Texas Trivia (Allen, Alamo, Childress: attorneys, drought, dog)

[joqua]

Originally Posted by jtur88

Raising vagueness to a new level. Can somebody name a construction project ever, anywhere, that was not in some way "unique"?

Whine whine whine!!!
I've kept my temper as you assailed me up to now, but as someone who is the equivalent of "pot" calling the "kettle" black, I've run out of patience with this nonsense and you can carry on without my participation from here on out.

[jtur88]

Here is a very helpful hint: The county named for this man is no longer in existence.

[Chanygirl]

Originally Posted by jtur88

OK, I'll go ahead and toss one out.

Who is the obscure Texan, of German ancestry, whose first name remains unknown to this day, and he is known only to have been the manager, in the mid 19th century, of an agency whose exact function was uncertain. He is relevant only because a Texas county was named after him. There is a village in eastern Germany, near the Czech border, with the same name.

You were so right jtur..the hint was indeed helpful...
As there is NO documentation of C.Wegefarth OR The Texas Immigrant Aid and Supply Company in any context OTHER then in relation to Wegefarth County..which is a defunct county..your titling this defunct county as a Texas County was mis-leading.




[SIZE=3]Wegefarth County[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Wegefarth County, which came into being on June 2, 1873 only lasted a brief three years. It was erased from state maps in August of 1876 when the huge lands of Bexar County were broken into the familiar square counties of the upper Panhandle. The unfamiliar surname comes from the president of the Texas Immigrant Aid and Supply Company – a man known as C. Wegefarth. [/SIZE]

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Chanygirl

.your titling this defunct county as a Texas County was mis-leading.

]

No, my clue said a Texas county was named after him. Which is perfectly correct, irrespective of whether that county was later disorganized. There was also a disorganized county named for the German solder Buchel, but since his first name is known to be Augustus, he is disqualified by the clue.

Anyway, Wegefarth is correct, so it's your turn.

[Chanygirl]

Here is my question..
As far as counties go..what is it about Texas counties that stands out from the other states counties?

[jtur88]

For one thing, the Texas panhandle has a larger expanse of "checkerboard" counties than anywhere else, with Northern Michigan (lower peninsula) and Iowa being the only serious challengers. I counted 38 points in Texas where a "4-corners" arrangement applies to four rectangular counties.

[Chanygirl]

I'm sorry jtur88 that is not the answer to this question.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Chanygirl

I'm sorry jtur88 that is not the answer to this question.

Yes it is. It's just not the answer you were thinking of. Texas counties DO stand out from other states' counties in that respect, which was your question's only limiter. Feel welcome to narrow your parameters.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Chanygirl

Here is my question..
As far as counties go..what is it about Texas counties that stands out from the other states counties?

This may not be the answer you are looking for, but it is my impression that Texas counties are smaller and more numerous then in other states.

There are 254 counties in Texas which has an area of 268,581 sq mi., averaging 1057 sq mi per county.

As compared to California, 163,696 sq mi, has 58 counties averaging 2,822 sq mi each.

Or Alaska 663,268 sq mi which has 18 boroughs averaging 36,848 each.

[CptnRn]

The other thing that stands out in my mind is that in Texas counties the County Courthouse is often the central focus in the community where it resides, with a prominent and imposing building, often located in the center of a block or square surrounded by other businesses.