Formed August 21, 1876 (219th county)
Sherman County (2,780), Stratford (1,936)
The tan brick structure in Stratford has columns, which make it unique from most in the panhandle area. The Texas Renaissance and Classical Revival facility was built in 1922 on the square at 3rd and Fulton streets. The site is three blocks north of United States Highway 54 and five blocks east of United States Highway 287 as they pass through the city. The building’s designers were Parker and Rittenberry. A Law Enforcement Center was built in 1972. Coldwater has the first county courthouse followed by Stratford in 1901 since Sherman County’s August 21, 1876 organization. Sherman County was created from Bexar County as the 219th county. The county was named for Sidney Sherman, a Texas military leader. Grayson County’s seat is also named for him. Stratford got its name either from the home of William Shakespeare, Stratford-on-Avon or Stratford, Virginia.
Sherman County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners. One District Court Judge serves Sherman, Dallam, Hartley, and Moore counties and One County Court Judge serves Sherman County. The county is in the far north part of the panhandle bordering Oklahoma. The Beaver River grazes the northern part of the county while two of its tributaries cross the center and southern parts. The county center is 8.7 miles Southeast of Stratford. The county is surrounded clockwise by Oklahoma and Hansford, Hutchinson, Moore, Hartley, and Dallam counties.
The area of the county is 923 square miles. It is 107 out of 254 in the state. It ranks 226 out of 254 in population in the state. It has a density of 3.0 persons per square mile making it 220 out of 254 in the state. Sherman County has 79.0% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 54 crosses the northwest corner from Oklahoma on the north into Dallam County on the west. United States Highway 287 comes into from Dallam County on the west and exits into Moore County on the south. Another square shaped county has Stratford located in the northwest quarter. Stratford is the county seat and the largest city. It is 69.6% of the county population. There are only two communities in the county.
Stratford
Texhoma
