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Reagan County Information
Reagan County is located in West Texas on the northwestern edge of the Edwards Plateau and the southeastern edge of the Llano Estacado (Staked Plains). It is bordered on the west by Upton County, on the north by Glasswork County, on the east by Sterling County, Tom Green and Irion County, and on the south by Crockett County.
Big Lake is the county seat of Reagan County and is the only incorporated city in the county. Big Lake is located 74 miles southwest of San Angelo and 76 miles southeast of Midland.
The county area covers 1,173 square miles. The elevation ranges from 2,406 to 2,953 feet above sea level. The geographical center of the county is 31° 22' north latitude and 101° 31' west longitude.
The physical features of Reagan County can be described as level to hilly with numerous draws which remain dry most of the year. The topsoil is sandy, loam surface over subsoil's with accumulations of lime or limestone.
Brief History of Reagan County
Reagan County was created from Tom Green County on March 7, 1903 and was organized April 20, 1903. The county was named in honor of Senator John H. Reagan, member of the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress, Postmaster General of the Southern Confederacy, and the first chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.
The first county seat was Stiles located on Centralia Draw in the center of the county. After the railroad bypassed Stiles in 1912, the small community began to decline in population.
A new community began to grow around the railroad station in the southeast corner of the county. This new town was named Big Lake for the large shallow lake located south of the town. The first post office in Big Lake was established on April 13, 1912 and the small town began to prosper.
On May 25, 1925 the voters of Reagan County decided to move the county seat to Big Lake.
More information about Reagan County or Big Lake history can be found at these links:
The Handbook of Texas Online
Big Lake
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