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Throckmorton County, Texas

28 topographic sheets cover 14 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

2 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States
Throckmorton County within Texas
Explore by year 1880 1898

What the record shows

  • 112 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings.
  • 2 of the 2 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • 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

2

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Throckmorton County Courthouse and Jailbuilding197878002987
Throckmorton County Courthouse and Jailbuilding197878002987

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

2

Drawn 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.

Land ownership map, 1880 - Throckmorton County
Land ownership map (1880) - Throckmorton County. Library of Congress.
Land ownership map, 1898 - Throckmorton Co
Land ownership map (1898) - Throckmorton Co. Library of Congress.

The county from the air

43 shown

Flown 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 1,098 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 43 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.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-16, scale 1:69000
1952-12-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-16, scale 1:69000
1952-12-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-16, scale 1:69000
1952-12-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1952-12-16, scale 1:69000
1952-12-16, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-02, scale 1:69000
1953-01-02, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-02, scale 1:69000
1953-01-02, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-02, scale 1:69000
1953-01-02, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-02, scale 1:69000
1953-01-02, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-03-01, scale 1:18000
1962-03-01, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-03-01, scale 1:18000
1962-03-01, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-03-01, scale 1:18000
1962-03-01, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1962-03-01, scale 1:18000
1962-03-01, scale 1:18000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-03-12, scale 1:17600
1963-03-12, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-03-12, scale 1:17600
1963-03-12, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-03-12, scale 1:17600
1963-03-12, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1963-03-12, scale 1:17600
1963-03-12, scale 1:17600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-01, scale 1:17200
1964-02-01, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-01, scale 1:17200
1964-02-01, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-01, scale 1:17200
1964-02-01, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1964-02-01, scale 1:17200
1964-02-01, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:17200
1965-01-17, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:17200
1965-01-17, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:17200
1965-01-17, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1965-01-17, scale 1:17200
1965-01-17, scale 1:17200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-02-05, scale 1:17800
1966-02-05, scale 1:17800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-02-05, scale 1:17800
1966-02-05, scale 1:17800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-02-05, scale 1:17800
1966-02-05, scale 1:17800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1966-02-05, scale 1:17800
1966-02-05, scale 1:17800. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-03-20, scale 1:21670
1969-03-20, scale 1:21670. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-03-20, scale 1:21670
1969-03-20, scale 1:21670. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1969-03-20, scale 1:21670
1969-03-20, scale 1:21670. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-05-31, scale 1:110110
1972-05-31, scale 1:110110. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-05-31, scale 1:110110
1972-05-31, scale 1:110110. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-05-31, scale 1:110681
1972-05-31, scale 1:110681. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-05-31, scale 1:110681
1972-05-31, scale 1:110681. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-05, scale 1:115912
1973-08-05, scale 1:115912. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-05, scale 1:115912
1973-08-05, scale 1:115912. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-05, scale 1:115912
1973-08-05, scale 1:115912. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1973-08-05, scale 1:115912
1973-08-05, scale 1:115912. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-10-27, scale 1:55725
1978-10-27, scale 1:55725. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-10-27, scale 1:55725
1978-10-27, scale 1:55725. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-10-27, scale 1:55725
1978-10-27, scale 1:55725. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1978-10-27, scale 1:55725
1978-10-27, scale 1:55725. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

5 stations, 1 gage

The 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.

The 1950 census, district by district

11 districts

Who 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.

  • 224-1AN/A
  • 224-1BN/A
  • 224-2AN/A
  • 224-2BN/A
  • 224-3Throckmorton town - That part in Commissioner's Precinct 3
  • 224-4Throckmorton town - That part in Commissioner's Precinct 4
  • 224-5Commissioner's Precinct 1 - That part outside Throckmorton town (Remainder of Commissioner's Precinct 1 is in Throckmorton town)
  • 224-6Commissioner's Precinct 2 - That part outside Throckmorton town (Remainder of Commissioner's Precinct 2 is in Throckmorton town)
  • 224-7Commissioner's Precinct 3, outside Throckmorton town: Commissioner's Precinct 3 - That part northeast of State Highway 157, outside Throckmorton town
  • 224-8Commissioner's Precinct 3 - That part southwest of State Hwy 157 (Remainder of Commissioner's Precinct 3 is in Throckmorton town)
  • 224-9Commissioner's Precinct 4 - That part outside Throckmorton town (Remainder of Commissioner's Precinct 4 is in Throckmorton town)

