Panhandle, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Panhandle, Texas
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Aerial view of Panhandle
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| Motto(s):
People of Pride & Purpose
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Location of Panhandle, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Carson |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.12 sq mi (5.50 km2) |
| • Land | 2.12 sq mi (5.50 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,455 ft (1,053 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,378 |
| • Density | 1,121.7/sq mi (432.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
79068
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| Area code(s) | 806 |
| FIPS code | 48-54960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2413105 |
Panhandle is the county seat of Carson County, Texas, United States. The population of the town was 2,378 at the 2020 census. Panhandle is part of the Amarillo metropolitan statistical area.
History
Panhandle derives its name from its central location in the Texas Panhandle. Originally named "Carson City", it was later changed to "Panhandle City".
In 1887, Panhandle obtained a post office, and in 1888, the town was planned as the terminus of the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railway. At that time, the town was surrounded by several large cattle ranches. The community soon acquired a bank, a mercantile store, a wagonyard, a school, a newspaper, and three saloons.
In 1888, Carson County was organized, and Panhandle became the county seat. The area's cattlemen were reconciled to the arrival of farmers because they produced needed forage crops, such as hay, and introduced more families with eligible young women for the cowboy bachelors of the cattle kingdom.
Panhandle was scandalized in 1897 after George E. Morrison, a preacher at the Methodist Episcopal Church, poisoned his wife Minnie with a strychnine-laced apple so that he could marry his mistress Miss Annie Whittlesey of Topeka, Kansas. Morrison was sentenced to die in the gallows at Vernon in Wilbarger County, Texas, his last words being: "Jesus, Lover of My Soul".
In 1909, Panhandle voted to incorporate with a mayor-council government.
The population grew in the 1920s when Panhandle became the center of a natural gas field.
A new county courthouse was completed in 1950.
Panhandle continued to thrive in the 1980s as a regional marketing and shipping center for cattle, wheat, and petroleum products.
The Carson County Square House Museum is located inside the oldest house in Panhandle, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 521 | — | |
| 1920 | 638 | 22.5% | |
| 1930 | 2,035 | 219.0% | |
| 1940 | 978 | −51.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,406 | 43.8% | |
| 1960 | 1,958 | 39.3% | |
| 1970 | 2,141 | 9.3% | |
| 1980 | 2,226 | 4.0% | |
| 1990 | 2,353 | 5.7% | |
| 2000 | 2,589 | 10.0% | |
| 2010 | 2,452 | −5.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,378 | −3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,987 | 83.56% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 13 | 0.55% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 17 | 0.71% |
| Asian (NH) | 7 | 0.29% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.04% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 3 | 0.13% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 109 | 4.58% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 241 | 10.13% |
| Total | 2,378 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,378 people, 1,058 households, and 723 families residing in the town.
Geography and climate
Panhandle is located slightly south of the center of Carson County. U.S. Route 60 passes through the town, leading northeast 27 miles (43 km) to Pampa and southwest the same distance to Amarillo. Texas State Highway 207 crosses US 60 in Panhandle and passes through the center of town; it leads north 23 miles (37 km) to Borger and south 9 miles (14 km) to Interstate 40 at Conway.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Panhandle has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.5 km2), all land.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, the Panhandle has a semiarid climate, BSk on climate maps.
| Climate data for Panhandle, Texas (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49.9 (9.9) |
53.9 (12.2) |
62.7 (17.1) |
71.9 (22.2) |
80.0 (26.7) |
87.9 (31.1) |
92.8 (33.8) |
91.0 (32.8) |
83.8 (28.8) |
72.7 (22.6) |
60.3 (15.7) |
48.7 (9.3) |
71.3 (21.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22.2 (−5.4) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
40.2 (4.6) |
50.4 (10.2) |
59.6 (15.3) |
64.0 (17.8) |
62.9 (17.2) |
55.1 (12.8) |
43.6 (6.4) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
22.6 (−5.2) |
42.4 (5.8) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.61 (15) |
0.64 (16) |
1.39 (35) |
1.77 (45) |
2.79 (71) |
3.59 (91) |
2.51 (64) |
2.80 (71) |
2.20 (56) |
1.94 (49) |
0.92 (23) |
0.76 (19) |
21.92 (557) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 3.9 (9.9) |
3.1 (7.9) |
2.0 (5.1) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
1.7 (4.3) |
4.1 (10) |
15.8 (40) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Education
The Town of Panhandle is served by the Panhandle Independent School District and is home to the Panhandle High School Panthers and Pantherettes.
See also
In Spanish: Panhandle (Texas) para niños
