Runnels County sits in Central West Texas, where agriculture has long been at the heart of local life. Ballinger, the county seat, is located along the Colorado River. Here, the river is usually a calm, winding waterway rather than the wide, powerful river many people might imagine.

The county was named after Hiram G. Runnels, a former governor of Mississippi who later settled in Texas. Cotton remains a major crop, while wheat and sorghum are also grown across the county. Cattle ranching continues to be important, and the landscape is mostly flat with occasional rolling hills breaking up the scenery.

Oil discoveries in the 1940s brought new economic opportunities to Runnels County. Today, wind turbines are becoming an increasingly familiar part of the horizon. Life here has a relaxed, neighborly feel, with friendly residents and the kind of small-town atmosphere where people still wave as they pass by.