Scurry

Scurry County

Updated on: January 12, 2022
Coordinates
32 45' 0" N, 100 55' 12" W (32.75, -100.92)
State
Texas
Region
Northwest
County Seat:
Snyder
Year Organized:
1876
Total Square Miles:
907.544
905 square miles (2,340 km2) land
2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) water
Population:
17050 (2017)
Population: 17,333 est. (2016) 16,921 (2010)
Persons/Square Mile:
19
Scurry County Website
http://www.co.scurry.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Kent (N)
Fisher (E)
Mitchell (S)
Borden (W)
Garza (NW)

County structure

Government Type:
County
Authority:
Dillon's Rule
Legislative Body:
Commisioners Court
Size of Legislative Body:
5

Demographics

2018 Population:
17050
25 to 64 Years of Age:
50.20%
65 Years of Age and Older:
15.11%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$2.5 B
Labor Force:
6,969
Unemployment Rate:
3.40%

County Contact

1806 25Th St
County Courthouse
Snyder, TX, 79549-2515

http://www.co.scurry.tx.us

1884 saw the creation of Scurry county after its organization dating back to 1876. Before 2006, it was one of 46 Texas counties that were dry or prohibited counties. In 2006, Scurry residents voted to legalize the sale of beer and wine, and in 2008, their wishes came to pass as the sale of liquor was waved on throughout the county.

Located in West Texas, Scurry County is bordered by separate counties. Fisher county can be found on the east, Mitchell County on the South, on the West is Borden County and Kent and Garza on the Northern border. The county’s center is at latitude 32°45′ N and longitude 100°55′ W, about a 90-mile drive from Abilene. Nearby is the county’s primary commercial center, Synder, 63 air miles northwest of Abilene. William Scurry was named a Confederate general inspiring the county name.

Topography and Climate

The county’s prairies, which include bluestems, gramas, wildrye, and wheatgrasses, as well as mesquite trees, encompass 904 square miles. Elevation lies between 2,000 to 2,700 feet above sea level. Many of the areas’ soils are light to dark loam, with reddish clay subsoils underlying them. The Colorado River and Clear Fork, a Brazos River tributary, supply water to residents. Temperatures typically vary from a low of 26° F in January to a high of 95° F in July. There is an average of 214 days of the growing season and an average of 19.32 inches of rain per year.

Economic Activity

More than 95% of the county’s land was devoted to farming and ranching in 1982, with the remainder going to crop cultivation. From cotton and sorghum to cattle and animal products, the county produced an average of $29 million from agriculture that year. The county is one of the essential oil-producing districts in Texas because of its location in the Permian Basin, one of its most vital petroleum resources. The county had a successful year in 1982. Crude oil production at the facility was 31,732,000 barrels per day, and casinghead gas production was 53,088,000 cubic feet per day.

Tourist Attractions

Engine no. 5

Engine No. 5, the final steam engine of the Roscoe, Snyder, and Pacific Railroad, may be found between the Western Texas College Coliseum and the Heritage Village’s entrance. In March 1956, the city received the engine for free and installed it at Towle Memorial Park. As the police escort arrived at the Coliseum, crowds of all ages gathered around the streets to watch.

State officials have erected an official Texas historical marker beside the engine. On the wall next to the locomotive is inscribed No. 5 Old Roscoe, Snyder, and Pacific Railroad Engine. This Baldwin engine was seen by Snyder residents in 1908 when the railroad began its inaugural passenger and freight service in the city. As a result of the railroad, Snyder and the surrounding region flourished tremendously.

It was created in 1920 in Philadelphia. Initially, it was a coal burner, but the fuel oil was added later.

Cornelius-Dodson House

The Cornelius-Dodson House was constructed in 1883 by Dr. J. C. Cornelius, a former Confederate Army Surgeon who relocated west after the Civil War. The house, described as a Tennessee Cumberland Style residence, features fireplaces in its entryways. He built almost everything in Dr. Cornelius’ home. A 20-mile trip by train from Fort Worth brought him to Colorado City, where he boarded wagons for the final leg of his journey to Snyder. The living room and bedroom flooring are identical. In addition, the ceiling of the bedroom is made of antique tongue and groove. The wood in the other rooms was chopped to match the original.

