BlockFrom the record
1 National Register listing published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Stephens County, Texas
41 topographic sheets cover 14 settlements here, and 1 property is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 181 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 1 property here is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as a building.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 14 populated places in this county; 14 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
1Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Stephens County Courthouse | building | 1997 | 97000781 |
Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps
2Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.
The county from the air
24 shownFlown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 910 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 24 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.
Weather records
4 stations, 6 gagesThe thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.
- BRECKENRIDGE 1898 to 2026, hottest 45.6 C, coldest -22.2 C
- BRECKENRIDGE 2 WNW 1973 to 1975, hottest 42.2 C, coldest -12.8 C
- BRECKENRIDGE 14.2 NE 2018 to 2026
- STEPHENS COUNTY AP 2021 to 2026, hottest 44.4 C, coldest -14.4 C
- Clear Fk Brazos Rv at Crystal Falls, TX 1921 to 1929
- Hubbard Ck nr Breckenridge, TX 1955 to 2026
- Big Sandy Ck abv Breckenridge, TX 1962 to 2026
- Big Cedar Ck nr Ivan, TX 1964 to 1989
- Pecan Ck nr Eolian, TX 1966 to 1975
- Cedar Ck at FM 3253 nr Caddo, TX 2020 to 2026
The 1950 census, district by district
18 districtsWho lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.
- 215-1Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; Walker; Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad
- 215-2Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by 7th, Breckenridge Ave., City limits; City limits, Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad Walker, Veale Ave., Lindsey; Rose Ave.
- 215-3Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by City limits; Breckenridge Ave., 7th, Rose Ave.; 2nd, Miller Ave., 2nd, Parks Ave., 2nd, Pecan Ave., 2nd; City limits
- 215-4Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by 2nd, Pecan Ave., 2nd, Parks Ave., 2nd, Miller Ave., 2nd; Rose Ave., Lindsey, Miller Ave.; Walker; City limits
- 215-5Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part excluding Burch Hotel Bounded by Lindsey; Veale Ave., Walker, Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad; Hullum; Miller Ave.
- 215-6Burch Hotel (In Breckenridge city, Justice Precinct 1)
- 215-7Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by Walker; City limits; City limits; Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad
- 215-8Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by Hullum; Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad; City limits; Rose Ave.
- 215-9Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by Walker, Miller Ave., Hullum; Rose Ave.; City limits; Live Oak Ave.
- 215-10Justice Precinct 1: Breckenridge city - That part Bounded by Walker; Live Oak Ave.; City limits; City limits
- 215-11Justice Precinct 1 - That part north of U.S. Highway 180 and east and north of State Highway 6, outside Breckenridge city
- 215-12Justice Precinct 1 - That part west and south of State Highway 6 and north of U.S. Highway 180, outside Breckenridge city
- 215-13Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of U.S. Highway 180 and west of State Highway 6, outside Breckenridge city
- 215-14Justice Precinct 1 - That part south and west of Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad and east of State Highway 6, outside Breckenridge city
- 215-15Justice Precinct 1 - That part north and east of Wichita Falls and Southern Railroad and south of U.S. Highway 180, outside Breckenridge city
- 215-16Justice Precinct 2
- 215-17Justice Precinct 3
- 215-18Justice Precinct 4
Wildfire, 2001 to 2020
674 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 674 of them, burning about 34,497 acres. 64 started naturally and 48 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 228 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 120 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 108 |
| Debris and open burning | 83 |
| Natural | 64 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 48 |
| Smoking | 8 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 6 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 4 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 4 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 2006 | Equipment and vehicle use | 5,556 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CADDO II COMPLEX |
| 26 July 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 4,935 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CR156 FIRE |
| 9 April 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3,200 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | BRECKENRIDGE (CONVENIENCE) |
| 28 June 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2,535 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CONNER |
| 14 January 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1,809 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CADDO |
| 19 October 2015 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1,700 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | FULLER |
| 30 August 2020 | Natural | 1,120 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | 1853 |
| 18 April 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 855 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | MOSSY ROCK RANCH FIRE |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1955 to 2026
60 of 386 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 386 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 6 injuries and about $9,541,960 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Hail | 229 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 105 |
| Flash Flood | 26 |
| Tornado | 22 |
| Flood | 2 |
