BlockOlney, Texas
8 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1985. It stands in the Olney census division. It lies in ZIP code area 76374. It stands on Mud Creek. The Survey maps it on the Olney quadrangle. 3,007 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,184 feet above sea level.
Population over time
3 figuresOlney fell from 3,396 to 3,007 between 2000 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3,396 | |
| 2010 | 3,285 | -111 (-3%) |
| 2020 | 3,007 | -278 (-8%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 8 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1954 USGS Wichita Falls quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1958 USGS Wichita Falls quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS Olney quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1985 USGS Graham quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
216 since 2005Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 216 fires within 5 miles of Olney between 2005 and 2020, burning about 1,369 acres in total. 8 started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 100 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 68 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 22 |
| Debris and open burning | 8 |
| Natural | 8 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 5 |
| Smoking | 4 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 September 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 5 September 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | 203 W CHERRY |
| 30 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | 986 WILLARD RD |
| 3 September 2010 | Equipment and vehicle use | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | PETE KUNKEL PLACE |
| 3 September 2008 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 20 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
| 29 September 2011 | Equipment and vehicle use | 5.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | CAMPBELL RD |
| 24 September 2013 | Misuse of fire by a minor | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | 13032 |
| 23 September 2007 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Texas A & M Forest Service | not named |
Mines and quarries near this place
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Olney: 1 occurrence. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Copper. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olney-1 | Copper | Occurrence | 1834 |
Storms near this place
60 of 118 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Olney in 118 storm reports between 1993 and 2026: 63 hail, 33 thunderstorm wind, 14 flash flood, 4 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2000 | Tornado (F3) | Olney | $300,000 | A large tornado was reported from near the county line (between Elbert and Padgett) to east of Olney. A 100 year old home was completely destroyed one mile south of the Olney Airport. A total of three homes and two motor homes were destroyed. Damage was reported to a nursing home, barns, power lines and trees. Most of the damage, however, occurred in open country. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $200,000 | A straight line wind was estimated at 90 mph. The wind blew down a large building under construction; crushing a truck. A tree was blown onto a car and a small store was destroyed. |
| January 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $80,000 | Emergency manager reported a southwest to northeast swath of damage near Olney. Multiple power poles were snapped, roofs and carports were damaged, a short concrete block dividing wall was destroyed, and a silo tipped over onto a truck. Additionally, a resident's bee hives were blown away. Damage was consistent with 80 to 95 mph winds. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $75,000 | Hangars were damaged at Olney Airport. Trees, power poles, and fences were blown down along FM 2178, West Payne Street, West Elm Street, and West Main Street. |
| May 2013 | Hail | Olney | $50,000 | The Olney Emergency Manager reported hail to the size of a baseball within the city. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $50,000 | Two local businesses were damaged, homes suffered minor damage, and numerous trees were uprooted around Olney. |
| April 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $40,000 | Extensive roof, tree, and power line damage. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $25,000 | Strong winds blew down trees and power lines, and damaged homes. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $20,000 | Scattered downed trees and sheet metal was removed from buildings throughout Olney. Wooden power poles were leaning, spectator stands at the baseball fields were damaged, and a 40 foot storage container was moved. |
| May 2010 | Flash Flood | Olney | $20,000 | Several roads across the city of Olney had to be closed due to high water including Highway 79 and Highway 114. There was one report of a car stalled due to high water. Evacuations were also conducted along Bluebonnet Dr. and a few apartments experienced minor flooding. |
| May 2007 | Flash Flood | Olney | $20,000 | Streets had to be closed and cars were stranded in Olney. Two high water rescues were required. Water rushed through the back door of a convenience store and down the aisles. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $15,000 | PSI Industries in Olney lost its roof and a door due to thunderstorm winds. Also in Olney, the drive-thru menu at Dairy Queen was knocked over, the sign at Goldsmith Supply Co. was damaged, and trees, tree limbs, signs, and power poles were knocked down. A possible downburst may have caused the damage. In addition, several power poles were knocked down along FM 2178 on the north side of town. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Olney | $15,000 | Several streets were flooded and barricaded, including the intersection of Main Street and Grand Avenue. Water was also in houses on Bluebonnet and Grove Streets. |
| April 2013 | Hail | Olney | $15,000 | no account filed |
| October 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $12,000 | Power lines, power poles, fences and trees were reported blown down in the city of Olney. Damage to storage buildings, shingles, and broken windows were also reported. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $10,000 | Emergency management reported roof damage to a building near Main Street and trees down near downtown in the city of Olney, TX. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Olney | $10,000 | A social media report indicated golf ball size hail in the city of Olney, TX. |
