Wichita

Formed January 22, 1858 (146^th county)

Wichita County (131,500), Wichita Falls (104,553)                

The Modern courthouse was built in 1916 but significantly remodeled in 1961.  The stone and concrete structure sits at 7^th and Lamar streets.  The site is five blocks northeast of the Interstate Highway 44/United States Highway 287 freeway.  The building was enlarged in 1957.  Wichita Falls has been the site for all three courthouses (1883, 1886, and 1916) since the January 22, 1858 founding of the county.  The county was formed from Fannin County as the 146^th county.  Fields & Clarkson and Sanguinet & Pate designed the original 1916 courthouse but would not recognize it now.  Wichita is named for the river, which was named for the Native American tribe.  Wichita Falls is at the site of the falls on the river.  Wichita County is the birthplace of 1 Texas Governor, Gregory W. Abbott. 

Wichita County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  Three District Court Judges and Three County Court Judges serve Wichita County.  The county is located in the far north central part of the state on the border with Oklahoma.  Fort Worth, Texas is southeast and Abilene, Texas is southwest of the county.  The county center is 11 miles West-Northwest of Wichita Falls in Iowa Park.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Oklahoma and Clay, Archer, Baylor, and Wilbarger counties.  The county has the Red River as its northern border and the Wichita River flowing through its southern part. 

The area of the county is 633 square miles.  It is 231 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 31 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 207.74 persons per square mile making it 26 out of 254 in the state.  Wichita County has 95.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 44 enters from Oklahoma on the north and terminates in Wichita County.  United States Highway 82 enters from Clay County on the east and exits to Archer County on the south.  United States Highway 277 enters jointly with Interstate Highway 44 and joins United States Highway 82 to exit into Archer County.  United States Highway 281 comes in jointly with Interstate Highway 44 and continues south into Archer County.  United States Highway 287 crosses diagonally, entering jointly with United States Highway 82 from Clay County, splitting at Wichita Falls, and exiting into Wilbarger County on the west.  The county is rectangular except for the northern border, which meanders with the Red River.  Wichita Falls is in the southeast corner of the county but Wichita Falls city limits extend into Archer County to the south.  Wichita Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 79.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.