Loving County, Texas

Loving County
Loving County Courthouse, the only two-story building in Mentone, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places[1]
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°50′N 103°34′W / 31.84°N 103.57°W / 31.84; -103.57
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1887
Named forOliver Loving
SeatMentone
Largest communityMentone
Area
 • Total677 sq mi (1,750 km2)
 • Land669 sq mi (1,730 km2)
 • Water7.8 sq mi (20 km2)  1.1%
Population
 • Total64
 • Density.095/sq mi (0.037/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Websitewww.co.loving.tx.us

Loving County is a county in the state of Texas in the United States. It is the United States' smallest county by number of people.[3] In 2020, only 64 people lived there.[2] The county seat is Mentone.

The County is named for Oliver Loving, a cattle farmer who, along with Charles Goodnight, developed the Goodnight-Loving Trail. He died of wounds from Comanches while on a cattle drive in 1867 near the county.

References

  1. "Loving County Courthouse (ID: 06000362)". National Register of Historic Places. 2006-05-10. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Loving County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  3. Blumenthal, Ralph (25 February 2006). "1 Cafe, 1 Gas Station, 2 Roads: America's Emptiest County" – via NYTimes.com.