Hill

Formed January 1, 1853 (94^th county)

Hill County (35,089), Hillsboro (8,456)

The Hill County French Second Empire courthouse was originally built in 1890 but a major fire in 1993 gutted the building.  It was rebuilt to the same appearance and completed in 1999.  It is located on the city square at Franklin, Elm (Texas State Highway 22), Covington, and Waco (United States Highway 77) streets.  The architect of the original building was Wesley C. Dodson.  Three courthouses have served Hill County since the county’s January 1, 1853 origin, all at Hillsboro.  The county was originally part of Navarro County and the 94^th county.  Hill County and Hillsboro’s namesake is George W. Hill, an official in the Republic of Texas. 

Hill County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge and Two County Court Judges serve Hill County.  The county is located in north central Texas south of the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Metroplex and north of Waco, Texas.  The Brazos River forms the western border with Bosque County.  The county center is 5.5 miles Northwest of Hillsboro.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Ellis, Navarro, Limestone, McLennan, Bosque, and Johnson counties. 

The area of the county is 986 square miles.  It is 85 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 87 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 35.59 persons per square mile making it 96 out of 254 in the state.  Hill County has 45.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 35 East enters from the northeast, Ellis County, joins Interstate Highway 35 West, and exits as Interstate Highway 35 south into McLennan County.  Interstate Highway 35 West comes in from Johnson County in the northwest and exits as Interstate 35 into McLennan County to the south.  United States Highway 77 parallels Interstate Highway 35 East from Ellis County to McLennan County.  The county is a 45-degree turned rectangle.  Hillsboro is slightly south of center in the county.  Hillsboro is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 24.1% of the county population.