Discover the Unique Charm of These Untamed Potter and Randall County Towns

Bushland, Texas, and Umbarger, Texas share a unique distinction in the Texas panhandle. They both can claim to be the only one of their kind in the county. It's a point of pride for both communities, and many residents want to keep it that way. What makes them so different from the other communities near them? They're the only unincorporated communities in their counties.

What Is An Unincorporated Community Vs. An Incorporated Community?

Bushland and Umbarger are both unincorporated. That's neat and all, but what does it actually mean? Basically, it means that the towns exist because of "tradition" and don't have elected officials at the local level. Unincorporated communities rely more on county resources, and one of the big perks is that most of the time they have lower property taxes than their incorporated neighbors.

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Incorporated communities have their own elected officials, public transportation, police and fire departments, and so on. Population density is usually greater in incorporated communities, while unincorporated communities are usually more rural. If you enjoy a slower pace of life, unincorporated communities would be pretty attractive.

The Only Unincorporated Communities In Potter And Randall Counties

When you look at the list of unincorporated communities in Texas, it's interesting that Potter and Randall counties only have one. In Randall, Umbarger claims the title of being the only unincorporated community. In Potter, Bushland wears the unincorporated crown.

When it comes to being unincorporated, there is a certain level of pride that comes with it. I lived in an unincorporated community for a long time, and people were proud of it. They enjoyed the community they had created for themselves and didn't want to do anything to change it. The community was close-knit, and the small population size meant that you knew who were neighbors were.

You'll often see people say how they don't want their town to become like the nearest bigger incorporated town. They want their autonomy and freedom, without the issues that come from incorporating the community. Usually, certain population levels have to be reached before incorporation, and then you have to have elections and petitions, declare who the elected officials are, and go through several other steps.

Unincorporated communities like Bushland and Umbarger are special places keeping that small-town spirit alive.