Why visit Sweetwater
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 27 places to eat and 16 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Pioneer Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Sweetwater
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sweetwater
Sweetwater is a municipality in and the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. It is 123 miles southeast of Lubbock and 40 miles west of Abilene. Its population was 10,622 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Sweetwater, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks14
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2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes27
La Mexicana
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
1009 East Broadway Street, Sweetwater
El Papagayo Burritos
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.9 mi
1206 Hailey Street, Sweetwater
Allen's Family Style Meals
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
1301 East Broadway Street, Sweetwater
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.6 mi
2014 Lamar Street, Sweetwater
Mo-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00; Su 10:00-24:00
15 more on the map.
Where to stay16
Best Western Plus Sweetwater Inn & Suites
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
300 Northwest Georgia Avenue, Sweetwater
Microtel Inn & Suites
Motel and hotel · 2.2 mi
9416 North Interstate 20, Sweetwater
4 more on the map.
History
The town's name "Sweetwater" is the English translation of the Kiowa language word "Mobeetie".
Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway arrived on March 12, 1881, beginning Sweetwater's long history as a railroad town. To encourage the railroads, Sweetwater increased its water supply by building City Lake in 1898 (now called Newman Park), and three further lakes thereafter. Construction began on the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway in 1903. By 1912 the Santa Fe Railway was serving Sweetwater via its new Coleman Cutoff and completing a connection with the T&P nearby at "Tecific" junction. Businesses and homes were built along the rail lines. Texas and Pacific Railway passenger service was discontinued in 1969.
Gulf Refinery operated from 1929 to 1954, and at one time the town was a large telegraph center. The International Harvester Company operated a factory on W. Third Street in Sweetwater from 1920 to 1950. Gypsum plants, apparel manufacturers, cement plants, cotton compresses, a cottonseed oil mill, and packing companies were among the nearly 250 businesses operating there from the 1970s. Many still operate today. Sweetwater remains a production hub for such commodities as cotton, oil, and cattle. The population of Sweetwater has remained steady between 11,000 and 13,000 since 1940.
From the History section of Sweetwater, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship25
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter Day Saints · 0.5 mi
910 Elm Street, Sweetwater
Broadway Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.5 mi
710 East 3rd Street, Sweetwater
Evangelical Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.6 mi
700 Lamar Street, Sweetwater
First Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.9 mi
1311 McCauley Street, Sweetwater
First United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist
309 Cedar Street, Sweetwater
Highland Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.9 mi
503 East Alabama Avenue, Sweetwater
Shopping5
Higginbotham Brothers
Hardware store · 0.9 mi
1210 East Broadway Street, Sweetwater
Gas and EV charging12
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare4
Brookshire's Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
501 East Broadway Street, Sweetwater
Map of Sweetwater
124 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 31°F | 1.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Feb | 60°F | 34°F | 1.0 in | 0.5 in |
| Mar | 69°F | 42°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 50°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 85°F | 60°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 68°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 71°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 70°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 63°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 76°F | 53°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 65°F | 41°F | 1.1 in | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 33°F | 1.0 in | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Roscoe (7 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
Nolan County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 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)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-02-25: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-02-09: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Avenger Field (SWW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Roscoe 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Loraine 18 mi west, about 29 min by car
- Roby 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Merkel 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Hermleigh 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Colorado City 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Rotan 27 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Hamlin 33 mi northeast, about 53 min by car
- Snyder 34 mi northwest, about 54 min by car
- Abilene 39 mi east, about 1 h 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
Loading what members have shared...
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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Sweetwater Texas Municipal Building, CletusDitto, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Courthouse, Nolan County, Sweetwater, TX, 03-08-2011 (1), Georgia Guercio, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First National Bank Building Sweetwater Texas, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Ragland Building Sweetwater Texas, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Sweetwater Texas Railroad Overpass, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Sweetwater Texas Underpass, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Downtown Sweetwater, TX, Batsarentbugs, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sweetwater Texas Post Office, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- R A Ragland House Pioneer Museum Sweetwater, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Newman House Sweetwater Texas, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Sweetwater Texas Gymnasium, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Sweetwater Texas Old Armory, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Mustang Bowl Sweetwater Texas, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Newman Park Sweetwater Texas Footbridge, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Nolan County Texas Courthouse 2015, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Newman Park Entrance Portal, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Newman Park Group Picnic Shelter, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Newman Park Picnic Table, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
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