Orange

Formed January 5, 1852 (93^rd county)

Orange County (84,806), Orange (19,335)                

The Modern tan brick and limestone structure was built in 1937.  It sits at the corner 7^th and Division streets, three blocks south of United States Highway 90.  The original building’s architects were C. H. Page and Brother.  The building was enlarged in 1964.  Three courthouses have been in the City of Orange since the county’s beginning on January 5, 1852.  The county was carved from Jefferson County as the 93^rd county.  The City of Orange was originally called Madison until 1858 when it changed to Orange.  Orange county and city are named for the fruit grown in the vicinity since the beginning settlements. 

Orange County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  Three District Court Judges and Three County Court Judges serve Orange County.  The county is east of Houston, Texas and Beaumont, Texas.  Louisiana is across the Sabine River on the county’s east border.  The county center is 9.4 miles West-Northwest of Orange nearer Mauriceville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Newton County and Louisiana and Jefferson, Hardin, and Jasper counties. 

The area of the county is 356 square miles.  It is 245 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 47 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 238.2 persons per square mile making it 29 out of 254 in the state.  Orange County has 53.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 10 enters from the east, Louisiana, and exits to the southwest, Jefferson County.  United States Highway 90 is joined with Interstate Highway 10 across Orange County.  The county is a delta shape with Lake Sabine on the south part.  Orange City is in the east part of the county close to the Louisiana border.  Orange is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 22.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Beaumont-Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.