Fort Hancock, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fort Hancock, Texas
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Abandoned buildings along State Highway 20 in Fort Hancock
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Location of Fort Hancock, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hudspeth |
| Area | |
| • Total | 19.2 sq mi (49.7 km2) |
| • Land | 18.9 sq mi (49.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,579 ft (1,091 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,052 |
| • Density | 55.52/sq mi (21.44/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
79839
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| Area code(s) | 915 |
| FIPS code | 48-26724 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1357587 |
Fort Hancock is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. Its population was 1,052 at the 2020 census.
Fort Hancock is situated on the Mexico–United States border, across from El Porvenir, Chihuahua. The Fort Hancock–El Porvenir International Bridge connects the two communities, and the Fort Hancock Port of Entry is located on the Texas side.
Texas State Highway 20 and the Union Pacific Railroad run through the town.
Contents
History
Camp Rice and Fort Hancock
Fort Hancock began as a military establishment named Camp Rice in 1882, along the San Antonio-El Paso Road. Camp Rice had formerly been located at Fort Quitman, and had been established by troops of the 10th U.S. Cavalry "buffalo soldiers". Camp Rice did not grow after moving to this community, and rarely hosted more than 60 men. It was renamed Fort Hancock in 1886 after the death of General Winfield Scott Hancock, a hero of the Battle of Gettysburg. The fort was damaged in a flood that year, but rebuilt. It was damaged again by fires in 1889, then abandoned in 1895. The remains of the old fort are located in a cotton field about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of present-day Fort Hancock.
Town of Fort Hancock
A post office was established in 1886, with Albert Warren as postmaster. In 1887, a new railroad depot was built at Fort Hancock, and by 1890, a town had grown up around it and had a population of 200, a general store, a hotel, and a meat market.
By 1914, the population of the town had dropped to 50, though by 1940, it had increased to 500.
Officials in Fort Hancock raised the speed limit to 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) in 2006 along their portion of Interstate 10, making it the highest speed limit in the country.
The newly erected Mexico–United States barrier is not a continuous wall, but rather a segmented one, at places no more than a fence. This has led many unauthorized migrants to traverse the barrier on the Mexican side in search of a break; breaks are often in remote desert areas like Fort Hancock.
Geography
The Fort Hancock CDP is in southwestern Hudspeth County, bordered to the southwest by the Rio Grande and to the northeast by Interstate 10, with access from exits 68, 72, and 78. I-10 leads northwest 52 miles (84 km) to El Paso and east 67 miles (108 km) to Van Horn. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 19.2 square miles (49.7 km2), of which 19.0 square miles (49.1 km2) are land and 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2), or 1.33%, are covered by water.
Demographics
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 34 | 3.23% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 1 | 0.1% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1 | 0.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,016 | 96.58% |
| Total | 1,052 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,052 people, 453 households, and 353 families residing in the CDP.
Education
The community is served by the Fort Hancock Independent School District, and high school students attend Fort Hancock High School. The high school competes in six-man football, and between 1986 and 1992, their team, the Mustangs, competed six times in the state championship, winning five (one streak lasted four years). The coach for the state-championship teams was Mr. Danny Medina, who is currently the principal of Fort Hancock Middle School. Mr. Jose Franco served as the team's assistant coach and is currently Fort Hancock ISD's Superintendent. Mustang Stadium in Fort Hancock has a capacity of 800.
Hudspeth County is in the official service area of El Paso Community College.
Notable person
- Benito Martinez, who was born and raised in Fort Hancock, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War.
See also
In Spanish: Fort Hancock para niños
