1. History

2. Geography

3. Demographics

4. Education

5. Points of interest

6. Notable people

7. Media

8. 1996 murder

9. Climate

10. References

11. External links

Carthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. This city is 150 miles southeast of Dallas. The population was 6,779 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Panola County,^[3] and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.

History

Carthage was founded in 1847, two years after Texas became a state. During the Civil War, men from Carthage and Panola County served as Confederate soldiers, while one resident, Milton M. Holland, earned a Medal of Honor as a Union sergeant. After the war, population growth was slow, but large amounts of cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, oats, and sugar cane were produced in the county. The city began to grow in 1888 when a railroad reached Carthage, along with telegraph and telephone lines.^[4]

During the Great Depression, a gas field was discovered near Carthage. After World War II, this gas field was developed and proved to be the largest in the United States. The city flourished, with the population increasing from about 1,300 to 5,000. During this period, a courthouse was built, along with a high school, and Panola County Junior College was founded and built in Carthage. KGAS-(AM) Radio began broadcasting from the city in 1955. The growing population also brought the establishment of the Panola General Hospital.^[5]

August 22, 1998 was Carthage's grand opening for the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Carthage has a total area of {{convert|10.5|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|10.5|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} (0.4%) is covered by water.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2010, 6,779 people, 2,628 households, and 1,745 families resided in the city. The population density was 645.6 people per square mile (249.2/km²). The 2,909 housing units averaged 277.0 per square mile (106.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.5% White, 21.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 6.5% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 11.0% of the population.

Of the 2,628 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were not families. About 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was distributed as 24.6% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.

As of the 2000 Census, the median income for a household in the city was $31,822, and for a family was $37,031. Males had a median income of $33,080 versus $21,473 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,332. About 11.8% of families and 13.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Carthage is served by the Carthage Independent School District. Also, the two-year Panola College, a community college, is located across from Carthage City Hall.