Barnhart, Texas
{{Short description|Unincorporated Community in Texas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Barnhart, Texas
| settlement_type = Unincorporated Community
| image_skyline =
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| image_flag =
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| mapsize = 200
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Texas#USA
| pushpin_label = Barnhart
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Barnhart in Texas and the US
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Texas}}
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Irion
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| unit_pref = Imperial
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| population_as_of = 2017
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| population_total = 105
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| timezone = Central (CST)
| utc_offset = -6
| timezone_DST = CDT
| utc_offset_DST = -5
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 595
| elevation_ft = 1953
| coordinates = {{coord|31|13|30|N|101|17|07|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type = ZIP code
| postal_code = 76930
| area_code = 325
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Barnhart is an unincorporated small town in Irion County, Texas, United States.{{cite gnis|1351533|Barnhart}} As of 2017, the population was estimated to be 105.{{Cite web|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasTowns/Barnhart-Texas.htm|title=Barnhart, Texas, Irion County}} Numerous oil rigs are located in the surrounding area.
History
Barnhart was founded by Willam E. Barnhart in 1910, when the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway was constructed through West Texas, passing through the area. A post office opened in Barnhart in 1912, and a school operated in the community from 1912 to 1969. The population was estimated to be approximately 50 in 1915. By 1920, the town had the Barnhart State Bank (which was moved to an adjacent town in 1927) and a newspaper - the Barnhart Range, published by Ed Downing. In the 1920s and 1930s, Barnhart became a large-volume shipping point, due to its location between major railroad lines. Barnhart was described as "dusty, bawling cattle, hell-raising cowboys and trains a half-mile long", in the 1920s and 30s. Barnhart had everything the cowboys and railroaders needed: A hotel, cafe, a bank and a theater. Because of the remoteness of West Texas, traditional cattle drives continued to Barnhart, long after the practice was popular. The amount of cattle coming through began to cause problems for the local ranchers. To protect the pastures from over-grazing, ranchers began to put up more fencing. This ended what may have been the beginning of the end to cattle drives in Texas. To circumvent the issue, the Ozona-Barnhart Trap Company was formed in 1924. A long, narrow path of leased/purchased land stretching 34 miles, from south of Ozona to Barnhart, became Texas’ last major cattle trail. In April 1934, Barnhart's former postmaster pled guilty in federal court to “conversion of funds.” Barnhart, which is out in the middle of the Texas plains, naturally lacked law enforcement at that time. During the Great Depression, the federal government began buying up the cattle, and then having them slaughtered to reduce supply, in hopes of reviving a market that had practically died.{{Cite web|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasTowns/Barnhart-Texas.htm|title=Barnhart, Texas, Irion County}} By the year 2000, the population was estimated to be 160.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/barnhart-tx|title = TSHA | Barnhart, TX}}
Education
The Irion County Independent School District serves the students living in the area.
Highways
- {{jct|state=TX|US|67}}
- {{jct|state=TX|TX|163}}
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Barnhart has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=479114&cityname=Barnhart%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Barnhart, Texas]
{{Weather box
|location = Barnhart, Texas
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 84
|Feb record high F = 93
|Mar record high F = 96
|Apr record high F = 100
|May record high F = 111
|Jun record high F = 115
|Jul record high F = 110
|Aug record high F = 109
|Sep record high F = 105
|Oct record high F = 102
|Nov record high F = 89
|Dec record high F = 84
|year record high F = 115
|Jan high F = 57.5
|Feb high F = 61.6
|Mar high F = 69.9
|Apr high F = 79.1
|May high F = 86.8
|Jun high F = 92.5
|Jul high F = 94.8
|Aug high F = 93.8
|Sep high F = 86.7
|Oct high F = 77.8
|Nov high F = 66.8
|Dec high F = 58.7
|year high F = 77.2
|Jan low F = 27.8
|Feb low F = 31.3
|Mar low F = 38.7
|Apr low F = 47.7
|May low F = 57.5
|Jun low F = 65.2
|Jul low F = 67.4
|Aug low F = 66
|Sep low F = 59.4
|Oct low F = 48.3
|Nov low F = 37.1
|Dec low F = 28.9
|year low F= 47.9
|Jan record low F= -9
|Feb record low F= -9
|Mar record low F= 2
|Apr record low F= 18
|May record low F= 33
|Jun record low F= 45
|Jul record low F= 48
|Aug record low F= 49
|Sep record low F= 32
|Oct record low F= 20
|Nov record low F= 10
|Dec record low F= -7
|year record low F= -9
|precipitation colour =
|Jan precipitation inch = .6
|Feb precipitation inch = .9
|Mar precipitation inch = .9
|Apr precipitation inch = 1.3
|May precipitation inch = 2.4
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.2
|Jul precipitation inch = 1.8
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.9
|Sep precipitation inch = 2.6
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.9
|Nov precipitation inch = .9
|Dec precipitation inch = .8
|year precipitation inch= 18
|Jan precipitation days = 3
|Feb precipitation days = 3
|Mar precipitation days = 3
|Apr precipitation days = 3
|May precipitation days = 5
|Jun precipitation days = 4
|Jul precipitation days = 4
|Aug precipitation days = 4
|Sep precipitation days = 5
|Oct precipitation days = 4
|Nov precipitation days = 2
|Dec precipitation days = 2
|year precipitation days = 42
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=479114&cityname=Barnhart-Texas-United-States-of-America
|title = Barnhart, Texas: Monthly Weather Averages Summary
|website = weatherbase.com
|publisher =
|access-date = 2020-12-13
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131024142242/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=479114&cityname=Barnhart-Texas-United-States-of-America |archive-date=2013-10-24 |url-status = live
}}
}}
In 2013, Barnhart experienced a drought which was exacerbated by the copious consumption of groundwater used in the hydraulic fracking process of petroleum extraction.{{cite news|last=Goldenberg|first=Suzanne|title=A Texan tragedy: ample oil, no water|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/aug/11/texas-tragedy-ample-oil-no-water|accessdate=13 August 2013|newspaper=Guardian|date=11 August 2013}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Irion County, Texas}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Unincorporated communities in Irion County, Texas
Category:Unincorporated communities in Texas
Category:San Angelo, Texas metropolitan area