Barstow, Texas

Barstow is a city in Ward County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 349 at the 2010 census.HistoryBarstow was organized in 1892 by George E. Barstow, who was one of the world's leading experts on irrigation. The same year Barstow was elected First Ward County Seat. A courthouse was built the following year, and by 1900 the cities population was over than 1,000 due to the recruiting efforts of Mr. Barstow. Irrigation was successful enough that in the 1904 World's Fair, Barstow managed to win a Silver Medal for its grapes. That same year fruit and vegetable farming was hit hard when the Pecos River Dam broke. After that droughts followed and by 1918 farming was impossible. The population in 1930 was 468 - less than half of the 1910s 1,219.GeographyBarstow is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.7 square miles, all of it land.DemographicsAs of the census of 2000, there were 406 people, 146 households, and 108 families residing in the city. The population density was 607.3 people per square mile (234.0/km²). There were 175 housing units at an average density of 261.8 per square mile (100.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.09% White, 0.25% African American, 0.25% Asian, 21.43% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 78.08% of the population.