Runnels County

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'm gonna let it breathe a little. Runnels County. Carved right out of two of the biggest names in Texas geography, Bexar and Travis counties.

Now, that creation didn't happen overnight, and the story moves in stages, so stay with me. February 1, 1858. That's the date the county was created.

Set it down in law, draw the lines, give it a name. But created and organized are two different things out here on the Texas plains, and the county sat waiting more than two decades before it was truly organized. February 16, 1880.

That's when Runnels County got itself up and running as a working county. Twenty-two years is a long time to have a name and not much else to show for it. And what a name it is.

The county was named in honor of Hiram G. Runnels, born 1796, died 1857. Lawyer.

Governor of Mississippi. And a member of the Texas Legislature. A man who carried some weight in his time, enough weight that Texas saw fit to put his name on a patch of ground long after he was gone.

Now, every county needs a seat, a place to hang its hat and conduct its business. When Runnels County organized in 1880, that seat was Runnels City. Fitting enough.

But then 1888 rolled around, and the seat moved to Ballinger, where it has stayed. Sometimes the story doesn't end where it starts. That's Runnels County for you, named for a Mississippi governor, born out of Bexar and Travis, and still out there on the map, holding its ground.

What the marker says

Formed from Bexar and Travis counties. Created February 1, 1858. Organized February 16, 1880. Named in honor of Hiram G. Runnels 1796-1857 lawyer and governor of Mississippi. Member of the Texas Legislature. County seat, Runnels City, 1880. Ballinger, since 1888.