Seminole, Texas
City in the United States in Gaines County
About Seminole
Seminole is a city in and the county seat of Gaines County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, Seminole had a population of 6,988. Seminole and Gaines County are home to a large population of Low German Mennonites from Russia who came to West Texas in the 1980s.
It is the birthplace of country music singers Larry Gatlin and Tanya Tucker.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Seminole is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Seminole
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Population over time
From 6,430 in 2010 to 6,988 in 2020 (+8.7%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,988 |
| 2010 | 6,430 |
History
The land for Seminole was donated by nonresident landowners to become the county seat for Gaines County. In 1906, the first move to Seminole was made by W. B. Austin and his wife Emma, who moved their general store there, which was located in Caput, Texas. During this time, several post offices found a new home in Seminole. Seminole National Bank opened its doors in 1906, followed by First State Bank in 1907. In 1912, Seminole National Bank lost over $3,000 when it was robbed. In 1914, the two banks merged to form First State Bank. In 1950, Seminole's population surpassed Seagraves, Texas, for the first time.
In 1977, some 100 families of Plautdietsch-speaking "Russian" Mennonites from Mexico bought land southwest of Seminole to settle there, but faced difficulties with immigration. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed legislation allowing the original 100 families to gain full citizenship. These Mennonites are of German, Flemish, and Frisian ancestry and became an ethnoreligious group in the Russian Empire in the 19th century. They migrated from there to Canada in the 1870s and then to Mexico in 1922. In 2016, about 6,000 of these Plautdietsch speakers lived around Seminole.
On April 6, 2025, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr flew to Seminole to investigate a measles epidemic and attended the funeral of Daisy Hildebrand, aged eight.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.