Portal:Texas/Cities
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Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States. The city covers more than 600 square miles and is the county seat of Harris County. As of the 2004 U.S. Census estimate, Houston had a total population of more than 2 million. The city is at the heart of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the largest cultural and economic center of the Gulf Coast region and the seventh-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 5.3 million in 10 counties.
Houston is world-renowned for its energy and aeronautics industries, and for its ship channel. The Port of Houston ranks first in the country in international commerce and is the sixth-largest port in the world. Second only to New York City in Fortune 500 headquarters, Houston is the seat of the internationally-renowned Texas Medical Center.
Dallas is the third-most-populous city in the state of Texas and the ninth-most-populous in the United States. The city is also large in geographic area as it covers 385 square miles (997 km²) and is the county seat of Dallas County. Dallas is one of 11 U.S. global cities as it is ranked "Gamma World City" by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network.
As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Dallas had a total population of 1.1 million. The city is the main cultural and economic center of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, which is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 5.7 million in 12 counties.
Marshall is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located near the Louisiana and Arkansas borders in the Ark-La-Tex region. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Marshall had a total population of 23,935. It is the county seat of Harrison CountyGR6.
Marshall is a major cultural and educational center in Northeast Texas. The city is known for its Civil War, railroad, and civil rights movement history, for holding one of the largest light festivals in the United States, the Wonderland of Lights, and, as the self-proclaimed Pottery Capital of the World, for its sizable pottery industry. It is also known variously as the Cultural Capital of East Texas, the Gateway of Texas, the Athens of Texas, and the City of Seven Flags.
Austin is the state capital of Texas and the county seat of Travis County. Situated in the region of Central Texas, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 16th-largest in the United States. As of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate, Austin had a population of 690,252. The city is the core cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan area with a population of 1.4 million.
The first documented settlement of current-day Austin occurred in 1835, and the site was named Waterloo in 1837. In 1839, Mirabeau B. Lamar renamed the city in honor of Stephen F. Austin. Its original name is honored by local businesses such as Waterloo Ice House and Waterloo Records.
San Antonio is the second-most populated city in the state of Texas and seventh-most populated in the United States. As of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a population of over 1.2 million. Its eight-county metropolitan area has a population of over 1.8 million, the twenty-ninth most-populated metro area in the United States. San Antonio, which is the county seat of Bexar County, covers over 400 square miles on the northern edge of the South Texas region and southeast of the Texas Hill Country.
San Antonio was named for the Portuguese Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day it was when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691. The city has a strong military presence—it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks City Base. San Antonio is home to the South Texas Medical Center.
Amarillo is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 173,627 (though a July 1, 2005 estimate placed the city's population at 183,021). The Amarillo metropolitan area, however, has an estimated population of 236,113 in four counties.
The city once self-proclaimed as the "Helium Capital of the World" for having one of the country's most productive helium fields. The city is also known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and most recently "Rotor City, USA" for its V-22 Osprey hybrid aircraft assembly plant.
Beaumont is a city and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas and is within the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 113,866. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the Gulf Coast. Lamar University is based in Beaumont. The city's daily newspaper is The Beaumont Enterprise. An alternative weekly newspaper, The Examiner, is published on Fridays.
Gulf States Utilities had its headquarters in Beaumont until its absorption by Entergy Corporation in 1993. GSU's Edison Plaza headquarters is still the tallest building in Beaumont (as of 2005).
Corpus Christi is the county seat of Nueces County and a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the region known as South Texas. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 277,454 people (though a July 1, 2004 estimate placed the population at 281,196), making it the eighth-largest city in the state. The translation of the city's name is Body of Christ, given to the settlement by the Spanish, in honour of the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharist).
The city is often referred to as "The Sparkling City by the Sea," particularly in literature promoting tourism. Locals and natives often just call it Corpus. The city is home to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. Corpus Christi is served by the Corpus Christi International Airport on the west side of the city.
