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Cherokee County
Cherokee County
County
	The Cherokee County Courthouse in Rusk
	Location within the U.S. state of Texas
	Texas's location within the U.S.
	Coordinates: 31°50′N 95°10′W / 31.84°N 95.17°W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	July 13, 1846
Named for	Cherokee people
Seat	Rusk
Largest city	Jacksonville
Area
• Total	1,062 sq mi (2,750 km2)
• Land	1,053 sq mi (2,730 km2)
• Water	9.3 sq mi (24 km2) 0.9%
Population (2020)
• Total	50,412
• Density	47/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	6th
Website	www.co.cherokee.tx.us

Cherokee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 50,412.^[1]^[2] The county seat is Rusk, which lies 130 miles southeast of Dallas and 160 miles north of Houston.^[3] The county was named for the Cherokee, who lived in the area before being expelled in 1839. Cherokee County comprises the Jacksonville micropolitan statistical area, which is also included in the Tyler–Jacksonville combined statistical area.

History

Native Americans

The Hasinai group of the Caddo tribe built a village in the area in around AD 800^[4]^[5] and continued to live in the area until the 1830s, when they migrated to the Brazos River. The federal government moved them to the Brazos Indian Reservation in 1855 and later to Oklahoma.

The Cherokee, Delaware, Shawnee, and Kickapoo Native American peoples began settling in the area around 1820. The Texas Cherokee tried unsuccessfully to gain a grant to their own land from the Mexican government.

Sam Houston, adopted son of Chief Oolooteka (John Jolly) of the Cherokee, negotiated the January 14, 1836, treaty between Chief Bowl^[6] of the Cherokee and the Republic of Texas.^[7]^[8] On December 16, 1837, the Texas Senate declared the treaty null and void,^[9] and encroachment upon Cherokee lands continued. On October 5, 1838, Indians massacred members of the Isaac Killough family^[10]^[11] at their farm northwest of the site of present Jacksonville, leading to the Cherokee War of 1839 and the expulsion of some to Oklahoma. Some went to Monclova in Mexico, and some to Rusk and Gregg counties (many had relatives among the Choctaw/Chickasaw/Creek community there). Later, in 1844, President Polk issued an executive order known as "The Right to return", allowing many Cherokee to return to Texas. Some came to what is now Cherokee County.

Early exploration and settlers

Domingo Terán de los Ríos^[12] and Father Damián Massanet^[13] explored the area on behalf of Spain in 1691. Louis Juchereau de St. Denis^[14] began trading with the Hasinais in 1705. Nuestro Padre San Francisco de los Tejas^[15] was originally established in 1690, but was re-established in 1716 by Captain Domingo Ramon. It was abandoned again because of French incursions and re-established in 1721 by the Marques de San Miguel de Aguyao.

In 1826, empresario David G. Burnet received a grant from the Coahuila y Tejas legislature to settle 300 families.^[16] The settlers were mostly from the Southern states, and brought the lifestyle of that region with them. By contracting how many families each grantee could settle, the government sought to have some control over colonization.

County established and growth

Cherokee County was formed from land given by Nacogdoches County in 1846.^[17] It was organized in the same year. The town of Rusk became the county seat. Cherokee County voted in favor of secession from the Union, during the build-up to the American Civil War.

In 1872, the International – Great Northern Railroad^[18] caused Jacksonville^[19] to relocate two miles east, to be near the tracks. The Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railway^[20] was built north-to-south through the county between 1882 and 1885. The Texas and New Orleans Railroad^[21] in 1905, and the Texas State Railroad^[22] in 1910, each gave rise to new county towns along their tracks.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,062 square miles (2,750 km²), of which 1,053 square miles (2,730 km²) is land and 9.3 square miles (24 km²) (0.9%) is covered by water.^[23]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Smith County (north)
Rusk County (northeast, east)
Nacogdoches County (east, southeast)
Angelina County (southeast)
Houston County (southwest)
Anderson County (west)
Henderson County (northwest)

National protected area

Neches River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Communities

Cities

Gallatin
Jacksonville
New Summerfield
Reklaw (partly in Rusk County)
Rusk (county seat)
Troup (mostly in Smith County)

Towns

Census-designated place

Shadybrook

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	6,673	—
1860	12,098	81.3%
1870	11,079	−8.4%
1880	16,723	50.9%
1890	22,975	37.4%
1900	25,154	9.5%
1910	29,038	15.4%
1920	37,633	29.6%
1930	43,180	14.7%
1940	43,970	1.8%
1950	38,694	−12.0%
1960	33,120	−14.4%
1970	32,008	−3.4%
1980	38,127	19.1%
1990	41,049	7.7%
2000	46,659	13.7%
2010	50,845	9.0%
2020	50,412	−0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census^[24] 1850–2010^[25] 2010^[26] 2020^[27]

