Graham, Texas

The site was first settled in 1871 by brothers Gustavus A. and Edwin S. Graham, primary shareholders in the Texas Emigration and Land Company of Louisville, Kentucky. The brothers moved to Texas after the Civil War, and after buying {{convert|125000|acre|km2}} in then-vast Young County, helped to revitalize the area, the population of which had become badly depleted during the war. During that same year as when Graham was settled, the Warren Wagon Train Raid occurred about 12 miles north of the city. In 1872, the Graham brothers purchased a local saltworks, established the town of Graham, and set up the Graham Land Office. The saltworks were not a profitable venture, as the salt was too expensive to ship, and were closed in a few years.{{cite web | url = https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fgr02 | title = GRAHAM, EDWIN SMITH / The Handbook of Texas Online/ Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) | access-date = 2012-10-26}}

New families started to arrive, and the brothers began promoting the sale of homesites and doing civic improvements. A post office opened in 1873, and after Young County reorganized the following year, Graham became the county seat. The town's newspaper, known as The Graham Leader and still in existence today, was first printed in 1876, the same year that the first temporary courthouse was built. Other businesses from these early years included a gristmill, sawmill, cotton gin, and brick kiln, two hotels, and several stores.{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hfg07|title=Handbook of Texas Online - Graham, TX|access-date=2008-09-20}}

On February 15, 1877, the city was the site of the organizational meeting of the group that became the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, created to police ranching and put a stop to cattle rustling.{{Cite journal|last1=Hodge|first1=Larry|last2=Syers|first2=Ed|title=Backroads of Texas|place=Lanham, MD|publisher=Lone Star Books|year=2000|edition=4th}} Founding officers included pioneer ranchers James C. Loving (son of Oliver Loving), Col. C. L. (Kit) Carter, and C.C. Slaughter. A three-story limestone courthouse was built in 1884, and it was replaced by a new courthouse in the early 1930s. The 1884 structure's east door still stands on the courthouse square. From 1879 to 1896, Graham was the seat of a federal district court overseen by Judge A.P. McCormick; his jurisdiction extended over all of Texas north and west to New Mexico.

Edwin Graham had married Addie Mary Kintner in 1865. They had five children. Throughout the 1870s, they divided their time between Texas and their families back north, but in 1879, with the town flourishing, they moved their wives and children to Graham permanently. Edwin and Addie lived there until 1891, then moved to Spokane, Washington, where Edwin died on May 7, 1899. His body was brought back to Graham for burial. Addie moved back to Graham and became a leading civic booster and philanthropist. In 1921, with her son Malcolm, she set up the Graham Foundation as a continuing fund for the city's growth and improvement. Addie died in 1929;Morrison Funeral Home records she was responsible for the establishment of the Eden Home for the aged.

By 1900, Graham had incorporated as a town, and railroad service began in 1903, through the Chicago, Rock Island & Texas Railroad, part of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific system. In 1921, the Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad, one of the Frank Kell and Joseph A. Kemp properties, extended its line into Graham from Newcastle. The WF&S was abandoned in 1954 and the Rock Island sold its line to the Texas Export Railroad in 1972, but was abandoned just two years later.

File:Graham_Public_Square_(7348613980).jpg

The population of Graham grew slowly until 1917, when oil was discovered nearby; the population tripled from 878 in 1900 to 2,544 in 1920. By 1966, Graham had 17 churches, seven schools, a hospital, a radio station, two libraries, three parks, and two newspapers. The population peaked at 9,170 in 1980, and has since gradually declined; it was 8,716 at the 2000 census and 8,518 by the July 2007 estimate.{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Graham-Texas.html|title=Graham, Texas (TX) Detailed Profile|access-date=2008-09-20}}

Graham, the county seat of Young County,{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} is located in the southeast portion of the county, and has an area of 5.592 sq mi (14.48 km²).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/2010_place_list_48.txt |title=2010 US Census-Texas-Places-Graham |access-date=2012-10-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028221106/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/2010_place_list_48.txt |archive-date=2012-10-28 }} Geographically, Graham is located in the western Cross Timbers area of North Texas. Locally, this is known as the western portion of the Palo Pinto Mountains.

