Jefferson, Texas

Not to be confused with Jefferson County, Texas.

Jefferson, Texas
City
The Old Post Office in Jefferson
The Old Post Office in Jefferson
Coordinates: 32°45′50″N 94°21′25″W / 32.76389°N 94.35694°W / 32.76389; -94.35694
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyMarion
Founded1841
Named afterThomas Jefferson
Area
[1]
 • Total
4.47 sq mi (11.59 km2)
 • Land4.45 sq mi (11.52 km2)
 • Water0.027 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation
[2]
220 ft (67 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,875 Decrease
 • Density420/sq mi (160/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
75657
Area code903, 430
FIPS code48-37528[3]
GNIS feature ID2410138[2]
WebsiteCity of Jefferson

Jefferson is a city and county seat of Marion County, Texas, in Northeast Texas.[4][5][6] It has a population of 1,875 as of the 2020 United States census.[7][8]

History

Almost every commercial building and house on the main arterial road in Jefferson has a historic marker.[9]

Early records indicate that Jefferson was founded around 1841 on land ceded from the Caddo Indians. At that time, a log jam more than 100 miles long existed on the Red River north of present Natchitoches, Louisiana. The Indians said that this log jam, known as the Great Red River Raft, had always existed.

The Red River Raft (or Great Raft) acted as a dam on the river and raised the level of Caddo Lake and the Red River several feet. This rise of Caddo Lake and the corresponding rise in the Big Cypress Bayou at Jefferson permitted commercial riverboat travel to Jefferson from ports such as St. Louis and New Orleans via the Mississippi and Red Rivers.

Panoramic map of Jefferson in 1872 by Herman Brosius including a list of landmarks

Jefferson was one of the most important ports in Texas between 1845 and 1872. The town reached its peak population just a few years after the Civil War and is reported to have exceeded 30,000. During this time, Jefferson was the sixth-largest town in Texas.

There were attempts over the years to remove the raft and permit the normal flow of the Red River, but these attempts were unsuccessful until the discovery of nitroglycerin. In 1873, using nitroglycerin, the Army Corps of Engineers was finally able to clear the raft from the Red River. This lowered the level of Caddo Lake and Big Cypress to the extent that riverboat traffic to Jefferson was no longer commercially feasible. At the peak of river traffic, Jefferson had a population of over 7,000. A few years later, it had dropped to a little over 3,000.

The Sterne Fountain was given to the city in 1913 to honor the contribution of Jacob and Ernestine Sterne, a Jewish couple who settled in Jefferson before the Civil War and became prominent citizens who managed the post office and were involved in numerous civic and cultural projects. The fountain includes a statue of Hebe, the Greek goddess of Youth, by Giuseppe Moretti.[10]

One of the legends related to Jefferson referred to Jay Gould, the railroad magnate. The legend goes that Gould wanted to bring his railroad through Jefferson but the town leaders refused because they had the river traffic. Gould said that "grass would grow in the streets" without the railroad. Gould credited with supporting the removal of the Red River Raft and the subsequent decline of Jefferson as a river port. Much of this tale is fiction. Townspeople obtained Gould's railcar and it is displayed as a tourist attraction in downtown Jefferson.[11]

Since 2000, Jefferson has been the location for the Pulpwood Queens Book Club Girlfriend Weekend's annual conference, attracting authors from all around the country.[12]


Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11 km2), of which 4.3 square miles (11 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (1.58%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Jefferson has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[13]

