Leon

Formed March 1, 1846 (49^th county)

Leon County (15,717), Centerville (910), Buffalo (1,767)

In 1886 the third Italianate courthouse of Leon County was built in Centerville.  It is located on the square at the intersection of Commerce (United States Highway 75) and Saint Mary’s (Texas State Highway 7).  William Johnson designed this red/brown brick structure.  An Annex was added in 1973 and the Courthouse was restored in 2007.  Since its founding on March 1, 1846, Leona was the first county seat until 1850 when Centerville became the county seat.  The county was part of Robertson County and the 49^th county.  Leon County was named for early Spanish settler, Martin de Leon.  Centerville is a geographical term for the location of the city within the county. 

Leon County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Leon, Grimes, Madison, and Walker counties, One District Court Judge serves Leon, Anderson, Freestone, and Limestone counties, One District Court Judge serves Leon, Madison, and Walker counties, and One County Court Judge serves Leon County.  The county is located on the edge of the East Texas pine area between Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas.  The county center is 5.2 miles West-Northwest of Centerville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Freestone, Anderson, Houston, Madison, Robertson, and Limestone counties. 

The area of the county is 1072 square miles.  It is 53 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 137 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 14.7 persons per square mile making it 150 out of 254 in the state.  Leon County has 29.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 45 goes north to south, Freestone County to Madison County.  United States Highway 79 crosses diagonally from Freestone County, north, to Robertson County, west.  The county is 45-degree rectangular with the Trinity River making the east border and the Navasota River on the west border.  As its name indicates, Centerville is near the county’s center.  Buffalo is located near the northern border of the county.  Centerville is the county seat and Buffalo is the largest city.  Centerville is 5.8% of the county population while Buffalo is 11.2% of the county population.  The county is pronounced LEE-ON.

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