Creeks drain the area generally into the Brazos River; Dry Creek on the eastern side of town flows into Salt Creek towards the south and into the Brazos. Flatrock Creek drains the rural areas to the southeast and also flows into the Brazos just below where Salt Creek enters. Small impoundments located along Flatrock Creek are used for stock tanks and fish ponds.{{cite web | url = http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/texas/geopdf/graham-2008.pdf | title = graham-2008.pdf | access-date = 2012-10-26}}

{{Weather box

|open=

|single line= Y

|location=Graham, Texas 76450

|collapsed = yes

|temperature color=

|Jan record high F=94

|Feb record high F=99

|Mar record high F=103

|Apr record high F=101

|May record high F=107

|Jun record high F=112

|Jul record high F=114

|Aug record high F=117

|Sep record high F=110

|Oct record high F=105

|Nov record high F=93

|Dec record high F=90

|year record high F=117

|Jan high F=56.4

|Feb high F=60.4

|Mar high F=69.5

|Apr high F=77.8

|May high F=84.2

|Jun high F=92.1

|Jul high F=97.2

|Aug high F=97.8

|Sep high F=90.0

|Oct high F=79.8

|Nov high F=67.7

|Dec high F=58.4

|year high F=77.6

|Jan mean F=42.7

|Feb mean F=46.5

|Mar mean F=55.1

|Apr mean F=63.8

|May mean F=71.6

|Jun mean F=80.0

|Jul mean F=84.1

|Aug mean F=84.1

|Sep mean F=75.6

|Oct mean F=65.5

|Nov mean F=53.5

|Dec mean F=44.7

|year mean F=64

|Jan low F=29.0

|Feb low F=32.8

|Mar low F=40.8

|Apr low F=49.9

|May low F=59.2

|Jun low F=67.9

|Jul low F=71.4

|Aug low F=70.7

|Sep low F=63.2

|Oct low F=51.2

|Nov low F=39.4

|Dec low F=31.1

|year low F=50.5

|Jan record low F=-8

|Feb record low F=-3

|Mar record low F=4

|Apr record low F=20

|May record low F=35

|Jun record low F=46

|Jul record low F=53

|Aug record low F=47

|Sep record low F=30

|Oct record low F=16

|Nov record low F=10

|Dec record low F=-8

|year record low F=-8

|precipitation colour= green

|Jan precipitation inch=1.33

|Feb precipitation inch=1.56

|Mar precipitation inch=1.97

|Apr precipitation inch=2.77

|May precipitation inch=4.11

|Jun precipitation inch=3.45

|Jul precipitation inch=2.12

|Aug precipitation inch=2.19

|Sep precipitation inch=3.22

|Oct precipitation inch=2.91

|Nov precipitation inch=1.79

|Dec precipitation inch=1.57

|year precipitation inch=28.97

|rain colour=

|Jan rain inch =

|Feb rain inch =

|Mar rain inch =

|Apr rain inch =

|May rain inch =

|Jun rain inch =

|Jul rain inch =

|Aug rain inch =

|Sep rain inch =

|Oct rain inch =

|Nov rain inch =

|Dec rain inch =

|year rain inch =

|Jan snow inch=1.2

|Feb snow inch=0.9

|Mar snow inch=0.3

|Apr snow inch=0

|May snow inch=0

|Jun snow inch=0

|Jul snow inch=0

|Aug snow inch=0

|Sep snow inch=0

|Oct snow inch=0

|Nov snow inch=0

|Dec snow inch=0.2

|year snow inch=3.0

|source = {{Cite web |url=http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?tx3668 |title=GRAHAM, TEXAS (413668) |publisher=Western Regional Climate Center |access-date=October 18, 2015 }}

}}

{{US Census population

| 1880 = 576

| 1890 = 667

| 1900 = 878

| 1910 = 1569

| 1920 = 2544

| 1930 = 4981

| 1940 = 5175

| 1950 = 6742

| 1960 = 8505

| 1970 = 7477

| 1980 = 9170

| 1990 = 8986

| 2000 = 8716

| 2010 = 8903

| 2020 = 8732

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, 8,732 people, 3,470 households, and 2,357 families were residing in the city.

