Henrietta, Texas

Henriettais a city in and thecounty seatofClay County,Texas,United States.It is part of theWichita Falls metropolitan statistical area.The population was 3,111 at the2020 census,a decline of 30 from the2010tabulation of 3,141.

Henrietta
City
Clay CountyCourthouse
Location of Henrietta, Texas
Coordinates:33°48′53″N98°11′33″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Clay
Area
• Total	5.21 sq mi (13.49 km2)
• Land	5.11 sq mi (13.22 km2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
Elevation	915 ft (279 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	3,111
• Density	609.40/sq mi (235.29/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6(Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5(CDT)
ZIP code	76365
Area code	940
FIPS code	48-33284
GNISfeature ID	2410743
Website	www.cityofhenrietta

History

U.S. Route 287has long been a key traffic artery in Henrietta.

Hangingexhibit at the Clay County 1890 Jail Museum in Henrietta, though no executions were conducted at the old jail.

Sleeping guard exhibit at Clay County 1890 Jail Museum

A portion of Henrietta

The FirstBaptistChurch at 208 S. Graham Street in Henrietta was originally established in 1876. In 2013, the church had more than 1,300 members.

Henrietta is one of the oldest settled towns in north central Texas. It sits at the crossroads ofU.S. Highway 287,U.S. Highway 82,State Highway 148,andFarm to Market Road 1197in north central Clay County.

Clay andMontaguecounties were separated in 1857 fromCooke Countyto the east, and Henrietta was named as the county seat. The etymology of the town remains a mystery, though several explanations have been offered. Regardless of the origin of its name, Henrietta became the center of gravity for the fledgling county. In 1860, as the only town in the county, it had 109 residents, 10 houses, and a general store. It sat at the far western edge ofAngloexpansion in north-central Texas, butNative Americansremained a viable threat to current and future settlers. In 1862, Henrietta opened its post office. In the early 1860s, there were continuous attacks from local tribes. By late 1862, Henrietta was abandoned, and white settlers returned east to Cooke and Montague counties. Remaining structures were burned. Anglos continued to attempt resettlement, and in 1865 after theCivil War,a group attempting resettlement was massacred. A number ofQuakersattempted to reoccupy the former townsite, but its members were either killed or fled. In 1870, fifty soldiers andKiowaIndians fought a battle in the ruins of Henrietta.

After the battle, white settlers returned to Henrietta, this time permanently. In 1874, the post office reopened, and Henrietta quickly became the economic hub of north-central Texas. In 1882, theFort Worth and Denver Railwayreached Henrietta on its southern side, and in 1887, Henrietta became the westernmost terminus for theGainesville, Henrietta, and Western Railway.

In 1895, theWichita Falls Railway,one of the properties ofJoseph A. KempandFrank Kell,linked Henrietta withWichita Falls;sold in 1911, this 18-mile (29 km) segment was operated thereafter by theMissouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad,known as the Katy. This particular track was abandoned in 1970. MK&T then built in Wichita Falls a station, offices, a roundhouse, and three switching tracks.

After heavy lobbying by businessmen, Henrietta became a logistical supply point for various operations in north-central Texas, including mining inFoardandArchercounties. The Southwestern Railway Company in 1910 completed a rail linking Henrietta withArcher City.

An antiques shop occupies part of the building which once housed the St. Elmo Hotel, long ago destroyed in a fire.

TheU.S. Post Officeis located in the southeastern corner of Courthouse Square in Henrietta.

Though it had been settled earlier, Henrietta did not incorporate until 1881. The Clay County courthouse was built in 1884 and is still in use. By 1890, the population had reached 2,100, and the town boasted a 400-seat opera house, five churches, a new jailhouse, and a school. From 1893 to 1895, it had a college—Henrietta Normal College—for the training of teachers. It remained the economic hub of the county at the turn of the 20th century.

The St. Elmo Hotel, established about 1895 in Henrietta,had among its guestsQuanah Parker,who married two of his wives there, andU.S. PresidentTheodore Roosevelt,when he toured the North Texas area. When the top floors of the hotel burned, the facility closed and never reopened. A portion of the lower floor now houses an antiques store.

The growth of Henrietta waned in the 20th century as Wichita Falls grew rapidly into the most prosperous economic center in the area. The Southwestern Railway line was abandoned in 1920, and theGainesville, Henrietta, and Western Railwayline closed in 1969. By 1990, the population remained under 3,000. In 2000, it topped 3,000 for the first time since the 1970 census. In many ways, Henrietta is a "bedroom community" for Wichita Falls but is still the largest city in Clay County.

The playTexaspresented during summers at thePalo Duro CanyonnearAmarillois loosely based on the history of Henrietta.

The 1995 film,The Stars Fell on Henrietta,produced byClint Eastwoodand David Valdez, and starringRobert Duvall,Brian DennehyandBilly Bob Thornton,depicts the Texas oil rush of the 1930s and is set in Henrietta.

Geography

Henrietta is located near the center of Clay County 20 miles (32 km) southeast ofWichita Falls,28 miles (45 km) northwest ofBowie,and 95 miles (153 km) northwest ofFort Worth.

According to theUnited States Census Bureau,Henrietta has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²), of which 5.1 square miles (13.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²), or 1.96%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	2,100		—
1900	1,614		−23.1%
1910	2,104		30.4%
1920	2,563		21.8%
1930	2,020		−21.2%
1940	2,391		18.4%
1950	2,813		17.6%
1960	3,062		8.9%
1970	2,897		−5.4%
1980	3,149		8.7%
1990	2,896		−8.0%
2000	3,264		12.7%
2010	3,141		−3.8%
2020	3,111		−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

Henrietta racial composition as of 2020
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race	Number	Percentage
White(NH)	2,727	87.66%
Black or African American(NH)	21	0.68%
Native AmericanorAlaska Native(NH)	24	0.77%
Asian(NH)	29	0.93%
Some Other Race (NH)	13	0.42%
Mixed/Multi-Racial(NH)	131	4.21%
Hispanic or Latino	166	5.34%
Total	3,111

As of the2020 United States census,there were 3,111 people, 1,287 households, and 817 families residing in the city.

Education

The city is served by theHenrietta Independent School District.South of town between Henrietta andJacksboro,students attendMidway Independent School District.

Transportation

• U.S. Highway 287west toWichita Falls;east-southeast toFort Worth
• U.S. Highway 82west toLubbock;east toNocona
• State Highway 148south toJacksboro;north toPetrolia
• Farm to Market Road 1197north toHurnville
• Farm to Market Road 2847southwest toFM 2606,Lake Arrowhead, andHalsell

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to theKöppen Climate Classificationsystem, Henrietta has ahumid subtropical climate,abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Notable people

• Charline Arthur(1929–1987), boogie woogie and blues musician
• Finis Alonzo Crutchfield Jr.(1916–1986), United Methodist Church bishop, born in Henrietta
• Frank N. Ikard,congressmanfromTexas's 13th congressional districtfrom 1951 to 1961, born in Henrietta in 1914

See also

• Abilene Trail

External links

• City of Henrietta official website
• The Clay County Leader,local newspaper
• See historic photos of Henriettafrom the Clay County Historical Society, hosted by thePortal to Texas History