Crockett, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crockett is a city in Houston County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,141. It is the county seat of Houston CountyGR6.
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[edit] History
The town was named after Davy Crockett who reportedly had camped nearby on his way to the Alamo. The site was very near the Old San Antonio Road. A family of Tennesseans donated the land for the town and named it after Crockett, who they had known back in Tennessee. The town was incorporated in 1837, and a post office was granted the following year. Crockett was connected to Nacogdoches by stage service. In 1839 raids by the Alabama-Coushatta and Cherokee Indians forced the town's residents to take shelter in the fortified log courthouse. Crockett was a training center for Confederate conscripts during the Civil War. The railroad came through in 1872 enabling Crockett to exploit the county's timber resources. By 1885 the town was thriving with a population of 1,200 and the following year a school was opened for black girls. It evolved into Mary Allen Junior College, which operated into the 1970s. In 1904 lignite mining started and it peaked about 1910. The stands of timber were seriously depleted by the 1920s. The population was over 3,000 in the mid 20's and by 1936 it was nearly 4,500. Crockett population increased while most of East Texas declined after WWII. It reached 5,000 by the 1960 census.[1]
[edit] Geography
Crockett is located at (31.317010, -95.458397)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.0 km² (8.9 mi²), all land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 7,141 people, 2,672 households, and 1,747 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.2/km² (805.6/mi²). There were 3,081 housing units at an average density of 134.3/km² (347.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 48.54% White, 44.67% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 4.78% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.50% of the population.
There were 2,672 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 23.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,455, and the median income for a family was $27,069. Males had a median income of $26,098 versus $18,674 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,708. About 26.6% of families and 33.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.6% of those under age 18 and 26.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
The City of Crockett is served by the Crockett Independent School District.
[edit] Famous People from Crockett, Texas
- James Morris Easterly - MLB pitcher for Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Cleveland from '74 until '87[2]
- Guy and Pipp Gillette - cowboy musicians and story tellers; winners of the Academy of Western Artists' Will Rogers Cowboy Award[3]
- Edd Hargett - NFL Quarterback for New Orleans Saints from '69 to '73[4]
- Sam Hinton - American folk singer and marine biologist[5]
- Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins - country blues guitar legend (spent portion of his childhood in Crockett, Texas)[6]
- James "Jim" Jeffries - well known sculpturer, playwright, and short story author[7]
- Eugene Lockhart - NFL linebacker for Dallas Cowboys during the '80s[8]
- Q Manning - Writer, Director, Producer in the film industry (born in Crockett, Texas; lived in Crockett until age 18)
- Jerald Clark - MLB San Diego Padres
- Isaiah Clark - MLB Milwaukee Brewers
- Congressman Jim Turner
- Rain Phoenix - Actress and sister of actors Joaquin Phoenix and River Phoenix
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.texasescapes.com/EastTexasTowns/CrockettTexas.htm
- ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/e/easteja01.shtml
- ^ http://www.texasescapes.com/AllThingsHistorical/CrockettsCafeNMusicHallBB803.htm
- ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/HargEd00.htm
- ^ http://www.samhinton.org/bio.html
- ^ http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasCelebrities/LightninHopkins1ATHBB102.htm
- ^ http://www.arts.state.tx.us/news/newspage.asp?nid=06jijf
- ^ http://www.bluestarboys.com/Gallery/EugeneLockhart.html
[edit] External links
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