the Gray County. It is crossed by the Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, US Highway 60, and State Highway 70.

Roberts County History

Roberts County in Texas was named after two Texans with the Roberts’ surname, Oran Milo Roberts and John S. Roberts. The region was occupied by prehistoric cultures, followed by Plains Apaches.

The Comanches later pushed out the Plain Apaches in the early eighteenth century, and they dominated the area up to the 1870s. The Comanches would hunt the buffalos found in the area, which later became Roberts County.

During the Red River War of 1874 to 1875, the actions of Ranald S. Mackenzie and other federal troops helped to get rid of the Indian threats. The buffalo hunters also hunted off the immense herds of bison at around the same time.

Roberts County was created from the Clay Land District and Bexar County in 1876. For judicial reasons, the new Roberts County was to be attached to Wheeler County. The first person to settle in Roberts County was Bill Anderson, who came to the county in 1876. In 1877, Henry Whitesand Cresswell established the first ranch in the county and had 45,000 cattle across the land.

In 1879, Marion Armstrong established a stagecoach stand at the site of the future Miami, known as the Red Deer Creek. By 1880, only 32 people were living in Roberts County; all of them were ranch workers. In 1885, Cresswell moved the headquarters of the cattle ranch to Ochiltree County.

The Southern Kansas Railway came up with the first railway line in 1887, stretching from Oklahoma and passing through Roberts County into the Panhandle. In the wake of the railway line, several settlers came into the county, and Miami town came into being in the southeastern part of Roberts County. The town came into life along the railway line.

Settlers around Miami town petitioned to have a county government. In contrast, the settlers and cattlemen around the Canadian River came up with a counter-petition, proposing Parnell as the county seat.

In 1889, Roberts County was organized, and Miami was picked as the first county seat. However, in December of the same year, the election was declared null and void, and Parnell was declared the county seat. It was the county seat up to 1898 when another voting moved the county seat to Miami again.

By 1890, Roberts County had thirty-four farms and ranches and a population of 326. Some of the most significant ranches included the Turkey Track Ranch, Cross Bar Ranch, and the Cresswell Ranch. Roberts County’s economy revolved around cattle raising, and there were about 48,959 cattle in the county by 1930.

In 1945, oil was discovered in Roberts county, making oil operations and agribusiness the dominant activities in the county’s economy.

Most of the county inhabitants have been Whites of German, Irish and English descent. By 2000, only 0.34% of the inhabitants were blacks, and only 4% were Hispanics.

Roberts County Climate and Topography

Roberts County has about 924 square miles of rolling plains with an elevation of 2,467” – 3,219” above sea level. The annual rainfall average in the county is 20.7 inches.

In January, the minimum temperature in Roberts County is 19° F, while the average temperature in July is 94° F.

The growing season in the county is 192 days, and 11-20% of the land in the county is considered prime farmland. The soils in Roberts County are black and sandy loam that comes with other clayey subsoils. The Canadian River and its several tributaries drain the county, and it is in the Rolling Plains vegetation area that includes live oak trees, mesquite, and grasses.

Roberts County Population  

Roberts County remains among the most densely populated areas in Texas State.

According to the US Census Bureau, Roberts County had 929 people in 2010. In 2020, the county had a population of 827 people.

5.9% of the population includes people under five years, while 23.2% are under 18 years. People of 65 years and above comprise 22.6% of the population, while female personas are 50.5% of the county’s population.

95.9% of the population are whites, 0.1% are African American or black, 0.2% are Asian, and 0.0% are native Hawaiian.

Roberts County Offices 

Roberts County has several offices offering various services. The offices include the Tax County Office that provides multiple services, including vehicle title transfers, accessible parking placards, temporary registration, registration renewals, and copies of registration receipts. The tax office works in conjunction with the registration division and vehicle titles.

The tax-assessor collector is Heather Williams, and you can contact the office at PO Box 458

Miami, TX 79059-0458 or call (806) 868-3611.

Other offices in the county include the Roberts County courthouse, which offers various information, including courthouse availability, procedures, and hours.

James Morgan is the county’s chief appraiser, and you can contact the office through PO Box 8938

Amarillo, TX 79114

Telephone: 806-358-8186.

There is also the county commissioner’s office and the county attorney. The county commissioner’s office is responsible for making budget decisions, policymaking among other duties and responsibilities.

The county sheriff’s office is responsible for ensuring that the county is safe. You can reach the county sheriff’s office at (806) 868-3121.

The county treasurer’s office ensures all the county funds are safe. It prepares the payroll and can also act as the human resource office. Amy Tennant is the county treasurer, and you can call the office at (806) 868-2411.

The county auditor’s office plays an oversight role over all the financial books in the county. It also examines all claims and reports from the treasurer. The office is available by phone at +1 806-669-8001.

Cost Of Living in Roberts County 

Roberts County has an overall cost of living at 88.3, below the US average of 100. The cost of living in the health sector is 104.4, housing 75.7, grocery 93.8, and the Median Home Cost is $169 400. The cost of living index in the transport sector is 76.7, while 99.3 is the utilities’ cost of living index.

An index below 100 means Roberts County is cheaper than the average cost of living in the US, which is 100. An index above 100 shows the county is more expensive.