Chambers County was founded in 1858. It is named for Thomas Jefferson Chambers,[6] a major general in the Texas Revolution.
In 2019, Atlas Air Flight 3591, a cargo flight operating for Amazon Air, crashed in the Trinity Bay, in Chambers County and near Anahuac, while flying from Miami to Houston. All three people on board were killed.[7]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 871 square miles (2,260 km2), of which 597 square miles (1,550 km2) are land and 274 square miles (710 km2) (31%) are covered by water.[8]
The south and southwestern parts of the county lie in the Galveston Bay Area on the shores of Trinity Bay and East Bay. A small portion of the southeastern area lies on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Chambers County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition 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 may be of any race.
As of the census of 2000,[14] 26,031 people, 9,139 households, and 7,219 families were residing in the county. The population density was 43 people/sq mi (17 people/km2). The 10,336 housing units averaged 17 units per square mile (6.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 81.88% White, 9.77% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 6.02% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. About 10.79% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 9,139 households, 40.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.00% were not families. About 17.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82, and the average family size was 3.20.
In the county, the age distribution was 28.90% under 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,964, and for a family was $52,986. Males had a median income of $43,351 versus $25,478 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,863. About 8.30% of families and 11.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Chambers County is governed by a five-member commissioners' court, consisting of the county judge and four county commissioners. The county judge is elected to four-year terms in a countywide election. Commissioners are elected to four-year terms from single-member districts.
Countywide, district also covers portions of Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Montgomery Counties
Texas House of Representatives
District
Representative
Political party
First elected
Area(s) represented
23
Terri Leo-Wilson
Republican
2022
Chambers County, Galveston County (part)
State Board of Education
District
Member
Political party
First elected
Area(s) represented
7
Julie Pickren
Republican
2022
Countywide, district also covers all of Brazoria, Galveston, Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Newton, Orange, and Tyler Counties and most of Fort Bend County
Courts
Justices of the Peace
Office
Name
Political party
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1
Celia Devillier
Republican
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2
Michael W. Wheat
Republican
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4
Blake D. Sylvia
Republican
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5
David Hatfield
Republican
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 6
Larry Ray Cryer
Republican
District Courts
Office
Name
Political party
Area(s) represented
253rd District Court
Chap B. Cain, III
Republican
Countywide, district also covers Liberty County
344th District Court
Randy McDonald
Republican
Countywide
1st Court of Appeals
Name
Political party
First elected
Chief Justice
Sherry Radack
Republican
2004, appointed in 2002
Place 2
Gordon Goodman
Democrat
2018
Place 3
Veronica Rivas-Molloy
Democrat
2020
Place 4
April Farris
Republican
2020 (appointed)
Place 5
Amparo Guerra
Democrat
2020
Place 6
Sarah Beth Landau
Democrat
2018
Place 7
Julie Countiss
Democrat
2018
Place 8
Richard Hightower
Democrat
2018
Place 9
Peter Kelly
Democrat
2018
14th Court of Appeals
Name
Political party
First elected
Chief Justice
Tracy E. Christopher
Republican
2020
Place 2
Kevin Jewell
Republican
2016
Place 3
Jerry Zimmerer
Democrat
2018
Place 4
Charles A. Spain
Democrat
2018
Place 5
Frances Bourliot
Democrat
2018
Place 6
Meagan Hassan
Democrat
2018
Place 7
Ken Wise
Republican
2014, Appointed in 2013
Place 8
Margaret "Meg" Poissant
Democrat
2018
Place 9
Randy Wilson
Republican
2020 (appointed)
Politics
As with much of the Southern United States, Democrats won locally up into the 21st century, with many local politicians switching party allegiances in the mid-2000s. As of 2020 all elected county offices are represented by Republicans with the retirement of the Precinct 5 Constable Cecil. R. "Popeye" Oldham, a Democrat, who was last elected in 2016.
United States presidential election results for Chambers County, Texas[15]
The county operates two airports in unincorporated areas:
Chambers County Airport is east of Anahuac.
It was developed in the 1940s, and the county collaborated with the federal government to have it built.[20] In August 1947, the federal government was to pay $23,322.[21]
In addition, RWJ Airpark, a privately owned airport for public use, is located in Beach City.
In the 1970s there had been a proposal to establish another airport in the county, but the Baytown city council objected to the proposal, arguing it was too close to another airport under private ownership.[22]
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