Fayette County, Texas

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 24,554. Its county seat is La Grange. The county was created in 1837 and organized the next year.

History
Fayette County was established in 1837 from land given by Bastrop and Colorado Counties.  It is named for the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero.

An early resident of Brazoria County and then Fayette County, Joel Walter Robison, fought in the Texas Revolution and served in the Texas House of Representatives.

More than a dozen historic properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Fayette County.

Fayette County is the location of the real Chicken Ranch, which was the basis of the musical play and feature film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which  are land and  (1.0%) are covered by water.

Adjacent counties

Lee County (north)
Washington County (northeast)
Austin County (east)
Colorado County (southeast)
Lavaca County (south)
Gonzales County (southwest)
Caldwell County (west)
Bastrop County (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000,  21,804 people, 8,722 households, and 6,044 families resided in the county.  The population density was 23 people per square mile (9/km²).  The 11,113 housing units  averaged 12 per square mile (5/km²).  The racial makeup of the county was 84.58% White, 7.01% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 6.72% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races.  About 12.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race; 34.9% were of German, 16.4% Czech, 7.6% American, and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

Christianity is the number-one religion and Judaism is the second.

Of the 8,722 households, 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were not families. About 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was distributed as 23.20% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,526, and  for a family was $43,156. Males had a median income of $29,008 versus $20,859 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,888.  About 8.10% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Airport
The county owns Fayette Regional Air Center, in an unincorporated area west of LaGrange.

Major highways

 Interstate 10
 U.S. Highway 77
 U.S. Highway 90
 U.S. Highway 290
 State Highway 71
 State Highway 95
 State Highway 159
 State Highway 237

Media 
Fayette County is home to three newspapers and two radio stations.

Newspapers 
 [http://fayettecountyrecord.com Fayette County Record] Schulenburg Sticker
 ''Flatonia Argus

Radio 
 KVLG/KBUK
 KTIMe

Communities

Cities
Carmine
Fayetteville
La Grange (county seat)
Schulenburg

Towns
Flatonia
Round Top

Unincorporated communities
  
Ammannsville
Armstrong
Bethany
Bridge Valley
Buckner's Creek
Burnham's Crossing
Cedar
Cistern
Colony
Dubina
Ellinger
Elm Grove
Engle
Floy
Ford's Prairie
Franke
Freyburg
Halsted
High Hill
Holman
Hostyn
Indian Creek
Ingram's Prairie
Joiner
Kirtley
Kocicina
Ledbetter
Lena
Leevan
Lewis Settlement
Live Oak Hill
Lyons
Manton Spring
Marly
Mecklenburg
Middle Creek
Miller's Station
Moravan
Muldoon
Mullins Prairie
Nassau
Navidad
Nechanitz
O'Quinn
Oldenburg
Orizaba
Oso
Park
Pecan
Pin Oak
Pine Springs
Plum
Praha (formerly Mulberry)
Prairie Valley
Rabbs Prairie
Rek Hill
Rocky Ridge
Ross Prairie
Roznov
Rutersville
St. John
Scott
Sedan
Stellar
Swiss Alp
Tamberg
Toledo
Waldeck
Walhalla
Warda
Warrenton
Wendt
West Point
Willow Springs
Winchester
Winedale
Wood's Fort
Wursten
Zapalac

Ghost towns

Biegel
Black Jack Springs
Bluff
Gay Hill
Haw Creek
Stella

Politics

See also

Adelsverein
Museums in Central Texas
Nassau Plantation
National Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette County, Texas
Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Fayette County
The Chicken Ranch, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

References

External links

Fayette County government's website

Historic materials from Fayette County, hosted by the Portal to Texas History

 
Category:1838 establishments in the Republic of Texas
Category:Populated places established in 1838
Category:ZZ Top