El Paso is the county seat of El Paso County in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the 2005 U.S. Census population estimates, the city had a population of 598,590, making it the sixth-largest city in Texas and the 21st-largest city in the United States. El Paso is second only to San Diego, California in size among all U.S. cities on the U.S.-Mexico border. Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua lies opposite of the Rio Grande — which separates the two cities—forming a bi-national metropolitan area of 2,280,782, making it the second-largest bi-national metropolitan area on the U.S.–Mexico border.
El Paso is home to The University of Texas at El Paso. Fort Bliss, a major United States Army installation, lies to the east and northeast of the city, extending north up to the White Sands Missile Range. The Franklin Mountains extend into El Paso from the north and nearly divide the city into two sections.
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the 19th-largest in the United States. The city is also large in geographic area as it covers almost 300 square miles and is the county seat of Tarrant County—the 18th most populous county in the country. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, Fort Worth population was 534,694. The city is the second-largest cultural and economic center of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 5.7 million in 12 counties.
Fort Worth was founded as a military camp in 1849, named after General William Jenkins Worth. Today, the city is portrayed as more old-fashioned and laid-back than its neighbor, Dallas. Known as "Cowtown" for its roots as a cattle drive terminus, Fort Worth still celebrates its colorful Western and Southern heritage today and bills itself as "Where the West begins."
Midland is the county seat of Midland County located on the Southern Plains of the western area of the U.S. State of Texas. It is the principal city of and is included in the Midland, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Midland-Odessa, Texas Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a total population of 100,346. The Midland–Odessa metropolitan area, however, had a population of 246,710.
Midland was originally founded as the midway point between Fort Worth and El Paso on the Texas and Pacific Railroad in 1881. The city has received national recognition as the hometown of President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
Waco is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 113,726. The Waco MSA consists of McLennan County and has a population of 222,439.
Prior to the founding of the town, a Wichita Native American group known as the "Waco" or "Hueco" lived on the land of contemporary downtown Waco west of the Brazos River. In 1824, on an expedition to the Waco village, Thomas M. Duke reported the following to Stephen F. Austin: "This town is situated on the West Bank of the River about half a mile from the River. They have a spring almost as cold as ice itself. All we want is some Brandy and Sugar to have Ice Toddy. They have about four hundred acres planted in corn beans pumpkins and melons and that tended in good order. I think they cannot raise more than One Hundred Warriors."
Tyler is the county seat of Smith County in East Texas, United States. The city is named for President John Tyler in recognition of his support for Texas' admission to the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 83,650.
Tyler is referred to as the Rose Capital of America because of its large role in the rose-growing industry; about 20% of commercial rose bushes produced in the U.S. are grown in Smith County. It boasts the nation's largest municipal rose garden and hosts the Texas Rose Festival each October. In 1985, the international Adopt-a-Highway movement originated in Tyler when, after appeals by local Texas Department of Transportation officials. Tyler is also home to the Caldwell Zoo.
Lubbock is the 11th-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in the northwestern part of the state—a region known historically as the Llano Estacado—it is the county seat of Lubbock County. According to an estimate by the U.S. Census in 2005, the city population was 209,737. The Lubbock metropolitan area, however, has a population of 257,663.
Lubbock's nickname is the "Hub City" which derives from being the economy, education, and health care hub of a multi-county region commonly called the South Plains. The area is the largest contiguous cotton-growing region in the world and is heavily dependent on irrigation water drawn from the Ogallala Aquifer.
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 191,615. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated by the U.S. Census Bureau and colloquially referred to as the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
Irving contains the Las Colinas area, including the Mustangs at Las Colinas, which is the largest equestrian sculpture in the world. Irving has the headquarters of ExxonMobil, Michael's Stores, and Zale Corporation, and the national headquarters for the Boy Scouts of America. Irving is home to the Dallas Cowboys until a new stadium is finished in Arlington, TX in 2010.
Sugar Land is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. It is the fastest-growing city in Texas—growing more than 158 percent in the last decade. As of the 2005 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a population of 78,901. Founded as a sugar plantation in the early mid 1800s and incorporated in 1959, Sugar Land is the largest city and economic center of Fort Bend County. The city is the third-largest in population and second-largest in economic activities of the Houston area.
