Formed January 1, 1889 (241st county)
Irion County (1,599), Mertzon (781)
The tan brick and concrete courthouse of Irion County was built in 1937. It is located on a hill at the corner of Park View and Main, one block west of United States Highway 67. The Modern building’s designer was David S. Castle. Irion County was founded on January 1, 1889 with Sherwood as the first county seat. The courthouse and county seat moved to Mertzon in 1937. The county was originally part of Tom Green County and the 241st county. The county was named for Robert Anderson Irion, Republic of Texas legislator and Secretary of State. Mertzon got its name from M. L. Mertzon, director of the Kansas City, Mexico, and Orient Railroad.
Irion County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners. One District Court Judge serves Irion, Coke, Schleicher, Sterling, and Tom Green counties and One County Court Judge serves Irion County. The county is in the transition zone between the hill country and the high desert. It is just to the southwest of San Angelo, Texas. A fork of the Concho River crosses the northern part of the county. The county center is 3.6 miles West of Mertzon. The county is surrounded clockwise by Tom Green, Schleicher, Crockett and Reagan counties.
The area of the county is 1052 square miles. It is 73 out of 254 in the state. It ranks 240 out of 254 in population in the state. It has a density of 1.52 persons per square mile making it 236 out of 254 in the state. Irion County has 48.8% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 67 crosses east to west from Tom Green County to Reagan County. Generally, a square shaped county; Mertzon is located in the southeast quarter of the county. Mertzon is the county seat and the largest city since it is the only incorporated city. It is 48.8% of the county population. The county is pronounced I-REE-ON. The county seat is pronounced MERT-ZON. This county is in the San Angelo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Mertzon