The Cornelius-Dodson Home is an interpretation of the house because there was no inventory of the original furniture. There is a lot of antique furniture in the 1880s-themed bedroom. Scurry County’s pioneers left their mark on the design of the kitchen. Later, in 1910, the dining room and parlor were added to the home, previously erected.

Move-in day was April 6, 1981, and the house was transferred to its current location. It’s named the Scurry County Heritage Village. The centennial celebration of Scurry County was conducted in June 1984, following the completion of the restoration work.

County Offices

The County Judge is in charge of presiding over meetings and making sure that the schedule is posted online and printed. Judge Dan Hicks is the County Judge, and the physical address to the office is 1806 25th Street, Snyder, TX 79549. Alternatively, you may contact the sheriff via phone at 325-573-8576 or Fax: 325-515-7575.

The county commissioner is responsible for making the best financial judgments regarding the roads and bridges in their jurisdiction. Terry D. Williams heads Precinct 1, and the address to the office is 1806 25th Street, Snyder, TX 79549. You can access the office through phone: 325-573-1502 or Fax: 3235-515-7575.

Precinct 2 is led by Trish Cockrell, with the physical address being 1806 25th Street, Snyder, TX 79549. Contact the office through Fax: 325-515-7575 or Phone: 325-573-7197.

Precinct 3 Commissioner is Shawn McCowen, and the address to the office is 1806 25th Street, Snyder, TX 79549. Access the office through phone: 325-573-7165 or Fax: 325-515-7575. Jim Robinson leads Precinct 4, and the address is 1806 25th Street #200, Snyder, TX 79549. To reach the office, the phone number is 325-573-7345 and Fax: 325-515-7575.

Trey Wilson is the County Sheriff, and the address to the office is 400 37th Street, Snyder, TX 79549. Through phone at 325-573-3551 or Fax: 325-573-4456.

The county auditor must approve the signing of county treasury warrants, and review the treasurer’s reports and any claims against the county, advertise for bids on county supplies, and keep the county’s financial books and records regularly are all part of the auditor’s duties. Scurry County Auditor is Angela Sanchez and available via email at [email protected]. The physical address is 1806 25th Street #205, Snyder, TX 79549. Contact the office through phone: 325-573-7121 and Fax: 325-515-7575.

Towns In Scurry County

Synder – A tributary of the Colorado River known as Deep Creek is located in Snyder. Snyder’s oil, gas, and wind industries are the source of it all. Snyder’s Development Corporation estimates that in 2012, 994 new employment was generated in Snyder. By the end of 2012, there were 20 percent more jobs created than in 2011. In terms of size and output, the Scurry Area Canyon Reef Operators oilfield is one of the most significant in the country. The Cline Shale has a new footprint, and Snyder appears to be part of it. In the city of Snyder, there are two of the nation’s largest wind farms. Manufacturing and cotton are two of Snyder’s other commercial interests.

Hermleigh – Hermleigh is located 96 miles southeast of Lubbock on US Highway 84. Scurry County’s southernmost town in Hermleigh. When the Roscoe-Snyder-Pacific Railroad arrived through the town in 1907–08, the Wheat population relocated there. The new town’s name, Hermlin, was given in honor of those who donated the property. Postal officials objected to the name because it sounded too similar to Hamlin, a nearby town in Texas.

Fluvanna – Since they knew the Roscoe, Snyder, and Pacific Railroad would stop at its location, the constructors who built it named it after a surveyor. Until the arrival of the first railway in 1908, the townsite had been plotted out and properties for sale had been advertised. With two real estate offices, 30 rooms in a hotel, a lumberyard, and cotton-gin in 1911, the town had evolved into one of the most prosperous in the state.