Sugar Land is home to the headquarters of Imperial Sugar and the company's main refinery and distribution center was once located in this city. In addition, Sugar Land has a large number of international energy, software, engineering, and product firms.
San Angelo is a city in and the county seat of Tom Green County, Texas. It is also the principal city of the 'San Angelo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of both Irion and Tom Green counties. As of the 2000 census, San Angelo had a total population of 88,439. The city is located at the confluence of the North - South Concho River, a tributary of the Colorado River.
It is home to the Fort Concho National Historic Landmark. Goodfellow Air Force Base is also located at the city's outskirts. Mathis Field (also known as San Angelo Regional Airport) is the commercial airport serving the city. San Angelo's main newspaper is the San Angelo Standard-Times.
Brownsville is a city in Cameron County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 139,722. It is the county seat of Cameron County. Brownsville is located at (25.930307, -97.484424)GR1, on the U.S.-Mexico border (marked here by the Rio Grande or Río Bravo del Norte) from Matamoros, Tamaulipas. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 215.0 km² (83.0 mi²), making it by far the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley.
Fort Texas was commissioned in 1845 less than a mile from what would become downtown Brownsville. Not even completed yet, the Mexican Army began the Siege of Fort Texas on May 3-9, 1846. One of the only two American soldiers who died in the attack was the Fort's commander, Major Jacob Brown, in honor of whom the post was renamed to Fort Brown.
Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas County (USA), with a significant overlap into Tarrant County, and a minor overlap into Ellis County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 127,427. Grand Prairie is located at (32.715266, -97.016864). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 211.2 km² (81.5 mi²). The West Fork of the Trinity River and a major tributary, Johnson Creek, flow through Grand Prairie.
Interstate highways 20 and 30 run east-west through the city, along with SH 303, SH 180, and SH 161, a future extension of the Dallas outerloop (President George Bush Turnpike).
Abilene is a city in Taylor County, Texas. The population was 115,930 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the county seat of Taylor County GR6. Dyess Air Force Base is located to the west of the city.
Abilene is located off Interstate 20, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. Abilene is 150 miles west of Fort Worth, Texas The city is looped by I-20 to the north, US 277/83 on the west and FM 322 to the east. A railroad divides the city down the center, from north and south. The downtown area is on the north side of the railroad.
Wichita Falls is a city in Wichita County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 104,197. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer and Wichita counties. The city is the county seat of Wichita County.
Sheppard Air Force Base, a United States Air Force base, is located in Wichita Falls, and is sister city to Fürstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, Germany. The city's main newspaper is the Times Record News.
Richardson is a city in Dallas County and Collin County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 91,803. The city of Buckingham, after being completely surrounded by Richardson, was annexed into the city in 1996.
In the 1840s, settlers from Tennessee and Kentucky began arriving in the Richardson area which was inhabited by Comanche and Caddo Native American tribes. The earliest families clustered around an area later named Breckinridge in honor of John C. Breckenridge. The town was situated near what is now Richland College and consisted of a general store, a blacksmith shop and the Floyd Inn.
McAllen is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas. It is located at the very southern tip of Texas in an area known as the Rio Grande Valley. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 106,414. Its southern boundary is located about five miles from the United States-Mexico border, the Rio Grande River.
McAllen is known as the “City of Palms” for the thousands of palm trees that dot the local lanscape. A center for international commerce and trade, McAllen is a major gateway to Mexico and the countries of Central America. The city’s population nearly doubled from October through March, as retirees descend upon the area. These “Winter Texans” come to enjoy the tropical climate, Mexican culture, square dancing, golf courses and other unique recreational outdoor opportunities.
Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas. Located at the northern edge of the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the city's population was 80,537 according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Denton was founded in 1856 because of the need for a county seat. Denton, as well as Denton County, was named after John B. Denton, a prominent Methodist lawyer and Native-American fighter.
Denton County encompasses all or parts of three lakes: Lake Grapevine, Lake Lewisville, and Lake Ray Roberts. The Texas Motor Speedway is also located within Denton County.Portal:Texas/Cities/26
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