[3] It is named for Philip Nolan, one of the first American traders to visit Texas.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2) (0.2%) are covered by water.

The uplifted plateau, rising up to 500[8] feet above the surrounding plains, gives Nolan county an advantage on production of wind energy.

West of Highland School, the Bench Mountain, at 2607 feet above sea level, is listed as the highest point in Nolan County.

As of July 2008, Nolan County generated more wind energy than the entire state of California, and would have ranked sixth in the world for wind power generation if it were counted as its own country.

Nolan County is a hub of the Public Utility Commission's $5 billion CREZ wind-energy transmission line expansion project in Texas.

[19] Nolan County is part of the 71st district for elections to the Texas House of Representatives.