Levelland, Texas

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Levelland is a city in Hockley County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 12,866. It is the county seat of Hockley CountyGR6. It is located on the Llano Estacado, west of Lubbock. Major industries include cotton farming and petroleum production. It is the home of South Plains College.

Levelland is famous as the site of well-publicized series of UFO sightings in November 1957. Several motorists driving on various highways around Levelland claimed to see a large, egg-shaped object which emitted a blue glow and caused their automobiles to shut off. In most cases the object was sitting either on the highway or close to it. When the object took off, the vehicles would restart and work normally. Among witnesses were Weir Clem, Levelland's sheriff, and Ray Jones, the town's fire chief. The United States Air Force concluded a severe electrical storm was the major cause for the sightings and reported auto failures. However, several prominent UFO researchers, among them Dr. James E. McDonald, a physicist at the University of Arizona and Dr. J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer at Northwestern University, disputed this explanation. Both men argued that there was no electrical storm in the area when the sightings occurred.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Location of Levelland, Texas

Levelland is located at 33°35′5″N, 102°22′20″W (33.584701, -102.372275)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.7 km² (9.9 mi²). 25.7 km² (9.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.20%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 12,866 people, 4,574 households, and 3,361 families residing in the city. The population density was 500.8/km² (1,296.5/mi²). There were 5,186 housing units at an average density of 201.8/km² (522.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.34% White, 5.36% African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 20.92% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.21% of the population.

There were 4,574 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 14.0% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,820, and the median income for a family was $32,408. Males had a median income of $29,800 versus $20,042 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,296. About 15.7% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

The City of Levelland is served by the Levelland Independent School District.

[edit] Sources For Levelland UFO Case

The UFO Book: Encyclopedia Of The Extraterrestrial; Jerome Clark, author. ppgs. 339-340. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1998.

A skeptical analysis of the Levelland UFO Case

An article about the Levelland Sightings from the popular "Texas Monthly" magazine

[edit] External links

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