Welcome to Midland County
In 1880, the Texas Pacific Railroad began to lay tracks about the same time Southern Pacific began building to the east from El Paso. Both met in Sierra Blanca where a silver spike was driven similar to the one earlier in Utah. The railroad pushed a boxcar off here to be used for the storage of supplies becoming the start of the town. Midland was originally named Midway because it was halfway between El Paso and Fort Worth. It was only discovered later that in the Panhandle of Texas a town by the same name was already established when Midway was changed to Midland.
Before World War 1, Midland was a prosperous railroad town serving the surrounding ranching community. However, on May 27, 1923, the future of Midland would change with the discovery of oil. Today, Midland lies in the geographic center of the vast Permian Basin, which contains 22% of the nation’s oil reserves.
Midland County was organized on March 1885. After Midland became the county seat, a new courthouse was built by 1886 and the city began to grow. By 1890 it had become one of the most important cattle shipping centers in the state and had an estimated population of 600.
The population of Midland County after the 2010 Census was said to be 111,147. In 2014, the estimated population has increased to 124,894. The projected population for the year 2019 is 140,523.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension plays a vital role in Midland County by providing educational opportunities and researched-based information to address community issues and needs. Educational programs promote economic development, agricultural profitability, family health and well-being, youth development, leadership development, and environmental stewardship. Through these programming efforts, Extension helps improve the lives of the people in Midland County.
Extension programs of Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.