| Lightning | 2 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2016 | Flood | Hubbard Creek Lake | 1 killed, $100,000 | Flooding continued across the southern half of Stephens County after several inches of rain fell in a short period of time as a squall line moved through the area. One person lost her life after the truck she was riding in was overcome by floodwaters near Hwy 183 along Gunsolus Creek. |
| April 2008 | Tornado (EF1) | Breckenridge Arpt | 6 hurt, $1,000,000 | The second tornado began approximately a half mile west of Highway 183 and south of FM 2231. Power poles were damaged along FM 2231 and Highway 183 and roof and barn damage was noted along Highway 183. The most significant damage occurred at and just west of the Stephens County Airport where several homes had considerable damage along CR 150. Several airport buildings had overhead doors blown in, roof damage, and damage to girders. Power poles were also damaged northeast of the airport near the eastern end of FM 2231. Damage to mobile homes, roofs, power poles, and storage buildings continued across Highway 180 and between Highways 67 and 207. This tornado has been rated as an upper end EF-1 with winds approaching 110 MPH. An estimated 46 homes were damaged in total. Three injuries required hospitalization and there were a few minor ones as well. |
| October 1979 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| February 2026 | Lightning | La Casa | $2,400,000 | Videos and articles from social and news media reported that a wind turbine south of Caddo was struck by lightning the morning of February 14th and caught on fire as a result. As per pictures, the shell at the top of the turbine was destroyed along with one of the blades. |
| April 1994 | Hail | Breckenridge | $500,000 | Baseball-size hail occurred in the western part of Breckenridge, damaging roofs and cars. |
| April 2025 | Lightning | Breckenridge | $400,000 | Fire and rescue reported that a storage building and guest house were struck by lightning and destroyed in a fire shortly after 6am. Two adjacent homes received heat damage. |
| March 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $250,000 | Two tractor trailer rigs were blown over in the Wal-Mart parking lot, Wal-Mart roof blown several hundred yards, at least 8 utility poles blown down, and car windows were blown in. The Certified Auto Glass building was destroyed, there was widespread roof and sign damage, storage building and garage doors were damaged, windows were blown out, and numerous reports of fences, trees, and utility poles blown down. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Breckenridge | $200,000 | Several reports and pictures on social media indicated golf ball sized hail in Breckenridge. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Eolian | $200,000 | Notable damage was reported along FM 576 due to damaging straight line winds. A few roofs were removed from homes, metal doors were blown in, outbuilding and trees were damaged. |
| April 2021 | Hail | Breckenridge Arpt | $200,000 | Two inch hail was reported at the Stephens County Airport. |
| April 2024 | Hail | Breckenridge | $100,000 | Report from MPing. |
| June 2023 | Hail | Breckenridge | $100,000 | Golf ball sized hail was reported in Breckenridge. |
| May 2022 | Hail | Breckenridge | $100,000 | Amateur radio reported baseball sized hail about 3 miles east of Breckenridge along Highway 180. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $100,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed a radio tower, numerous trees, and powerlines. Cars were damaged by falling trees. In addition, signs and metal buildings were damaged. |
| April 2024 | Hail | Breckenridge | $100,000 | no account filed |
| April 2024 | Hail | Breckenridge | $100,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $100,000 | no account filed |
| May 2021 | Flash Flood | Breckenridge | $50,000 | A public report indicated flash flooding near Highway 180 in the city of Breckenridge, TX. An emergency manager also reported Gunsolus Creek was out of its banks. |
| March 2016 | Hail | Hubbard Creek Lake | $50,000 | Tennis ball sized hail was reported at Hubbard Creek Lake. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $50,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down across town, with numerous reports of roof damage to homes and businesses. |
| May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $50,000 | Winds of 70 mph damaged roofs, blew out windows, and blew down trees. |
| May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $50,000 | A building in downtown Breckenridge was unroofed by high winds. Telephone and power lines were blown down by high winds. Highway 180 in Breckenridge was closed due to debris on the road. |
| May 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Caddo | $50,000 | Two buildings were unroofed at the Ward Field ranch near Caddo by thunderstorm winds. |
| October 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $50,000 | Power lines were blown down along with large tree limbs. |
| September 1993 | Tornado (F0) | Breckenridge | $50,000 | A brief tornado destroyed a mobile home, damaged a house roof, and unroofed several barns and outbuildings. |
| September 1993 | Tornado (F0) | Breckenridge | $50,000 | A tornado touched down at the intersection of highway 67 and highway 180, and moved northeast along highway 67 for two miles. Barns and storage buildings were damaged, and a large storage shed was upended and set on top of a mobile home. |
| July 1995 | Hail | Eolian | $45,000 | Softball-size hail damaged roofs, windows, and cars. |
| April 2008 | Tornado (EF0) | Eolian | $40,000 | Based on ground and aerial surveys...it was determined a tornado formed along FM 576 east of Eolian. The tornado damaged trees and a shed west of FM 576 and FM 3418 and continued to damage a large metal building on FM 3418. In addition, several large storage containers were blown across the road. This tornado was rated an EF-0 with maximum winds of 80-85 MPH. |
| April 2021 | Hail | Breckenridge | $30,000 | A picture of a hail stone that was slightly smaller than a baseball was sent in 4 miles southeast of Breckenridge. |
| May 2015 | Flash Flood | Breckenridge | $30,000 | Broadcast media reported three homes flooded in Breckenridge, TX. |
