Welcome to Terrell County
Terrell County, one of the larger counties in Texas by land area, was named for Alexander Watkins Terrell, a lawyer and civil war officer, who was an advocate for small farmers and agriculture. Terrell County was created in 1905 from Pecos County and spans across an area of 2,358 square miles in the Big Bend area of southwestern Texas. The county is home to only two towns . Both located on Highway 90, Sanderson is the county seat and has been labeled as the “Cactus Capital of Texas”. Our other little town is Dryden.
Terrell County lies deep in the canyons, about one hour west of the Pecos River and about 25 miles north of the Rio Grande River and Mexico. The topography consists of broad, level plateaus and rolling hills to steep hills and canyon walls with a few long narrow valleys. According to the Texas Almanac, the total county population is approximately 837.
Our geographic location and altitude of about 3,000 feet gives Sanderson and the county a climate similar to that of Egypt and unparalleled in the Southwest! Most days are wonderfully clear, sunny and breezy. Total rainfall is 14.72 inches per year!
Are we rural? The nearest traffic signal is 65 miles away!
For the most up-to-date information from the Terrell County Extension Office and 4-H, like us on Facebook!
