Muleshoe is a city in Bailey County, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1913, when the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway built an line from Farwell, Texas, to Lubbock through northern Bailey County. In 1926, Muleshoe was incorporated. As of the 2020 census, Muleshoe had a population of 5,160. The county seat of Bailey County, it is home to the National Mule Memorial.

The Muleshoe Heritage Center commemorates the importance of ranching to West Texas.

History

The name Muleshoe can be traced in the region to Henry Black, when he registered a brand on November 12, 1860. In 1877, Black purchased three houses on in Stephens County, naming it Muleshoe Ranch. Later, he built a large ranch house and a log schoolhouse, and established a small cemetery for family members. Muleshoe Ranch was supposedly named after the owner found a mule shoe in the soil.

On April 23, 1906, the Gulf, Santa Fe and Northwestern Railway Company and the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway Company merged (eventual successor BNSF Railway) and were chartered to construct a railway between Lubbock and Farwell on the New Mexico border. From 1901 to 1915, communities along the future railway contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to its construction. Muleshoe was founded in 1913 when the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway laid rails across northern Bailey County; residents borrowed the name from the nearby Muleshoe Ranch. The Mule Memorial was first displayed on July 4, 1965, near the intersection of US 70/84. Muleshoe is the home of the world's largest mule shoe, at the Muleshoe Heritage Center.

In January 2024, a Russian hacktivist group hacked the town's water supply, causing flooding.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Muleshoe is situated on the South Plains, in a region known as the Llano Estacado.

Climate

Muleshoe is in an area considered part of the semiarid steppe climate zone that extends from areas of central Mexico to southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada. The semiarid steppe classification identifies areas that are intermediate between desert zones and humid zones. This West Texas town experiences hot summer days and cool summer nights and cool to warm winter days and harsh, cold winter nights. Rainfall is low; the town and vicinity receive less than of rainfall annually. High summer temperatures (average July temperature above 90 °F) precipitation moisture is rapidly lost to evaporation. Muleshoe experiences steady, and sometimes intense, winds from the north and west in the fall and winter, and winds from the south or west in the spring and summer. The winds add a considerable wind chill factor in the winter.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,160 people, 1,728 households, and 1,071 families residing in the city. The median age was 32.1 years. 30.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.7 males age 18 and over.

99.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.8% lived in rural areas.

Of the 1,728 households, 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.8% were married-couple households, 18.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 2,229 || 43.2%

|-

| Black or African American || 56 || 1.1%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 62 || 1.2%

|-

| Asian || 11 || 0.2%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 1,727 || 33.5%

|-

| Two or more races || 1,075 || 20.8%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 3,706 || 71.8%

|}

2010 census

As of the census

Sites in Muleshoe include:

  • A USArray Transportable Array seismic station, part of the Earthscope project.
  • The world's largest mule shoe, measuring long and wide.
  • The national mule memorial, Ol' Pete, which was invited to and attended President George W. Bush's first inauguration in 2001.

Parks and recreation

In 2010, Muleshoe opened a $1.8 million water park in New City Park. The park also features soccer and softball fields, a playground, fishing pond, and basketball courts.

Education

Muleshoe is served by the Muleshoe Independent School District. Schools include:

  • Muleshoe High School (grades 9–12)
  • Watson Junior High School (grades 6–8)
  • Mary DeShazo Elementary School (grades 3–5)
  • Neal B. Dillman Elementary School (grades Pre-K–2)

A branch of South Plains College provides classes for students aspiring to become licensed vocational nurses.

Notable people

  • Lee Horsley, actor, was born in Muleshoe on May 15, 1955. He played the fictional detective Matt Houston on an ABC series of the same name and later starred in the CBS Western Paradise
  • Lincoln Riley, head coach of the University of Southern California football team, is a former Muleshoe High School quarterback. He is the older brother of Garrett Riley
  • Garrett Riley, offensive analyst for the University of Missouri football team, is a former Muleshoe High School Athlete. He is the younger brother of Lincoln Riley
  • Allan Weisbecker, writer and surfer, lived briefly in Muleshoe during the late 1990s
  • Kevin D. Williamson, pundit and a native of the Texas Panhandle, often uses Muleshoe as a metaphor for American culture in his columns

Notes

References

  • City of Muleshoe
  • Muleshoe Chamber of Commerce