| March 2007 | Flash Flood | Breckenridge | $30,000 | Homes and businesses flooded with several feet of water. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $30,000 | A portion of a residential roof was blown off and a large tree was uprooted. Large limbs were broken off trees, small signs and fences were damaged, and power lines were forced down by fallen branches. |
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $30,000 | A shed was blown down and a travel trailer was destroyed by high thunderstorm winds. Several trees were blown down and two barns were destroyed. |
| August 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hubbard Creek Lake | $25,000 | A travel trailer was destroyed and a boat dock was damaged by high thunderstorm winds. |
| May 2013 | Hail | Ivan | $20,000 | Broadcast media reported baseball sized hail near Ivan. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Breckenridge | $20,000 | Numerous roads were closed due to high water. Significant flooding occurred with high water rescues required. |
| February 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $20,000 | The roof a church was blown off. Trees were blown down and windows were broken. |
| May 2009 | Hail | La Casa | $15,000 | A spotter reported Grapefruit size hail on Highway 207 5 miles west of Strawn. The spotter received damage to their vehicle. |
| April 2006 | Hail | Ivan | $15,000 | Baseball-size hail was reported by a NWS employee driving through the area. Report relayed by Midland NWS. |
| May 2025 | Hail | La Casa | $12,000 | Tennis ball sized hail was reported in La Casa. |
| March 2026 | Hail | Caddo | $11,000 | Report from mPING: Baseball (2.75 in.). |
| March 2026 | Hail | Necessity | $11,000 | Emergency manager relayed photos of baseball sized hail in Necessity. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Gunsight | $11,000 | A Facebook post reported 1 to 2 inch diameter hail in Gunsight. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Hubbard Creek Lake | $11,000 | A member of the public reported 2 inch diameter hail on Hubbard Creek Lake. |
| May 2022 | Hail | Breckenridge | $10,000 | A trained spotter reported golf ball sized hail about a mile west of Breckenridge, TX. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hubbard Creek Lake | $10,000 | Emergency management reported a roof blown off of a home just northwest of the city of Breckenridge, TX. |
| May 2015 | Hail | La Casa | $10,000 | Golf ball sized hail was reported, approximately 10 miles southeast of Caddo. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $10,000 | Several roofs of homes were damaged between Breckenridge and Crystal Falls. Trees were also blown down. |
| March 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $10,000 | WFO San Angelo relayed the report from Callahan County Sheriffs Office. At least 20 utility poles were blown down in the southwest part of the county. |
| March 2026 | Hail | Caddo | $9,000 | Storm spotter reported 2 inch hail east of Breckenridge. |
| March 2026 | Hail | Breckenridge | $9,000 | Amateur radio operator relayed report of tennis ball sized hail in Breckenridge. |
| March 2026 | Hail | Wayland | $9,000 | Storm spotter reported tennis ball sized hail 9 miles south of Breckenridge. |
| May 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Hubbard Creek Lake | $7,000 | Social media images showed a small metal shed that was destroyed. Scattered large tree limbs were also down. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Wayland | $7,000 | A Facebook post reported golf ball sized hail around 5 miles south of Wayland. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | La Casa | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage and damage to metal outbuildings in the area around La Casa in the southeast part of the county. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Necessity | $5,000 | Damage to trees and outbuildings was reported in Necessity. |
| November 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $5,000 | Emergency management reported that a dead tree was blown onto a parked car in the city of Breckenridge, TX. |
| December 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $5,000 | Emergency management reported a large metal barn flipped on the northern side of the city of Breckenridge, TX. |
| May 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ivan | $5,000 | Emergency management reported downed utility poles just southwest of the city of Ivan, TX. |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Breckenridge | $5,000 | A telephone pole was snapped in half and shingles were torn off the roof of a home. Also, a horse trailer was moved 30 feet, and the roof was ripped off of a wellhouse. |
Mines and quarries
2 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 2 workings inside this county. 1 still produces and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Stone, Crushed/Broken | 2 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zack Burkett New Plant and Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer | ||
| Zack Burkett Woodruff Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Every populated place in the county
14Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Breckenridge
Breckenridge North census division · 76424 · On Walker Branch · Breckenridge quadrangle
14 sheets, 1890 to 1985
-
Caddo
Breckenridge North census division · 76429 · On Sow Branch · Caddo quadrangle
13 sheets, 1890 to 1985
-
Crystal Falls
Breckenridge North census division · 76424 · On Hubbard Creek · Crystal Falls quadrangle
12 sheets, 1890 to 1985
-
Eolian
Breckenridge South census division · 76424 · On Battle Creek · Eolian quadrangle
13 sheets, 1892 to 1985
-
Harpersville
Breckenridge South census division · 76437 · Near Double mountain · Harpersville quadrangle
13 sheets, 1890 to 1985
-
Ivan
Breckenridge North census division · 76424 · On Norton Branch · Ivan South quadrangle
14 sheets, 1890 to 1985
-
South Hanlon
Breckenridge North census division · 76424 · On Hitson Branch · Buck Mountain quadrangle
14 sheets, 1890 to 1985
-
Wayland
Breckenridge South census division · 76424 · Near Bald Mountain · Wayland quadrangle
13 sheets, 1890 to 1985
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.