Mitchell

Formed August 21, 1876 (208^th county)

Mitchell County (9,403), Colorado City (4,146)

Another of the Classical Revival structures, the courthouse was built in 1924 and located on the town square.  David S. Castle designed the fourth courthouse the county has had, all in Colorado City.  The other courthouses dated in 1883, 1885, and 1892.  Pine and 3^rd streets intersect at the courthouse.  Interstate Highway 20 bypasses the courthouse area to the north, however, the business route is one block south of the site.  The courthouse was remodeled in 1965.  The county was organized on August 21, 1876.  The county was part of Bexar County and the 208^th county.  Mitchell County is named for pioneers Asa Eli Mitchell.  Colorado City got its name from the Colorado River.  Colorado is Spanish for “red colored.”  Colorado County is also named for the river. 

Mitchell County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Mitchell, Fisher, and Nolan counties and One County Court Judge serves Mitchell County.  The Colorado River crosses the county from north to south.  Lubbock, Texas is northwest and Abilene, Texas is straight east of this panhandle county.  The county center is 6 miles Southwest of Colorado City.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Scurry, Fisher, Nolan, Coke, Sterling, Howard, and Borden counties. 

The area of the county is 916 square miles.  It is 134 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 171 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 10.27 persons per square mile making it 166 out of 254 in the state.  Mitchell County has 53.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 20 crosses from Nolan County, east, to Howard County, west.  United States Highway 84 cuts the northeast tip from Scurry County to Nolan County.  The county is basically square with Colorado City in the northeast quarter.  Colorado City is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 44.1% of the county population.