Kaufman, TX
History
Kaufman was founded as "Kings Fort", named after Dr. William P. King, who established the fort in 1840 after purchasing 2.5 square miles (6.5 km) of land where the city is now located. The community was renamed "Kingsboro" after five years of growth. In 1852, Kingsboro was renamed "Kaufman" after the newly formed Kaufman County, which in turn was named after David S. Kaufman.
Kaufman was the first place that Bonnie Parker, of Bonnie and Clyde, was incarcerated.
Nearby Camp Kaufman was used as a German POW camp during World War II.
Geography
U.S. Route 175, a four-lane limited-access highway, passes through the southwest side of the city, leading northwest 33 miles (53 km) to Dallas and southeast 39 miles (63 km) to Athens. Texas State Highway 34 passes through the south and east sides of the city, leading north 12 miles (19 km) to Terrell and southwest 26 miles (42 km) to Ennis. State Highway 243 leads east from Kaufman 27 miles (43 km) to Canton.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Kaufman has a total area of 8.5 square miles (22.1 km), of which 0.2 square miles (0.5 km), or 2.08%, is covered by water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Kaufman has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 490 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,282 | 161.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,378 | 85.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,959 | −17.6% | |
| 1920 | 2,501 | 27.7% | |
| 1930 | 2,279 | −8.9% | |
| 1940 | 2,654 | 16.5% | |
| 1950 | 2,714 | 2.3% | |
| 1960 | 3,087 | 13.7% | |
| 1970 | 4,012 | 30.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,658 | 16.1% | |
| 1990 | 5,238 | 12.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,490 | 23.9% | |
| 2010 | 6,703 | 3.3% | |
| 2020 | 6,797 | 1.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 3,266 | 48.05% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 621 | 9.14% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 18 | 0.26% |
| Asian (NH) | 63 | 0.93% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 5 | 0.07% |
| Some other race (NH) | 11 | 0.16% |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 259 | 3.81% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,554 | 37.58% |
| Total | 6,797 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,797 people, 2,177 households, and 1,427 families residing in the city.
Sports
Kaufman was home to minor league baseball. The 1915 Kaufman Kings played as members of the Class D level Central Texas League before the league disbanded.
Education
Public schools
Kaufman and surrounding portions of Kaufman County are served by the Kaufman Independent School District.
Private schools
Honors Academy operates the Legacy Academy, a grades 6–12 charter school, in Kaufman.
In addition, Kaufman Christian School, a church-run school with classes from prekindergarten to 12th grade, also serves the area.
Colleges and universities
Trinity Valley Community College operates its Health Science Center in Kaufman. (The college offers other nonmedical general-education courses at other TVCC campuses.)
Notable people
- Ted Healy, comedian, actor, and discoverer of The Three Stooges, was born in Kaufman in 1896.
- Sonny Strait, voice actor
- Craig Birdsong, NFL defensive back for the Houston Oilers
- [[Clayton Lee Bass] PROFESSIONAL ANGLER