Lancaster, Texas

Dallas suburb | city_name = Lancaster
NW = Dallas
N = Dallas
NE = Hutchins
W = DeSoto
E = Wilmer
SW = Glenn Heights
S = Red Oak
SE = FerrisInfobox Settlement
official_name = Lancaster, Texas
settlement_type = City
nickname =


imagesize =
image_caption =




imagesize =
image_caption =

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Lancaster in Dallas County, Texas


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Dallas
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Marcus Knight [ [http://www.lancastertx.org/ Lancaster Chamber of Commerce] - [http://www.lancastertx.org/custom2.asp?pageid=250 Our Community] Retrieved 4 July 2006.]
established_date =
area_magnitude = 1 E9
area_total_sq_mi = 29.3
area_land_sq_mi = 29.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0
area_water_percent = 0.03
area_total_km2 = 75.9
area_land_km2 = 75.9
area_water_km2 = 0
elevation_m = 159
elevation_ft = 522
latd = 32 |latm = 36 |lats = 8 |latNS = N
longd = 96 |longm = 46 |longs = 30 |longEW = W
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 25894
population_density_km2 = 126.4
timezone = Central
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = Central
utc_offset_DST = -5
latitude = 32°36'8" N
longitude = 96°46'30" W
website = http://www.lancaster-tx.com/
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 75134, 75146
area_code = 972
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 48-41212GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1339599GR|3
footnotes =

Lancaster is a city in Dallas County, Texas (USA). As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 25,894 (though a 2007 estimate placed the city's population at 35,050).

Lancaster is a suburb of Dallas and is part of the Best Southwest area, which includes Lancaster, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, and Duncanville.

Geography

Lancaster is located at coor dms|32|36|8|N|96|46|30|W|city (32.602236, -96.774990)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.3 square miles (75.9 km²), of which, 29.3 square miles (75.9 km²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.

History

Founded in 1852 and incorporated in May 1866, Lancaster was one of the first incorporated communities in Dallas County. "Honest A" Bledsoe is said to have surveyed and staked off the town on the convert|430|acre|km2|sing=on Rawlins survey, modeling it after his hometown of Lancaster, Kentucky. The city plan features a traffic circle in the center of a town square, with streets entering from the middle of each side. [ [http://www.lhsweb.org/history.htm Lancaster Historical Society - A History of Lancaster] Retrieved 17 September 2007.]

During the American Civil War, Tucker, Sherrod & Company contracted with the State of Texas to manufacture replicas of the .44 caliber Colt Dragoon from a factory on West Main Street in Lancaster. [ [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/GG/dlg1.html The Handbook of Texas Online - Gun Manufacturing During the Civil War] Retrieved 17 September 2007.] John M. Crockett, former mayor of Dallas and lieutenant governor of Texas, served as superintendent of the arms factory. [ [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/CC/fcr25.html The Handbook of Texas Online - CROCKETT, JOHN MCCLANNAHAN] Retrieved 17 September 2007.] In December of 1888, Lancaster's train depot opened as a stop on the Dallas and Waco line, and in 1891, it became part of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (MKT) line, running from Dallas to the Gulf Coast of Texas. [ [http://www.lhsweb.org/depot.htm Lancaster Historical Society - MKT Depot and Rose Garden] Retrieved 17 September 2007.]

In February 1934, Clyde Barrow of Bonnie & Clyde fame robbed the R.P. Henry & Sons Bank that was then located near the southeast corner of the town square. Bonnie Parker waited in the getaway car while Clyde and Raymond Hamilton walked in, robbed the bank, and walked out with over $4,000.In 1994 a tornado of F4 intensity ripped through Lancaster, killing 3 people, devastating the Historic Town Square, and damaging or completely destroying 250 homes in the area. [ [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/fwd/CLIMO/annreview/aprcalender.html National Weather Service - North Central Texas Weather Calendar -April] Retrieved 17 September 2007.] The White & Company Bank building, a local landmark since 1898, was severely damaged in the tornado but was rebuilt, and in 1998 reopened as headquarters for the Lancaster Economic Development Corporation. [ [http://www.lancastertx.org/custom2.asp?pageid=251 Lancaster Chamber of Commerce - A Bit of Our History] Retrieved 17 September 2007.]

