West Texas / Permian / Trans-Pecos
Coke County, Texas
A porch-side guide to the county: the stories that give it a shape, practical local checks, and a few things worth knowing before they surprise you. Every note points to its source.
3 stories · 4 practical · 0 good to know
The practical part
Coke County offices and deadlines
Appraisal district & tax office →
The Comptroller's official directory for Coke County: who sets your value and who sends the bill.
Homestead exemption →
File Form 50-114 with the appraisal district. It is free. The regular deadline is April 30, and late filing is allowed for up to two years.
Protest your appraisal →
The usual deadline is May 15, or 30 days after your notice arrives, whichever is later.
Estimate a tax bill →
Model a bill from local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Start here
A little of what makes this place itself
Coke County · Lake Recreation
Oak Creek Reservoir is a fishing lake north of Bronte
Oak Creek Reservoir is a 2,375-acre lake about 8 miles north of Bronte on Highway 70 with fishing for catfish, crappie, and white bass, managed under TPWD statewide regulations.
Coke County · Historic Site
Fort Chadbourne is a preserved 1850s frontier post in Coke County
Fort Chadbourne, established by the U.S. Army in 1852 on what is now Coke County, became a frontier post and a stop on the Butterfield Overland stage route.
Coke County · County History
Robert Lee became the county seat after a contested 1891 vote
Coke County was formed in 1889 from Tom Green County, with Hayrick as its first county seat, but Robert Lee won a close election in 1891 and has been the county seat ever since.
All 7 local notes
The full county shelf is mixed so stories and useful checks travel together. Use the filters when you need one kind.
Showing all 7 notes.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Oak Creek Reservoir is a fishing lake north of Bronte Oak Creek Reservoir is a 2,375-acre lake about 8 miles north of Bronte on Highway 70 with fishing for catfish, crappie, and white bass, managed under TPWD statewide regulations.
- Practical Outdoors E.V. Spence Reservoir offers fishing and camping near Robert Lee E.V. Spence Reservoir, about 2 miles west of Robert Lee, has more than 14,000 surface acres and provides camping, fishing, and boat ramps managed by the Colorado River Municipal Water District.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Fort Chadbourne is a preserved 1850s frontier post in Coke County Fort Chadbourne, established by the U.S. Army in 1852 on what is now Coke County, became a frontier post and a stop on the Butterfield Overland stage route.
- Practical Home & Property A local water district oversees wells in Coke County The Coke County Underground Water Conservation District regulates groundwater, so if you plan to drill a water well, you will need to work with this district.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Robert Lee became the county seat after a contested 1891 vote Coke County was formed in 1889 from Tom Green County, with Hayrick as its first county seat, but Robert Lee won a close election in 1891 and has been the county seat ever since.
- Practical Money & Taxes Ag valuation can sharply cut taxes on rural land If you use land in Coke County for ranching, farming, or wildlife management, you may qualify for ag valuation, which taxes the land on its productivity rather than its market value.
- Practical Money & Taxes How to lower your property tax bill in Coke County The Coke County Appraisal District handles property values and exemptions, and filing a homestead exemption can cut your tax bill.
Nearby counties