Texas City, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| City of Texas City | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| Counties | Galveston, Chambers |
| Area | |
| - Total | 167.2 sq mi (433.1 km²) |
| - Land | 62.4 sq mi (161.5 km²) |
| - Water | 104.9 sq mi (271.6 km²) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 41,521 |
| - Density | 665.7/sq mi (257.0/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 77590-77592 |
| Area code(s) | 409 |
| FIPS code | 48-72392[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1376420[2] |
Texas City is a city located in Galveston County, Texas, a County in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 41,521 (though the 2005 census estimate placed the population at 44,274).
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[edit] History
Located on the southwest shoreline of Galveston Bay, Texas City is a busy port city on Texas' Gulf Coast. Founded in the late 19th century by Frank Davison, who became its first grocer and postmaster, this city (bordered on the east by numerous port facilities and petrochemical refineries) suffered from the Texas City disaster on April 16, 1947, when the freightors Grandcamp, High Flyer, and Wilson B. Keene, docked in the Port of Texas City, exploded in what is generally regarded as the worst industrial accident in U.S. history. It is believed that the initial explosion was the result of a smoldering fire started by a cigarette tossed by a careless longshoreman in the hold of the Grandcamp, which was carrying a load of ammonium nitrate that had recently arrived in port from Houston. The explosion aboard the Grandcamp ignited fires aboard the other two vessels, both of which exploded later that morning. In all, the explosions killed 581 and injured over 5000 people. The explosions were so powerful and intense that many of the bodies of the townspeople and emergency workers who responded to the initial explosion were never accounted for. The city ultimately recovered quite well from the accident and numerous petro-chemical refineries are still located in the same port area of Texas City. The city has often referred to itself as "the town that would not die".
On March 23, 2005, the city suffered another explosion in a local BP (formerly Amoco) oil refinery which killed 15 and injured over 100. The BP facility in Texas City is the United States's third largest oil refinery, employing over 2,000 people and processing 460,000 barrels (73,000 m³) of crude oil each day.
Founder Frank Davison's house, the Davison Home, is now the centerpiece of Texas City's Heritage Square and is maintained by the Texas City Historical Association.
Texas City is also home to the Texas City Dike, which is a man-made breakwater built in 1915 to protect the Texas City Ship Channel from silting, and it extends out more than five miles into Galveston Bay. "The Dike," as it is more commonly referred, is often called "the world's longest man-made fishing pier."
Texas City's port is currently the 8th largest port in the United States.
In the 2000s, rising real estate costs in Galveston forced many families to move to other areas, including Texas City. This meant an influx of children out of Galveston ISD and into other school districts like Dickinson ISD [1].
[edit] Geography
Texas City is located at (29.399983, -94.933851)[3]. This is 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Galveston and 37 miles (60 km) southeast of Houston.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 167.2 square miles (433.1 km²), of which, 62.4 square miles (161.5 km²) of it is land and 104.9 square miles (271.6 km²) of it (62.70%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 41,521 people, 15,479 households, and 10,974 families residing in the city. The population density was 665.7 people per square mile (257.0/km²). There were 16,715 housing units at an average density of 268.0/sq mi (103.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.75% White, 27.47% African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 8.23% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.52% of the population.
There were 15,479 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,963, and the median income for a family was $42,393. Males had a median income of $36,463 versus $24,754 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,057. About 12.0% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
[edit] Primary and secondary schools
[edit] Public schools
Most of Texas City is within the Texas City Independent School District. Texas City High School serves the TCISD portion of Texas City.
Other portions are a part of the Dickinson Independent School District and the La Marque Independent School District.
Dickinson High School serves the DISD portion of Texas City. La Marque High School serves the LMISD portion of Texas City.
There are four elementary schools for grades K-4. The schools are: Kohfeldt Elementary, Roosevelt-Wilson Elementary, Heights Elementary, and Northside Elementary.
There is one intermediate school, Levi Fry Intermediate, providing for 5th and 6th graders, and one middle school, Blocker Middle School, providing for 7th and 8th graders within the TCISD.
[edit] Private schools
Our Lady of Fatima School, a Roman Catholic elementary school operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is in Texas City [2].
[edit] Colleges and universities
All of Texas City is served by the College of the Mainland.
[edit] Public libraries
The Moore Memorial Public Library is in Texas City [3].
[edit] Transportation
Greyhound Bus Lines operates the Texas City La Marque Station at McKown Air Conditioning [4]. The stop also serves La Marque.
[edit] Postal services
The United States Postal Service operates the Texas City Post Office at 2002 11th Avenue North, 77590-9998.
[edit] Other information
There is a mall in Texas City called Mall of the Mainland. The city suffered an economic setback when Wal-Mart moved to the other side of I-45 in La Marque.
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- City of Texas City
- Historic Photos from the Moore Memorial Public Library, Texas City hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- Texas City from the Handbook of Texas Online
- Texas City, Texas is at coordinates Coordinates:
- Net Service Company
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Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown METROPOLITAN AREA |
|---|---|
| Counties | Austin | Brazoria | Chambers | Fort Bend | Galveston | Harris | Liberty | Montgomery | San Jacinto | Waller |
| "Principal" cities |
Houston | Sugar Land | Baytown | Galveston |
| Cities and towns |
Alvin | Angleton | Bellaire | Cleveland | Clute | Conroe | Dayton | Deer Park | Dickinson | Freeport | Friendswood | Galena Park | Hitchcock | Hempstead | Humble | Jacinto City | Jersey Village | Katy | Lake Jackson | La Marque | La Porte | League City | Liberty | Meadows Place | Missouri City | Pasadena | Pearland | Richmond | Rosenberg | Santa Fe | Seabrook | Sealy | South Houston | Stafford | Texas City | Tomball | Webster | West University Place |
| Unincorporated areas | Atascocita | Channelview | Cloverleaf | Cypress | Klein | Spring | The Woodlands |
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