In 2005 and 2006 Lancaster was a finalist for the All-America City Award. [ [http://www.ncl.org/aac/past_winners/past_winners.html National Civic League - All-America City: Past Winners] Retrieved 17 September 2007.] In 2007 the National Arbor Day Foundation designated Lancaster a Tree City USA. [ [http://www.lancaster-tx.com/images/stories/City_Manager/pdfs/treecityusadesignation.pdf City of Lancaster - Press Release] Retrieved 17 September 2007.]

Demographics

USCensusPop
1880= 497
1890= 741
1900= 1045
1910= 1115
1920= 1190
1930= 1133
1940= 1151
1950= 1632
1960= 7501
1970= 10522
1980= 14807
1990= 22117
2000= 25894
estyear=2007
estimate=35050As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 25,894 people, 9,182 households, and 6,895 families residing in the city. The population density was 884.0 people per square mile (341.3/km²). There were 9,590 housing units at an average density of 327.4/sq mi (126.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 37.63% White, 53.00% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 6.58% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.59% of the population. As of the 2000 census, Lancaster is the largest African American-majority city in Texas. [List of U.S. communities with African American majority populations – Wikipedia.]

There were 9,182 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.4% were married couples living together, 20.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the city the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,773, and the median income for a family was $48,498. Males had a median income of $33,406 versus $30,653 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,731. About 6.1% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The City of Lancaster is a home-rule city with a council-manager form of government. Under this type of local government, the day-to-day management of the city is directed by a city manager. The city manager is appointed by the city council and serves as chief administrative officer for the city. Rickey C. Childers is the current city manager of Lancaster.

The seven-member city council consists of the mayor, who represents the city as a whole and is elected at-large, and six members elected in single-member districts. At present, the mayor serves a four-year term, but that will be reduced to three years in 2012 following amendments to the city charter approved in late 2006. [ [http://www.lancaster-tx.com/images/stories/CityCouncil/City_Charter_2006.pdf Lancaster City Charter] - City of Lancaster. Retrieved 22 May 2008.] City Council members serve three-year terms.

In 2008, former Councilman, Deputy Mayor Pro Term and Mayoral Candidate Clyde Hairston admitted to taking $4,800 from a Dallas businessman to use his influence to defeat an electoral measure before the city. [ [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/local/stories/DN-lancelex_08met.ART.South.Edition1.4626576.html Lancaster mayor candidates offer ideas on economic development] ]

Education

Lancaster is served mainly by the Lancaster Independent School District and to a lesser extent by the Dallas Independent School District. Lancaster ISD operates nine campuses (one High School, one Middle School, and seven Elementary Schools) with a total enrollment of approximately 6,000 students.

The Dallas ISD portion, which consists of the Cedardale Highlands, Taylor Brothers, and Lancaster Gardens subdivisions, was served by the Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District before Dallas ISD took over the district (Lancaster ISD was given the first option to take over WHISD but declined). Students living in this area are zoned to Birdie Alexander Elementary School, D.A. Hulcy Middle School, and David W. Carter High School.

Life School, a public charter school, opened a campus in Lancaster in 2007. It serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade. [http://www.lifeschools.net/campuses/lancaster]

There are three private schools in the city - Berne Academy, Cedar Valley Christian Academy, and Victory Christian Academy.

Cedar Valley College, which is part of the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), is also located in Lancaster.

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.lancaster.tx.us/ City of Lancaster]
* [http://www.ledctexas.com/ Lancaster Economic Development Corporation]
* [http://www.lancastertx.org/ Lancaster Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.visitlancaster.org/ www.VisitLancaster.org]
* [http://www.lhsweb.org/ Lancaster Historical Society]
* [http://www.lhsweb.org/oktoberfest.htm Lancaster OktoberFest]
* [http://lancastermunicipalairport.com Lancaster Municipal Airport]
* [http://www.dfwwing.com/ Commemorative Air Force - DFW Wing]
* [http://www.cwam.org/ Cold War Air Museum]