Pecos

Formed January 1, 1871 (160^th county)

Pecos County (15,507), Fort Stockton (8,283)

The Classical Revival courthouse for Pecos County was built in 1911 on Callaghan and Main streets.  The location is nine blocks south of Interstate Highway Business 10 as it passes through the city.  This tan stone structure was designed by L. B. Westerman as a remodeling of the 1883 courthouse.  A Judicial Building was added in 1989 and an Annex in 2007.  The county was taken from Presidio County on January 1, 1871 as the 160^th county with Fort Stockton as the only county seat.  Pecos County was named for the Pecos River which was named by the Spanish for Pecos Pueblo.  It is also the source for the county seat of Reeves County.  The county seat was named for the Fort Stockton post, which was named for Commodore Robert Field Stockton. 

Pecos County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge serves Pecos, Terrell, and Val Verde counties, One District Court Judge serves Pecos, Crockett, Reagan, Sutton, and Upton counties, and One County Court Judge serves Pecos County.  The county is in far West Texas southwest of Odessa, Texas and east of El Paso, Texas.  The Pecos River forms the north and east borders.  The county center is 19.4 miles East-Southeast of Fort Stockton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Crane, Crockett, Terrell, Brewster, Jeff Davis, Reeves, and Ward counties. 

The area of the county is 4765 square miles.  It is 2 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 137 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.25 persons per square mile making it 221 out of 254 in the state.  Pecos County has 61.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 10 crosses east to west, Crockett County to Reeves County.  United States Highway 67 comes from the northwest tip of Crockett County and goes to the south into Brewster County.  United States Highway 90 cuts the southern tip of the county from Terrell County to Brewster County.  United States Highway 190 enters from Crockett County and terminates in the county.  United States Highway 285 crosses diagonally from Reeves County on the northwest into Terrell County on the southeast.  United States Highway 385 is joined with United States Highway 67 entering from Crockett County, split at Fort Stockton, and exits to the south into Brewster County.  The county is shaped like a diamond.  Fort Stockton is slightly west of center in the county.  Fort Stockton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 53.4% of the county population.  The county is pronounced PAE-COES.