Wildfire, 1997 to 2020

194 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 194 of them, burning about 66,422 acres. 43 started naturally and 5 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined90
Natural43
Equipment and vehicle use22
Debris and open burning19
Power generation/transmission/distribution11
Arson/incendiarism5
Smoking4

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
28 July 2001Missing data/not specified/undetermined20,263 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCR 222 FIRE
13 October 1997Missing data/not specified/undetermined10,388 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceTHROCKMORTON
29 April 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined7,000 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCLARK RANCH FIRE
19 June 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined6,804 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceJRM COMPLEX
25 June 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined3,024 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceMATTHEWS RANCH FIRE
16 August 2020Natural2,498 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceRAIN DANCE
30 March 2009Missing data/not specified/undetermined1,777 acresTexas A & M Forest Service923 FIRE
24 March 2011Debris and open burning1,075 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceWAGON CREEK PRESCRIBED FIRE

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 355 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 355 reports for this county, causing 3 deaths, 11 injuries and about $3,250,460 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail209
Thunderstorm Wind84
Tornado42
Flash Flood13
Flood3
Funnel Cloud2
Heavy Rain1
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1985Tornado (F3)not stated3 killed, $250,000no account filed
November 1958Tornado (F1)not stated4 hurt, $30no account filed
April 1955Tornado (F2)not stated3 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 2003HailWoodson3 hurt, $80,000Severe damage to storm chaser vehicles all along county road 209 west of Woodson. Three people were injured by the combination of hail and broken glass.
September 2010Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton1 hurtDamaging thunderstorm winds flipped a camper trailer on U.S. Highway 380 near the Haskell and Throckmorton County line. The occupant sustained minor injuries.
October 1993Tornado (F1)Elbert$500,000A tornado near Elbert destroyed a mobile home, three vehicles, and killed four cows. One of the dead cows had a two by six board driven all the way through it. Damage was estimated at 100,000 dollars.
June 2017Flash FloodThrockmorton$460,000About four homes and 2 businesses were flooded on the south side of Throckmorton. In addition, many roads were closed because of high water. Also, 3 cars were were damaged by flood waters. Firefighters rescued a couple from their residence located near the spillway.
October 2018FloodThrockmorton$400,000Prolonged heavy rainfall flooded roads across Throckmorton County. This flooding caused damage to some of the roads.
April 2000Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$400,000A downburst tore through the central and western sections of Throckmorton County during the early morning hours, causing extensive wind damage. Grain silos and power lines were damaged west of the town of Throckmorton, but the town itself took the brunt of the storm. The winds peeled parts of the roofs off of both the local high school and the hospital in Throckmorton, allowing rain to enter into the buildings and damage the contents. Many other homes and businesses throughout the town suffered severe roof damage as well.
April 2000Tornado (F1)Elbert$200,000A tornado struck the small community of Elbert. There was considerable damage to mobile homes and metal buildings, with lesser damage noted in permanent structures. A cotton gin was destroyed, with the silo blown northeast across State Highway 79. The tornado apparently first touched down near Elbert, tracking eastward along State Highway 79 to the Young County line. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.
April 2000HailElbert$150,000no account filed
April 2003HailWoodson$115,000Softball size hail ravaged the community of Woodson in southeast Throckmorton county. There was severe damage to structures and automobiles throughout the community.
May 1999Thunderstorm WindElbert$80,000Damaging winds destroyed 2 large grain elevator and downed trees in the small community of Elbert.
April 2021Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$50,000Damaging thunderstorm winds tore some of the metal roofing off a home. Hail broke out windows of about five to six homes, flipped a Recreational Vehicle on its side, and damaged a smaller outbuilding. The damaging thunderstorm winds caused an older barn to lean over. A porch awning was also damaged.
April 2000Tornado (F1)Elbert$50,000A tornado developed west of Elbert, tracking along a 4 mile path to just northwest of Elbert.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindWoodson$50,000High winds damaged the roof of the Woodson school, the restroom facility at the football field was partially unroofed, and the field lights at the football stadium were twisted such that they did not shine on the field. The damaged roof allowed rain water inside the school, which caused considerable additional damage.
