Formed February 26, 1887 (232nd county)
Loving County (63), Mentone* (22)
Evan J. Wood designed the simple tan brick Modern courthouse in 1935. It is located on Texas State Highway 302 at Dallas Street in the middle of this tiny community. Two courthouses have served this small county since its February 26, 1887 founding. Both of these have been located in Mentone. An Annex was added in 2012. The county was formed from Tom Green County as the 232nd county. Oliver Loving, a trail driver, gave his name to the county. Mentone was named after a resort on the French Riviera.
Loving County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners. One District Court Judge serves Loving, Reeves, and Ward counties and One County Court Judge serves Loving County. The second smallest county in population in the United States is situated in far west Texas. Its northern border is New Mexico, Odessa, Texas is east and El Paso, Texas is west. The county center is 16.1 miles North of Mentone. The county is surrounded clockwise by New Mexico and Winkler, Ward, and Reeves counties.
The area of the county is 673 square miles. It is 221 out of 254 in the state. It ranks 254 out of 254 in population in the state. It has a density of 0.1 persons per square mile making it 254 out of 254 in the state. Loving County has 0.0% of its population in its incorporated areas since there are no incorporated cities. There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county. It is shaped like the fat end of a knife blade. Mentone is the only community in the county. Mentone is the county seat and the largest populated area. It is 34.9% of the county population. It is located in the extreme southwest corner of Loving County.
Mentone (unincorporated)