| April 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $10,000 | Emergency management reported trees snapped and damage to the roof and carport of a house about a mile south of Olney, TX. |
| August 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $10,000 | The Emergency Manager estimated 55-60 MPH winds in Olney. Some damage was reported on the south and southwest side of town around Mockingbird and Thomas Streets. Some trees were uprooted and a few homes had minor roof and porch damage. One carport was also damaged and part of the roof of one home was torn off. In addition, some power poles were either knocked over or broken along Highway 79 South and around the South Terrace Apartments. These strong winds were likely the result of a downburst from a storm that skirted the south side of the town. |
| March 2006 | Hail | Olney | $10,000 | The Olney Fire Department reported baseball-size hail. |
| May 2006 | Lightning | Olney | $10,000 | Lightning struck an antenna at a water treatment plant, knocking out all power. The antenna was completely destroyed and could not be found. The plant had to supply water to the area manually, to allow time to ensure the water was safe to drink and the reservoir was full. The power to the plant was restored two days later. |
| April 2013 | Hail | Olney | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Olney | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 2008 | Hail | Olney | $10,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $8,000 | A 2-foot pecan tree was blown down in Olney. Outbuildings and fences were also damaged. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Olney | $7,000 | Emergency manager reported golf ball sized hail in Olney. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Olney | $5,000 | Ping pong ball sized hail was reported 1 mile south of Olney, TX by emergency management. |
| July 2009 | Flash Flood | Olney | $5,000 | Highway 114 in Olney had to be closed and an apartment complex on Bluebonnet Drive had to be evacuated. |
| October 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $5,000 | Fences were blown down and the top of an oil storage tank was blown off. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $4,000 | High winds blew away a shed, flashing was torn from the roof of city hall, and a storefront window was broken. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $3,000 | Emergency management reported trees down with wind gusts up to 60 MPH. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $3,000 | Thunderstorm winds up to 60 MPH were estimated in Olney by the Emergency Manager. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $3,000 | Thunderstorm winds were estimated to be near 60 MPH north of Olney, near the county line. |
| May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $3,000 | Power lines were blown down. |
| April 2013 | Hail | Olney | $2,000 | Ping pong ball sized hail was reported 4 miles west-southwest of Olney. |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $2,000 | Another wind gust in Olney was estimated to be 60 MPH. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | $2,000 | Sixty MPH winds were estimated to the south of Olney. |
| June 2011 | Hail | Olney | $1,000 | Ping pong ball sized hail fell 3 miles southeast of Olney. |
| June 2015 | Flash Flood | Olney | $500 | Some roads in south Olney were closed due to high water. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Olney | - | Mping report of 1.5 inch hail. |
| May 2019 | Hail | Olney | - | A trained spotter reported ping pong ball size hail approximately one mile north-northeast of the city of Olney, TX. |
| June 2018 | Hail | Olney | - | A trained spotter reported ping pong ball sized hail near the city of Olney, TX. |
| May 2018 | Hail | Olney | - | Young County Sheriff's department reported quarter sized hail in the city of Olney, TX. |
| May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | - | Young County Sheriff's Department reported a few trees blown down in Olney. |
| May 2017 | Hail | Olney | - | A trained storm spotter reported quarter sized hail 4 miles south-southeast of the city of Olney, TX. |
| May 2017 | Hail | Olney | - | A trained storm spotter reported half-dollar sized hail 2 miles south-southeast of the city of Olney, TX. |
| May 2017 | Hail | Olney | - | Emergency management reported golf-ball sized hail near the city of Olney, TX. |
| August 2016 | Flood | Olney | - | Water over roadway at Springcreek Rd and Mockingbird Ln. |
| August 2016 | Flash Flood | Olney | - | Multimple homes were evacuated due to high water. |
| August 2016 | Flash Flood | Olney | - | Highway 79 near Olney remains shut down due to flash flooding. A total of 7.1 recorded since 8 AM. |
| August 2016 | Flood | Olney | - | Social media post shows portions of Griffin Park underwater. |
| August 2016 | Heavy Rain | Olney | - | Measured rainfall of 6 inches reported by spotter between 9 AM and 1 PM. |
| May 2015 | Flash Flood | Olney | - | Emergency management reported that several streets in and around the Olney, TX area were closed due to high water. |
| April 2013 | Hail | Olney | - | Hail up to the size of quarters was reported near Orth and Highway 251 to the south of Olney. |
| May 2012 | Hail | Olney | - | Nickel to quarter sized hail was reported in South Olney. |
| June 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | - | Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH about 6 miles south of Olney. |
| October 2012 | Hail | Olney | - | Dime sized hail was reported in Olney. |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Olney | - | A heatburst associated with dissipating convection occurred in Young County. The Olney Emergency Manager estimated 60 MPH winds with the heatburst. No damage was reported. |
| May 2010 | Flash Flood | Olney | - | Water rose over several residential streets and threatened homes in the city of Olney. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Olney | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q982424 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1364537. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
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.