The city was named for land office commissioner Stephen Crosby.[6][7]
In 1902, the C. B. Livestock Company purchased 90,000 acres. By 1912, a 10,000-acre demonstration farm, managed by Judge L. Gough, showcased the area's potential for cotton cultivation, leading to significant land sales from 1907 to 1915.[7]
The town's foundation began in 1908 when the C. B. Livestock Company surveyed a townsite, subsequently opening Crosbyton for settlement. The Crosbyton post office was established in July 1908. The Crosbyton Inn, a three-story hotel, was erected the same year.[7]
In 1910, Crosbyton secured the county seat designation after winning a vote against Emma. The Crosbyton-South Plains Railroad commenced operations on April 10, 1911.[7]
The town's first hospital opened in 1947, and in 1975, the Crosbyton Municipal Airport was dedicated. In 1976, Texas Tech University built a 65-foot diameter solar dish, the world's largest at the time, to harvest solar power.[7][8]
Recognizing the town's heritage, Zina Lamar established the Crosby County Pioneer Memorial Museum in 1958. This facility serves as a community center and museum, preserving artifacts of area pioneers.[7]
Geography
Crosbyton is located slightly northeast of the center of Crosby County along U.S. Route 82, approximately 2 miles (3 km) west of Blanco Canyon at the eastern edge of the Llano Estacado. US 82 leads east 24 miles (39 km) to Dickens and west 38 miles (61 km) to Lubbock.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,492 people, 667 households, and 498 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census[3] of 2000, 1,874 people, 677 households, and 482 families resided in the city. The population density was 886.9 inhabitants per square mile (342.4/km2). The 781 housing units averaged 369.6 per square mile (142.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 62.49% White, 5.71% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 30.15% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 47.65% of the population.
Of the 677 households, 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were not families. About 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city, the population was distributed as 28.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,722, and for a family was $30,900. Males had a median income of $22,647 versus $18,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,329. About 23.7% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.9% of those under age 18 and 25.9% of those age 65 or over.
Crosbyton gets about 23 inches of rain each year. As a comparison, the US average is 39 inches. Snowfall averages seven inches, compared to the average of 26 inches of snow in American cities. The city receives some measurable precipitation approximately 40 days a year.
Sunny weather typically occurs 263 days per year. The Sperling comfort index for Crosbyton is 62 out of 100 (the higher score indicates a more comfortable year-round climate.[12]
Climate data for Crosbyton, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
^ abcdefJenkins, Edloe A. "Crosbyton, TX". Handbook Of Texas. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
^"Crosbyton Solar Power Project". Texas Tech University Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library. Texas Tech University. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
^Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.[11]
