City of Tyler | |||
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— City — | |||
Tyler skyline, with Plaza Tower at right and Venue Properties office building in center | |||
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Nickname(s): Rose City | |||
Motto: A Natural Beauty | |||
Location in Smith County and the state of Texas | |||
Coordinates: | |||
Country | United States | ||
State | Texas | ||
County | Smith | ||
Government | |||
• Type | Council-Manager | ||
• City Council | Mayor Barbara Bass Charles Alworth Donald Sanders Ralph Caraway Nathaniel Moran Steve Smith Chris Simons |
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• City Manager | Mark McDaniel | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 54.376 sq mi (140.833 km2) | ||
• Land | 54.2 sq mi (140.5 km2) | ||
• Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) | ||
Elevation | 544 ft (165 m) | ||
Population (2010) | |||
• Total | 109,000 | ||
• Density | 1,782.0/sq mi (688.0/km2) | ||
Time zone | Central (UTC-6) | ||
• Summer (DST) | Central (UTC-5) | ||
ZIP codes | 75700-75799 | ||
Area code(s) | 430, 903 | ||
FIPS code | 48-74144[1] | ||
GNIS feature ID | 1348998[2] | ||
Website | http://www.cityoftyler.org |
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States.[3] It takes its name from President John Tyler [2]. The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau. Tyler is the principal city of the Tyler Metropolitan Statistical Area, with a population of 209,714 in 2010, and the regional center of the Tyler-Jacksonville combined statistical area, with a population of 260,559 in 2010.
Tyler has the nickname "Rose Capital of the Nation"[3]. It gained this name due to the large quantity of rose bushes processed through the area, along with hosting America's largest rose garden [4].
In 1985, the international Adopt-a-Highway movement originated in Tyler when, after appeals by local Texas Department of Transportation officials, the local Civitan chapter adopted a 2-mile (3-km) stretch of U.S. Highway 69. Tyler is also home to the Caldwell Zoo and Broadway Square Mall.
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Tyler is located at [4] Elevation: 544 feet (166 m). Tyler is surrounded by many smaller cities including Whitehouse, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Bullard, Edom, Brownsboro, and Chandler.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 54.4 square miles (140.8 Square kilometres), of which, 54.2 square miles (140.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it is water.
Tyler experiences weather typical of East Texas, which is unpredictable, especially in the spring time. All of East Texas has the humid subtropical climate typical of the Southeast in North America.
The record high for Tyler is 111 °F (44 °C), which occurred on July 31, 1921. The record low for Tyler is −3 °F (−19 °C), which occurred on January 18, 1930.
Historical populations | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1880 | 2,423 |
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1890 | 6,908 | 185.1% | |
1900 | 8,069 | 16.8% | |
1910 | 10,400 | 28.9% | |
1920 | 12,085 | 16.2% | |
1930 | 17,113 | 41.6% | |
1940 | 28,279 | 65.2% | |
1950 | 38,968 | 37.8% | |
1960 | 51,230 | 31.5% | |
1970 | 57,770 | 12.8% | |
1980 | 70,508 | 22.0% | |
1990 | 75,450 | 7.0% | |
2000 | 83,650 | 10.9% | |
2010 | 96,000 | 14.8% |
As of the 2010 census[1], there were 109,000 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,782.0 people per square mile (688.0/km²). There were 41,742 housing units at an average density of 716.7 per square mile (276.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 60.5% White, 24.8% African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 10.3% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. 21.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city’s various funds had $87.7 million in Revenues, $101.7 million in expenditures, $49.2 million in total assets, $12.3 million in total liabilities, and $17.6 million in cash in investments.[5]
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:[6]
City Department | Director |
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City Manager | Mark McDaniel |
Director of Finance | Daniel Crawford |
Director of Budget and Human Resources | ReNissa M. Wade |
Director of Communications and Media Relations | Susan Guthrie |
Chief Information Officer | Benny Yazdanpanahi |
Director of Public Works | Greg Morgan |
Director of Solid Waste | Dan Brotton |
Fire Chief | Tim R. Johnson |
Police Chief | Gary Swindle |
City Attorney | Gary C. Landers |
Director of Planning and Zoning | Barbara Holly |
Director of Vehicle Services | Russ Jackson |
The Northeast Texas Public Health District[7] is a political subdivision under the State of Texas established by the City of Tyler and Smith County. In place for nearly 70 years, the Health District became a separate entity in 1994, with an administrative Public Health Board. With a stated vision "To be the Healthiest Community in Texas," the district has a full time staff of over 130 employees. The Health District has a broad range of services and responsibilities dedicated to their Mission: "To Protect, Promote, and Provide for the Health of our Community."
