Mason, Texas
Mason is a city of 1,999 people in Mason County, Texas, founded in May 20, 1861.
Why visit Mason
Townapedia lists 30 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 1 place to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Odeon Theate, Mason Historic District and Reynolds-Seaquist House.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 96°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Mason
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mason
Mason is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, Texas, United States. The city is an agricultural community on Comanche Creek southwest of Mason Mountain, on the Edwards Plateau and part of the Llano Uplift. Its population was 2,121 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Mason, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks30
Mason Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Mason, Mason County, Texas
Reynolds-Seaquist House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Mason, Mason County, Texas
18 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes1
History
The first settler is thought to have been Peter S. Parker in 1846. The settlement of Mason grew up around Fort Mason, which was established by the United States War Department as a front-line defense against Kiowa, Lipan Apache, and Comanche, on July 6, 1851. George W. Todd established a Fort Mason post office March 8, 1858, which became consigned to the civilian settlement on June 26, 1858.
The protection and commercial possibilities of the fort drew settlers. W. C. Lewis opened a general store that served soldiers and settlers. In 1860, James E. Ranck opened a second store and later became known as "the Father of Mason". Ben F. Gooch and he began leasing 5,000 acres (20 km2) of land to cotton sharecroppers. Mason was voted the county seat in 1861.
After the Civil War, returning Confederate veterans and German ranchers clashed in 1875 over cattle rustling and other crimes. The resulting killings were known as the "HooDoo Wars". In the midst of the war, Loyal Valley homeowner Tim Williamson was murdered by a dozen masked vigilantes, who accused him of cattle theft. Williamson's adopted son, Texas Ranger Scott Cooley, sought revenge. Cooley and his desperadoes, which included Johnny Ringo, created a reign of terror over the area. During this episode, Ringo committed his first murder, that of James Cheyney.
From the History section of Mason, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare1
Map of Mason
42 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61°F | 34°F | 1.3 in |
| Feb | 65°F | 38°F | 1.9 in |
| Mar | 72°F | 45°F | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 80°F | 52°F | 2.3 in |
| May | 86°F | 62°F | 4.2 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 68°F | 3.8 in |
| Jul | 96°F | 71°F | 2.3 in |
| Aug | 96°F | 70°F | 2.0 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 64°F | 3.0 in |
| Oct | 81°F | 53°F | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 70°F | 44°F | 1.9 in |
| Dec | 63°F | 36°F | 1.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mason (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Mason County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2026-07-18: Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-07-06: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Curtis Field (BBD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 30 miles away.
- Brady 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Llano 33 mi east, about 53 min by car
- Harper 33 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Menard 35 mi west, about 56 min by car
- Junction 37 mi southwest, about 59 min by car
- Fredericksburg 39 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Ingram 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kerrville 49 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Eden 49 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Cottonwood Shores 55 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Mason County Courthouse, GeoffreyLong, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort Mason 4, Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Reynolds seaquist house, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
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