As of the census of 2000, 8,716 people, 3,391 households, and 2,366 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,584.8 people/sq mi (611.9/km²). The 3,904 housing units averaged 709.9/sq mi (274.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.39% White, 1.24% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 7.86% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 13.41% of the population.

Of the 3,391 households, 32.6% had children under 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were not families. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city, the age distribution was 26.0% under 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,081, and for a family was $38,118. Males had a median income of $30,221 versus $19,574 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,587. About 13.0% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.

According to a mural on the courthouse depicting the arrival of the Graham brothers, the town square is physically the largest of any in the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.grahamtxchamber.com/aboutgraham.html |title=About Graham, Texas |website=Graham, Texas Chamber of Commerce |access-date=2008-09-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080523142748/http://www.grahamtxchamber.com/aboutgraham.html |archive-date=2008-05-23 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasTowns/Graham-Texas.htm|title=Graham, Texas |website=Texas Escapes |access-date=2008-09-20}}

As of 2019 the town still has an operational drive-in theater.{{cite web|url=http://www.driveinmovie.com/tx/graham/graham-drive-in/|title=Graham Drive-in in Graham, TX |website=DriveInMovie.com |access-date=2019-03-17}}

Graham Municipal Airport (ICAO code KRPH), located within city limits, has two paved runways: 3/21 is 5,000 feet long, and 18/36 is 3,317 feet long.{{cite web

|url = https://www.aopa.org/destinations/airports/KRPH/details

|title = Graham Municipal Airport - KRPH

|access-date = 2019-03-17

|publisher = AOPA

|url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240328230958/https://www.aopa.org/destinations/airports/KRPH/details |archive-date= 28 Mar 2024

}}

Public schools in the City of Graham are managed by the Graham Independent School District and home to the Graham High School Steers.{{cite web | url = http://www.grahamisd.com/ |website=grahamisd.com | title = Graham ISD - Home | access-date = 2012-10-31}}

In 2010, North Central Texas College established a learning base in Graham. The campus offers a wide range of academic-transfer courses, vocational nursing (LVN), oil and gas production technology, allied health certificate programs, and continuing education programs. Graham ISD and NCTC also have a partnership offering dual-credit courses to high school juniors and seniors.{{cite web | url = http://www.nctc.edu/CampusPages/GrahamCampus.aspx | title = Graham Campus |website=NCTC | access-date = 2012-10-31 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121011074602/http://www.nctc.edu/CampusPages/GrahamCampus.aspx | archive-date = 2012-10-11 | url-status = dead }}

• Owen J. Baggett, WWII B-24 Liberator crew member
• Rex Brown, bassist for the heavy metal band Pantera
• Bob Estes, golfer, four-time winner on the PGA Tour
• Frank Shelby Groner (1877–1943), president of College of Marshall
• Bob Lilly, NFL Hall of Fame football player, lived in Graham after he retired.
• William D. McFarlane, U.S. Congressman from 1933 to 1939
• Robert McFarlane, National Security Advisor to President Ronald Reagan
• Dean Smith, 1952 Olympic gold medalist sprinter

Image:Graham Coca Cola Building (1 of 1).jpg|Coca-Cola bottling plant

Image:Graham Drive In Wiki (1 of 1).jpg|Graham Drive-In

Image:Graham Memorial Auditorium Wiki (1 of 1).jpg|Graham Memorial

{{Reflist}}

{{notelist}}

{{Portal|Texas}}

{{wikivoyage|Graham}}

• [http://www.grahamtexas.net/ Graham, Texas Community Website]
• [http://www.cityofgrahamtexas.com/ City of Graham, Texas Official Website]
• [http://www.city-data.com/city/Graham-Texas.html City-Data.com Graham, Texas]

{{Young County, Texas}}

{{Texas}}

{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Young County, Texas

Category:Cities in Texas

Category:County seats in Texas

Category:Populated places established in 1871

Category:1871 establishments in Texas