Tyler is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Kevin Eltife, District 1, and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Leo Berman, District 6.
The Texas Twelfth Court of Appeals is located in Tyler.[8]
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Region I Parole Division Office and the Tyler District Parole Office in Tyler.[9]
The two U.S. Senators from Texas are Republicans John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison; Tyler is part of Texas' US Congressional 1st District, which is currently represented by Republican Louie Gohmert.
The United States Postal Service operates several post offices in Tyler, including Tyler,[10] Azalea,[11] Southeast Crossing,[12] and the South Tyler Annex.[13]
Tyler's higher education institutions include the University of Texas at Tyler and the University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, both part of the University of Texas System, Tyler Junior College, and Texas College.
Public primary and secondary education for much of the city is provided by the Tyler Independent School District, which includes two high schools, John Tyler and Robert E. Lee; Premier High School of Tyler a public charter school; several Tyler schools offer International Baccalaureate and Advance Placement programs.
Portions of incorporated Tyler are served by surrounding school districts. These include sections of southeast Tyler by the Whitehouse Independent School District, and some sections in the east which are served by the Chapel Hill Independent School District.
The Tyler Catholic School System of the Catholic Diocese of Tyler consists of St. Gregory Elementary and Bishop Thomas K. Gorman Middle/High School. There are several other private schools, including Grace Community School, All Saints Episcopal School, Seventh-day Adventist Church School, King's Academy Christian School, Christian Heritage School, East Texas Christian Academy, and Good Shepherd Reformed Episcopal School, and the Brook Hill School(Bullard).
In addition to its role in the rose-growing industry, Tyler is the headquarters for Brookshire Grocery Company, which operates Brookshire's, Fresh and Super 1 Foods, and Ole! supermarkets in four states. The company's main distribution center is located in south Tyler, while SouthWest Foods, a subsidiary that produces dairy products, is located just north-east of the city. Adams Engineering has also made its headquarters in Tyler.
According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[14] the top ten employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of Employees |
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1 | East Texas Medical Center | 3,650 |
2 | Trinity Mother Frances Health System | 3,567 |
3 | Tyler Independent School District | 2,572 |
4 | Brookshire Grocery Company | 2,190 |
5 | Trane Company | 1,949 |
6 | Wal-Mart | 1,670 |
7 | Carrier Corporation | 1,201 |
8 | Suddenlink | 1,057 |
9 | Tyler Junior College | 998 |
10 | The University of Texas at Tyler | 854 |
The manufacturing sector includes:
Also produced in Tyler are John Soules Foods' fajita and other meat products, Greenberg's Smoked Turkeys, Distant Lands Coffee Roasters coffee, Tyler Candle Co. jar candles, Tyler Products, and a variety of small high-tech businesses including Synthesizers.com, F3 Technology Solutions, Wood Networks, Group M7, CBI, Power-Up, and Arrick Robotics.
Tyler is also a major medical center which serves the city as well as the surrounding East Texas area.
Annually, the Texas Rose Festival draws thousands of tourists to Tyler.[15] The festival, which celebrates the role of the rose-growing industry in the local economy, is held in October and features a parade, the coronation of the Rose Queen, and other civic events. There is also a Rose Museum featuring the history of the Festival. Tyler is home to Caldwell Zoo, several local museums, Lake Palestine, Lake Tyler, and numerous golf courses and country clubs.[16] There is also an "Azalea Trail," which are 2 officially designated routes within the city that showcase homes or other landscaped venues adorned with azalea shrubs.[17] Tyler State Park is a few miles away where visitors can camp, canoe, and paddle boat on the lake. Activities include picnicking; camping; boating (motors allowed - 5 mph speed limit); boat rentals; fishing; birding; hiking; mountain biking and hiking trails; lake swimming (in unsupervised swimming area); and nature study. The Smith County Historical Society operates a museum and archives in the old Carnegie Library.[18] The East Texas State Fair is held annually in Tyler.[19] Lake Tyler was the location of the HGTV Dream Home contest in 2005. The 6,500 square feet (600 m²) house briefly boosted tourism and interest in the community. It subsequently was sold at public auction in January, 2008, for 1.325 million dollars.[20]
Tyler has a Cotton Belt Railroad Depot Museum located near the Chamber of Commerce office.