**Cherokee 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.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000^[28]	Pop 2010^[26]	Pop 2020^[27]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	32,347	31,892	30,095	69.33%	62.72%	59.70%
Black or African American alone (NH)	7,409	7,401	6,359	15.88%	14.56%	12.61%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	143	125	128	0.31%	0.25%	0.25%
Asian alone (NH)	177	221	263	0.38%	0.43%	0.52%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	8	6	18	0.02%	0.01%	0.04%
Other Race alone (NH)	17	36	123	0.04%	0.07%	0.24%
Mixed Race or Multiracial (NH)	380	665	1,629	0.81%	1.31%	3.23%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	6,178	10,499	11,797	13.24%	20.65%	23.40%
Total	46,659	50,845	50,412	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

At the 2000 United States census there were 46,659 people, 16,651 households, and 12,105 families resided in the county.^[29] The population density was 44 people per square mile (17 people/km²). The 19,173 housing units averaged 18 units per square mile (6.9/km²). The racial and ethnic makeup of the county was 74.34% White, 15.96% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 7.43% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. About 13.24% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2020, its population increased to 50,412.^[27] The racial and ethnic makeup at the 2020 United States census was 59.70% non-Hispanic white, 12.61% Black or African American, 0.25% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.52% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.24% some other race, 3.23% two or more races, and 23.40% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The increase among its Hispanic and Asian American populations represented the nationwide demographic shift since the 2020 census.^[30]

Of the 16,651 households in 2000, 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 12.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were not families. Around 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63, and the average family size was 3.11. In 2020 according to the American Community Survey, there were 18,540 households with an average household size of 2.65 and average family size of 3.07.^[31]

At the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $29,313, and for a family was $34,750. Males had a median income of $26,410 versus $19,788 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,980. About 13.70% of families and 17.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.30% of those under age 18 and 15.10% of those age 65 or over. The 2020 American Community Survey's estimates determined there was a median household income of $50,199 with a per capita income of $66,658.^[32]

Media

Cherokee County is part of the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville DMA. Local media outlets are: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.

Newspapers in the county include the Jacksonville Progress, which publishes three editions a week in Jacksonville, and the weekly Cherokeean Herald in Rusk.

Education

School districts within Cherokee County Texas include the following:

Areas in Bullard, Jacksonville, New Summerfield, Rusk, and Troup are assigned to Tyler Junior College. Areas of Cherokee County in Alto ISD and Wells ISD are assigned to Angelina College. Areas in Carlisle ISD are assigned to Kilgore College.^[33] Legislation does not specify a community college for the remainder of the county.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Cherokee County, Texas^[34]
Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
Year	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	16,593	80.91%	3,744	18.26%	170	0.83%
2020	15,101	77.41%	4,210	21.58%	197	1.01%
2016	12,919	76.94%	3,469	20.66%	402	2.39%
2012	12,094	75.00%	3,875	24.03%	157	0.97%
2008	11,695	71.24%	4,610	28.08%	112	0.68%
2004	11,329	71.53%	4,439	28.03%	71	0.45%
2000	9,599	66.03%	4,755	32.71%	183	1.26%
1996	6,483	51.07%	5,185	40.85%	1,026	8.08%
1992	5,847	41.36%	5,003	35.39%	3,288	23.26%
1988	7,520	57.12%	5,604	42.57%	41	0.31%
1984	8,187	64.41%	4,494	35.36%	30	0.24%
1980	5,629	49.01%	5,726	49.85%	131	1.14%
1976	3,921	37.47%	6,509	62.20%	35	0.33%
1972	5,743	69.29%	2,467	29.77%	78	0.94%
1968	2,575	26.80%	3,242	33.74%	3,791	39.46%
1964	3,043	35.64%	5,485	64.25%	9	0.11%
1960	3,233	41.02%	4,544	57.65%	105	1.33%
1956	4,022	57.78%	2,912	41.83%	27	0.39%
1952	3,825	49.63%	3,868	50.19%	14	0.18%
1948	1,154	24.01%	3,079	64.07%	573	11.92%
1944	598	11.62%	3,918	76.14%	630	12.24%
1940	801	13.12%	5,293	86.71%	10	0.16%
1936	302	7.16%	3,908	92.65%	8	0.19%
1932	233	5.33%	4,125	94.44%	10	0.23%
1928	1,933	49.94%	1,938	50.06%	0	0.00%
1924	666	13.06%	4,343	85.17%	90	1.77%
1920	478	13.38%	2,233	62.51%	861	24.10%
1916	241	9.67%	2,002	80.34%	249	9.99%
1912	145	7.67%	1,684	89.10%	61	3.23%