Hale

Formed August 21, 1876 (193^rd county)

Hale County (32,526), Plainview (20,182)

The Texas Renaissance and Beaux Arts design of the 1910 courthouse is unique to the panhandle of Texas.  Although the majority of the building is the standard shape, the dome is not standard.  Interstate 27 (Business) is four blocks west of the courthouse, which is situated on United States Highway 70 at Ash Street.  The building’s designers were Martin, Byrnes, and Johnston.  The courthouse was renovated in 1980 and a Justice Center has been added.  Plainview has been the site of all three courthouses for Hale County since its August 21, 1876 founding (1888, 1890 and 1910.)  The county was originally part of Bexar County and the 193^rd county.  The county was named for John C. Hale, who fought at the Battle of San Jacinto.  Plainview is a geographical term describing the view of the surrounding country for the city’s locale. 

Hale County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Hale, Castro, and Swisher counties, One District Court Judge serves Hale, Castro, Lubbock, and Swisher counties, and One County Court Judge serves Hale County.  The county is in the panhandle south of Amarillo, Texas and north of Lubbock, Texas.  The county center is 11.2 miles Southwest of Plainview nearer Hale Center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Swisher, Floyd, Crosby, Lubbock, Hockley, Lamb, and Castro counties. 

The area of the county is 1005 square miles.  It is 72 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 90 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 32.4 persons per square mile making it 103 out of 254 in the state.  Hale County has 78.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 27 crosses north to south from Swisher County into Lubbock County.  United States Highway 70 enters from the east, Floyd County, and exits to the west, Lamb County.  United States Highway 87 parallels Interstate Highway 27 from Swisher County to Lubbock County.  This is a typical square panhandle county with Plainview in the northeast quarter.  Plainview is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 62.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Plainview Micropolitan Statistical Area.