The Smith County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded in 1959 by individuals and business firms dedicated to discovering, collecting and preserving data, records and other items relating to the history of Smith County, Texas. The Society operates a museum and archives, which is located in the former Carnegie Public Library building in downtown Tyler. Permanent museum exhibits include life-size dioramas with Smith County history topics ranging from Caddo Indians to the Twentieth Century. Other items from the Society's collections are showcased in revolving, temporary exhibits. The Society's archival library contains historical artifacts of Smith County, including newspapers, city directories, school records, photographs, maps, historical papers, rare books and much more. The archives are open to the public for research on a limited schedule with volunteer staff on duty. The Society is also the official caretaker of Camp Ford Historic Park.
Camp Ford was the largest Confederate Prisoner of War camp west of the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. The original site of the camp stockade is a public historic park managed by the Smith County Historical Society. The park contains a kiosk, paved trail, interpretive signage, a cabin reconstruction, and a picnic area. It is located on Highway 271, 0.8 miles (1.3 km) north of Loop 323.
As with much of modern America the automobile is the most common form of transportation. Tyler is a nexus of several major highways. Interstate 20 runs along the north edge of the city going east and west, U.S. Highway 69 runs north-south through the center of town and State Highway 64 runs east-west through the city. Tyler also has access to U.S. Highway 271, State Highway 31, State Highway 155, and State Highway 110. Loop 323 was established in 1957 and originally encircled the city, which has continued to grow outside of the loop. This expansion is the reason for the new loop 49 which is currently under construction. Loop 49, designed to be an "outer loop" around the city, and connect to I20. The first five-mile (8 km) segment, which connects Highway 155 south with Highway 69 south, opened for use on August 17, 2006. A second segment connecting Highway 69 with Paluxy Drive opened in January, 2008.
The city's Tyler Transit buses run daily, excluding Sundays and holidays.[21] Greyhound Lines bus service is available through a downtown terminal.
Tyler Pounds Regional Airport offers service to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport via American Eagle and to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport via Colgan Air Continental Connection.
Tyler was the hub for a series of short-line railroads which later evolved into the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, better known as "The Cotton Belt Route." This line later became part of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which itself merged with the Union Pacific Railroad, which continues to serve the city today.
Hospitals located in Tyler include East Texas Medical Center, Trinity Mother Frances Health System, University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, and Texas Spine & Joint Hospital. There are also many clinics including the Direct Care Clinic. Tyler serves as a major medical center for communities throughout East Texas.
Tyler is the home of many churches, including three large ones in the downtown area, the Marvin United Methodist Church, West Erwin Church of Christ, and First Baptist Church and on Troup Hwy Green Acres Baptist Church. It is also the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Tyler. Tyler, too, is home to two Jewish houses of prayer, Ahavath Achim, which associates itself with Conservative Judaism and Beth El which adheres to Reform Judaism.[22]
There are currently 18 media outlets and one newspaper located in Tyler, as well as many more in the surrounding areas.
VHF/UHF Channel |
Cable Channel |
Call Letters |
Network |
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7 | 7 | KLTV | ABC |
19 | 11 | KYTX | CBS |
56 | 10 | KETK | NBC |
51 | 12 | KFXK | FOX |
Frequency |
Call Letters |
Format |
Name |
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600 | KTBB | News/Talk | |
690 | KZEY | Urban Contemporary | |
1330 | KGLD | Gospel | The Light |
1490 | KYZS |
Frequency |
Call Letters |
Format |
Name |
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89.5 | KVNE | Christian Contemporary | Encouragement FM |
91.3 | KGLY | Religious | |
92.1 | KTBB-FM | Sports | ESPN East Texas |
93.1 | KTYL | Hot Adult Contemporary | Mix 93.1 |
96.1 | KKTX | Rock | 96X |
96.7 | KOYE | Spanish | La Invasora |
99.3 | KZTK | News/Talk/Sports | 99.3 Talk FM |
101.5 | KNUE | Country | |
104.1 | KKUS | Classic Country | The Ranch |
106.5 | KOOI | Adult Contemporary | |
107.3 | KISX | Urban Contemporary | Hot1073Jamz |
Wikisource has the text of The New Student's Reference Work article about Tyler, Texas. |
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