Hansford

Formed August 21, 1876 (195^th county)

Hansford County (5,613), Spearman (3,368)

The tan brick Texas Renaissance courthouse in Spearman was built in 1931 on the city “diamond” (the square turned 45-degrees), at the junction of Kenneth and Bernice.  The intersection of Texas State Highways 15 and 207 is three blocks to the west.  David S. Castle provided the building designs.  The building was enlarged in 1958.  Hansford was the original county seat from August 21, 1876 but it later was moved to Spearman (1929.)  Two courthouses have served the county.  Hansford County was cut from Bexar County as the 195^th county.  The county was named for John M. Hansford, judge and member of the Texas Congress.  Spearman got its name from Thomas Spearman, an officer of the Santa Fe Railway. 

Hansford County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Hansford, Hutchinson, and Ochiltree counties and One County Court Judge serves Hansford County.  The county is in the panhandle northeast of Amarillo, Texas.  The Palo Duro River and Coldwater River flows north from Hansford County into Oklahoma.  The county center is 13.9 miles Northwest of Spearman nearer Gruver.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Oklahoma and Ochiltree, Roberts, Hutchinson, Moore, and Spearman counties. 

The area of the county is 920 square miles.  It is 127 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 200 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 6.10 persons per square mile making it 194 out of 254 in the state.  Hansford County has 81.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  A square county, the northern border is with Oklahoma.  Spearman is in the eastern quarter of the county and slightly south of center.  Spearman is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 60.0% of the county population.