Hardin

Formed January 22, 1858 (132^nd county)

Hardin County (56,234), Kountze (1,965), Lumberton (13,557)

The steel and concrete Modern courthouse was built in 1959.  It is located on Texas State Highway 326 west of United States Highway 69.  The architect was Dickson, Dickson & Associates.  The building was enlarged in 1978.  The City of Hardin and Kountze (the last one being 1904) have shared the four courthouses the county has had since the January 22, 1858 organizing.  The county was carved from Jefferson and Liberty counties as the 132^nd county.  Hardin County was named for the Hardin family from Liberty, Texas, who were prominent in the early history of the area.  The county seat was named for Herman and Augustus Kountze, railroad workers who help found the city. 

Hardin County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Hardin and Tyler counties and One District Court Judge and One County Court Judge serve Hardin County.  The county is located on the coastal plains between Houston, Texas, to the west, and Beaumont, Texas, to the south and east.  The Neches River is the eastern border for the county.  The county center is 6.3 miles West of Kountze.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Tyler, Jasper, Orange, Jefferson, Liberty, and Polk counties. 

The area of the county is 894 square miles.  It is 162 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 61 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 62.9 persons per square mile making it 66 out of 254 in the state.  Hardin County has 43.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 69 crosses north to south from Tyler County to Jefferson County.  United States Highway 96 enters from Jasper County on the east, joins United States Highway 69, and exits into Jefferson County.  United States Highway 287 is joined with United States Highway 69 through the county.  The county is shaped like a fat bowl.  Kountze is in the northeast quadrant of the county.  Lumberton is located in the southeast corner of the county.  Kountze is the county seat and Lumberton is the largest city.  Kountze is 3.5% of the county population while Lumberton is 24.1% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced KONES.  This county is in the Beaumont-Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.