Winkler County

History

The first people to live in the area of Winkler County were the Anasazi Indians, who migrated there about 900 AD and left their discarded pottery as evidence of their presence. These Native Americans were attracted to the area by its water, which was readily available from the interdunal ponds or from digging through to the shallow water table. The first military expeditions entered the area of present-day Winkler County in the last half of the 19th century. Captain Randolph B. Marcy brought his soldiers into the area on September 25, 1849, as he searched for the best wagon route to California. Bvt. Capt. John Pope surveyed the 32nd parallel, which separates Winkler County from New Mexico, for possible railroad construction in 1854.

On June 29, 1875, Col. William R. Shafter, accompanied by 81 men and officers, tracked the Comanche Indians into county lands, when Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie conducted a campaign to drive them from the area. By 1876, all threat of Comanche attack was eliminated and the area of Winkler County was opened for White settlement. In 1881, the Texas and Pacific Railway was built across nearby Ward County, giving easy access to the area. With good transportation, the land outside the dune fields covered in tall grasses, and a good water supply, the area was well equipped for open-range ranching. A few ranchers took advantage of free state land to carve out large ranches. Among those first ranchers were John Avary, J. J. Draper, and the Cowden brothers—Doc, Tom, and Walter.

On February 26, 1887, Winkler County was established from territory in Tom Green County. It was named for Confederate Colonel Clinton M. Winkler.

By 1890, 11 men and seven women, all White, lived in Winkler County. The State of Texas ended free use of its land in 1900, and state agents were sent across West Texas to collect rents from ranchers on public land. In the census of 1900, 12 ranches, totaling 67,537 acres (273.31 km2) and 11,982 cattle, were operated by four owners and eight nonowners, and the county population was 60. From 1901 through 1905, a state law allowed the sale of school lands in West Texas. Since one could purchase four sections of land on generous credit terms, Winkler and other West Texas counties experienced a school-land rush as new settlers arrived. In 1905, the law was changed to benefit the highest bidder, but newcomers continued to come to Winkler County.

Nursing controversy

In 2009, at Winkler County Memorial Hospital, two nurses, Anne Mitchell and Vicki Galle, were retaliated against for reporting physician Rolando Arafiles' inappropriate medical treatments to the Texas Medical Board. The story received national attention. The retaliation against the two nurses involved an investigation by the county sheriff Robert Roberts, a friend and former business partner of Arafiles, into the nurses allegedly harassing the physician by filing the complaint. Arafiles approached Roberts after receiving notification from the board that a complaint had been filed by persons whose identities the board decided to shield. Roberts, armed with search warrants, set to work finding out who had contacted the medical board. After obtaining confidential medical records based on protected private health-care information provided by Arafiles, Roberts brought the case to the prosecutor. County attorney Scott Tidwell sought to prosecute the two nurses for misuse of official information, a felony that carries a possible $10,000 fine and a 10-year jail sentence. A grand jury, before which Roberts was the sole witness, indicted the two nurses. They were immediately fired from their jobs at the hospital. The pair had been members of the administration responsible for credentialing physicians, quality assurance, and risk management.

The charges against Galle were dismissed at the last hour before trial. On February 11, 2010, Mitchell was acquitted by a jury that deliberated for less than an hour. The Texas Attorney General's office became involved after the criminal prosecution against the two nurses ended, investigating the actions of the prosecution and law enforcement. Ultimately, indictments against four of the people involved in the retaliation against the nurses were issued, which included the same felony charge of misuse of official information, which Roberts and Tidwell has pursued against the nurses. Arafiles was indicted on felony retaliation and misuse of official information charges. Roberts and Tidwell were indicted on misuse of official information and official oppression charges. Hospital administrator Stan Wiley was indicted on felony retaliation charges and accepted a plea deal in March 2011, where he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for cooperating with the state. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and fined $2,000.

Sheriff Roberts was convicted at trial and was sentenced to 100 days in jail on each of four felony counts, fined $6000 on four felony and two misdemeanor counts, and sentenced to four years felony probation on two counts each of misuse of official information and retaliation. In September 2011, former county attorney Scott Tidwell was found guilty of misuse of official information, retaliation, and official oppression, sentenced to 120 days in jail and fined $6000. Arafiles also cut a deal with prosecutors and pled guilty in exchange for 60 days in jail, the surrender of his medical license, a $5,000 fine, and 5 years probation.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 841 square miles (2,180 km2), of which 841 square miles (2,180 km2) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.02%) is covered by water. The climate is generally dry, and in spring and summer, it is hot; the hottest daily maximum temperatures in the continental US are often recorded in lower elevation areas near the Pecos River in the county, particularly during April, May, and June.

Adjacent counties

Andrews County (northeast)

Ector County (east)

Ward County (south)

Loving County (west)

Lea County, New Mexico (northwest/Mountain Time Zone)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 7,791. The median age was 35.0 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 107.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 51.9% White, 2.1% Black or African American, 1.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 23.1% from some other race, and 20.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 60.7% of the population.

81.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 18.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,687 households in the county, of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.9% were married-couple households, 20.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 3,218 housing units, of which 16.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.5% were owner-occupied and 23.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 23.1%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, 7,173 people, 2,584 households, and 1,969 families were residing in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile (3.1 people/km2). The 3,214 housing units averaged 4 units per square mile (1.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.81% White, 1.85% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 20.35% from other races, and 2.34% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 44.00% of the population.

Of the 2,584 households, 39.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.80% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.80% were not families. About 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72, and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the age distribution was 29.80% under 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 21.00% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,591, and for a family was $34,021. Males had a median income of $31,140 versus $18,967 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,725. About 14.40% of families and 18.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.00% of those under age 18 and 16.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Winkler County was represented in the Texas House of Representatives from 1993 to 2008 by George E. "Buddy" West of Odessa. West died on June 25, 2008, and he was succeeded in January 2009 by fellow Republican Tryon D. Lewis, who unseated West in the April 8 primary election.

Transportation

Major highways

State Highway 18

State Highway 115

State Highway 302

Airport

Winkler County is served by Winkler County Airport, located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Wink.

Communities

Cities

Kermit (county seat)

Monahans (mostly in Ward County)

Wink

Hamlets

Cowden Place

Ghost towns

Cheyenne

Hay Flat (partly in Loving County)

Magwalt

Vesrue

Education

Kermit Independent School District and Wink-Loving Independent School District serve separate sections of the county.

All of Winkler County is zoned to Odessa College.

Notable people

Roy Orbison and his family moved to Wink in 1946, when he was 10.