February 1994Thunderstorm WindWoodson$50,000Two 7,200-volt power line poles were broken by thunderstorm winds.
April 2003Thunderstorm WindWoodson$40,000Thunderstorm winds tore the roof of of a home and blew out several windows.
May 2005Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$30,000A mobile home was totaled when it was ripped by thunderstorm winds.
April 2000Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$15,000Thunderstorm winds overturned a tractor trailer on Highway 283 north of Throckmorton.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$10,000A tree was blown down and half of a roof blown off of a home.
April 2002Tornado (F2)Throckmorton$10,000Immediately after the first tornado dissipated, a second larger, more stable multiple vortex tornado developed. Tracking along a 7 mile long path across western Throckmorton County, this tornado would reach over three quarters of a mile wide. Fortunately, the tornado tracked largely over open county and damage was minimal for a tornado of this size. Partially buried fence posts were torn out of the ground and disappeared, while a 300 yard path was swept clean and a large mesquite tree was ripped out of the ground.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$8,000Power lines and trees down in Throckmorton.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindWoodson$8,000Trees blown down in Woodson.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindElbert$8,000Strong thunderstorm winds blew the roof off of a building in Elbert.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindWoodson$5,000Large trees were blown down around the Woodson Community. Little structural damage was noted.
March 2000Thunderstorm WindElbert$5,000Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed by severe thunderstorm winds.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindWoodson$5,000Winds up to 60 mph destroyed a garage.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindElbert$5,000A 7200-volt distribution line pole was broken off by high winds.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton$5,000The roof of a nursing home was damaged by thunderstorm winds.
August 2013LightningElbert$3,000A lightning strike caused a tank battery fire near Elbert.
May 1983Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
June 1979Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 1976Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 1999HailThrockmorton$500Baseball size hail broke the windshield out of a Throckmorton County Sheriffs officer's car.
May 1982Tornado (F1)not stated$250no account filed
April 1984Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
April 1984Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
May 1983Tornado (F1)not stated$30no account filed
May 1983Tornado (F1)not stated$30no account filed
May 1983Tornado (F1)not stated$30no account filed
May 1982Tornado (F1)not stated$30no account filed
April 2026HailLusk-Reported golf ball size hail along county line southeast of Woodson by Woodson VFD.
April 2026Thunderstorm WindLusk-Winds of 65 mph from a storm southeast of Woodson along county line. Reported by Woodson VFD.
May 2025HailThrockmorton-Public reported quarter size hail.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton-A mesonet observation station reported a 58 mph wind gust.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindLusk-Volunteer Fire Department estimated winds were at 70 to 80 mph. The time was estimated from radar.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindLusk-A NWS survey team reported damage to a roof of the main residence as well as damage to a metal roof barn on property. In addition, a small trailer was rolled over on its side. The wind speed was estimated at 80 mph. Time of damage based on radar data.
April 2025Flash FloodElbert-Public reported road flooding due to flash flooding and a few vehicles stranded.
April 2025HailThrockmorton-A County Official reported golf ball size hail or a little larger hail.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindLusk-The Woodson Fire Department reported 70 to 75 mph wind gusts.
June 2025HailWoodson-Woodson Fire Department reported quarter size hail 1 mile north of Woodson.
June 2025HailWoodson-NWS Austin/San Antonio relayed a trained spotter report of golf ball size hail in Woodson, Texas.
April 2024HailThrockmorton-Public reported quarter size hail.
April 2024HailThrockmorton-Public reported penny size hail.
November 2024Thunderstorm WindThrockmorton-Mesonet station reported a 58 mph wind gust.
March 2023HailWoodson-The hail was reported along Highway 183.
May 2023HailThrockmorton-The reports was from mping.
May 2023HailThrockmorton-The public reported golf ball size hail 8 miles south-southwest of Throckmorton. The report was from mping.
May 2023HailThrockmorton-The large hail was found off Highway 283.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Copper1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
East Kings Creek-1CopperOccurrence1874

Every populated place in the county

14

Named 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.

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.