Windthorst, Texas
Windthorst is a small farming community in Archer County, set amid the rolling grassland and cropland of North Texas about 81 miles northwest of Denton. It was settled by German Catholics and remains centered on St. Mary's Catholic Church, whose steeple rises above the surrounding fields. Farming, dairying, and oil have long anchored the local economy, and the town is known in the region for its German Catholic heritage and its Knights of Columbus sausage festivals.
Property here runs through the Archer Central Appraisal District and the county tax office — the homestead exemption, the appraisal cap, protests, and any MUD, PID, or special districts all sit at the parcel level. The Archer County notes below cover the practical details, with the official county directory for the appraisal district and tax office.
Archer County notes
What to know around Windthorst
Property tax
How to lower your Archer County property tax bill with a homestead exemption
If you live in your Archer County home, you may qualify for a homestead exemption that lowers your property tax bill.
Property tax / Agriculture
Agricultural valuation can sharply cut Archer County land taxes
Farm or ranch land in Archer County may be taxed on what it can produce, not on what it would sell for. That can mean much lower taxes.
Mineral rights / Oil and gas
Archer County land and mineral rights can split
In Archer County, the person who owns the ranch or lot may not own the oil, gas, or minerals under it.
Hunting / TPWD
Hunting seasons and rules for Archer County
Archer County is in the North Zone for deer and turkey hunting. Hunters need to know the bag limits and antler rules before they go out.
Fishing / Recreation
Lake Kickapoo offers fishing and boating in southern Archer County
Lake Kickapoo is a 6,028-acre lake in southern Archer County open for fishing, boating, and other water recreation.
History / Literature
Archer City is the hometown of novelist Larry McMurtry
Larry McMurtry grew up in Archer City. He based much of his early fiction on the town, and the 1971 film of The Last Picture Show was shot there.
Nearby
Places near Windthorst
Nearby counties
Local notes for nearby counties
Next steps for Windthorst
Estimate property tax
Model school and local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Open estimator ->Archer County notes
Property tax, land, outdoors, vehicles, rules, and history for the county.
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