Climate data for Jefferson, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1903–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 82
(28) 		92
(33) 		89
(32) 		94
(34) 		97
(36) 		107
(42) 		107
(42) 		112
(44) 		109
(43) 		97
(36) 		87
(31) 		88
(31) 		112
(44)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 56.9
(13.8) 		61.2
(16.2) 		69.1
(20.6) 		76.6
(24.8) 		83.4
(28.6) 		90.6
(32.6) 		94.0
(34.4) 		94.5
(34.7) 		88.7
(31.5) 		78.7
(25.9) 		67.0
(19.4) 		58.9
(14.9) 		76.6
(24.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 45.5
(7.5) 		49.1
(9.5) 		56.8
(13.8) 		64.1
(17.8) 		72.3
(22.4) 		79.9
(26.6) 		83.1
(28.4) 		82.7
(28.2) 		76.2
(24.6) 		65.1
(18.4) 		54.5
(12.5) 		47.2
(8.4) 		64.7
(18.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 34.2
(1.2) 		37.1
(2.8) 		44.4
(6.9) 		51.5
(10.8) 		61.2
(16.2) 		69.3
(20.7) 		72.2
(22.3) 		70.8
(21.6) 		63.6
(17.6) 		51.5
(10.8) 		42.1
(5.6) 		35.4
(1.9) 		52.8
(11.6)
Record low °F (°C) 7
(−14) 		−4
(−20) 		15
(−9) 		28
(−2) 		38
(3) 		46
(8) 		55
(13) 		52
(11) 		38
(3) 		25
(−4) 		16
(−9) 		−5
(−21) 		−5
(−21)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.08
(104) 		4.23
(107) 		4.83
(123) 		4.74
(120) 		5.11
(130) 		5.10
(130) 		2.96
(75) 		2.42
(61) 		3.77
(96) 		4.47
(114) 		3.61
(92) 		4.42
(112) 		49.74
(1,263)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.5
(1.3) 		0.7
(1.8) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.3
(3.3)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 8.3 8.5 8.7 7.6 8.2 7.7 5.5 5.8 5.6 6.8 7.9 8.8 89.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7
Source: NOAA[14][15]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860988—
18704,190324.1%
18803,260−22.2%
18903,072−5.8%
19002,850−7.2%
19102,515−11.8%
19202,5491.4%
19302,329−8.6%
19402,79720.1%
19503,16413.1%
19603,082−2.6%
19702,866−7.0%
19802,643−7.8%
19902,199−16.8%
20002,024−8.0%
20102,1064.1%
20201,875−11.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Jefferson had a population of 1,875. The median age was 52.3 years. 18.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 29.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 79.0 males age 18 and over.[17]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[18]

There were 829 households in Jefferson, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.6% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 40.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[17]

There were 1,003 housing units, of which 17.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.6%.[17]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[19]
Race Number Percent
White 1,114 59.4%
Black or African American 627 33.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native 12 0.6%
Asian 17 0.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.0%
Some other race 12 0.6%
Two or more races 93 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 45 2.4%

The 2020 figures show the city remained predominantly non-Hispanic white.[19]

2010 census

In the 2010 U.S. census, there were 2,199 people, 871 households, and 544 families residing in the city.[3] The population density was 465.7 inhabitants per square mile (179.8/km2). There were 1,042 housing units at an average density of 239.7 per square mile (92.5/km2).

The racial makeup of the city in 2010 was 62.80% White, 34.68% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.63% of the population.[3]

2000 census

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $17,034, and the median income for a family was $26,250. Males had a median income of $28,929 versus $14,583 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,558. About 29.4% of families and 32.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 54.1% of those under age 18 and 22.7% of those age 65 or over.

2020 American Community Survey

At the American Community Survey of 2020, its median household income was $40,306 with a mean income at $67,961.[20]

Education

The city of Jefferson is served by the Jefferson Independent School District.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Jefferson, Texas
  3. ^ a b c "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ Morphis, J. M. (1874). History of Texas From Its Discovery and Settlement. New York: United States Publishing Company. pp. 504–507. Retrieved July 27, 2009. Includes a c. 1874 description as well as information on the Potter/Rose feud.
  5. ^ Spaight, A. W. (1882). The Resources, Soil, and Climate of Texas: Report of The Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics, and History. Galveston, Texas: A. H. Belo & Company. pp. 202–204. Retrieved July 27, 2009. Includes a c. 1882 description of Jefferson and environs.
  6. ^ King, Edward (1875). The Great South. Hartford, Conn: American Publishing Company. p. 124. Retrieved July 27, 2009.
  7. ^ "2020 Race and Population Totals". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  8. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  9. ^ Shey, Brittanie. "Oprah of the Piney Woods." Houston Press. Wednesday, October 12, 2011. 2. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
  10. ^ Texas State Historical Commission. "Sterne Fountain Historical Marker".
  11. ^ Jefferson, Riverport to the Southwest, by Fred Tarpley, 1983.
  12. ^ Texas Observer, "Fake Fur, Big Hair and La Vie Littéraire," February 16, 2010
  13. ^ Climate Summary for Jefferson, Texas
  14. ^ "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  15. ^ "Station: Jefferson, TX". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  16. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  17. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  18. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  19. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
  20. ^ "2020 ACS Annual Income Estimates". data.census.gov. Retrieved May 13, 2022.

Further reading

  • Bagur, Jacques D. Antebellum Jefferson, Texas: Everyday Life in an East Texas Town (Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2012). 612 pp.
  • Dean, Winnie Mims (1953). Jefferson, Texas: Queen of the Cypress. Dallas, Texas: Mathis, Van Nort and Co. OCLC 2673597.
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