Corsicana, Texas

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Corsicana, Texas
City
Location of Corsicana, Texas
Location of Corsicana, Texas
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountyNavarro
Area
 • Total21.7 sq mi (56.2 km2)
 • Land20.7 sq mi (53.7 km2)
 • Water1.0 sq mi (2.5 km2)
Elevation
443 ft (135 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total24,485
 • Density1,180.4/sq mi (455.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
75109, 75110, 75151
Area code903
FIPS code48-17060Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1333395Template:GR

Corsicana is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. It its located on Interstate 45 some fifty-five miles south of downtown Dallas. The population was 24,485 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Navarro CountyTemplate:GR.

History

Founded in 1848, Corsicana was named by José Antonio Navarro after the Mediterranean island of Corsica, the birthplace of his father, who died when Navarro and his many siblings were still quite young.[1] [2]

Women's groups have had a strong role throughout the history of the city. One of the earliest efforts was the establishment of the Corsicana Female Literary Institute, a school which operated between 1857 and 1870. The first public library in Corsicana opened in 1901 by effort of the women's clubs of the city. A 1905 library gift by Andrew Carnegie gave the library a permanent home and its first full-time, professionally trained librarian. The library today is housed in a dedicated building downtown and boasts more than 52,283 Books, 6,306 Audio Materials, 783 Video Materials, and 122 Serial Subscriptions.[3]

The Corsicana Jewish community dates form 1871, and while there are few Jewish residents of Corsicana today, the Historical Society has restored the 1898 Moorish Revival Temple Beth-El, Corsicana, now in use as a community center.

The Corsicana YMCA was founded in 1884,[4] and has grown with patron funding facilitated by local community leaders over now more than 125 years, including in its earliest days George Taylor Jester (1847-1922), a wealthy dry goods and cotton distributor later turned banker and a lieutenant governor of Texas.[5]

The Corsicana Oilfield was discovered in 1894 by accident by parched water prospectors hired by the Corsicana Water Development authority. It was the first commercially significant oilfield find in Texas. An even larger oil field, the Powell oil field, was discovered in 1923. Another significant area oil and gas find occurred in 1956. Each oil and gas discovery brought a renewed development boom to the city.

During World War II, an airman flying school called Corsicana Air Field trained thousands of pilots.[6]

Arts And Entertainment

Today's downtown Corsicana supports a very active performing arts community, with year-round live theater, art exhibits, and music performances in a corner of downtown anchored by the Warehouse Living Arts Center and the Palace Theater.

Downtown also features the historic State National Bank building (built in 1926), several coffeeshops and eateries, an art gallery and several bric-à-brac outlets, and many quaint brick-faced storefronts of historical interest.

There is also a popular green park a short walk from the county courthouse downtown, with meandering creeks, walking, jogging and bike trails, lighted tennis courts, a children's play area with a retired fire truck, spray park, and designated skate area. At one end of the community park is the town YMCA, with a year-round indoor pool, basketball courts, cardio- and free-weight equipment, and instructor-led fitness workshops.

The town also has a few museums: Pioneer Village, located by Jester Park, offers reconstructed buildings and interesting artifacts from the early historical period of the area, as well as a museum to Lefty Frizzell, a Nashville singer born in town during the late 1920s.

The Cook Center, the second largest planetarium in Texas, is located on the Navarro College campus. It offers narrated short-form astronomical shows against nominal admission, and occasional free star gazing parties. The planetarium also houses a collection of Civil War memorabilia, the Pearce Collections Muse.

The Cinemark multi-screen theater on Seventh Avenue offers first-run movies with state-of-the-art digital projection and sound equipment at bargain prices.

The Navarro College Performing Arts Department stages several musical recitals and two staged plays a year at the Dawson Auditorium on the west side of town.

The Navarro County Exposition Center on West State Highway 22 hosts an indoor soccer league and many horse shows year-round.

Geography

Corsicana is located at 32°5′33″N 96°28′10″W / 32.09250°N 96.46944°W / 32.09250; -96.46944Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (32.092480, -96.469407)Template:GR.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.7 square miles (56.2 km²), of which, 20.7 square miles (53.7 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²) of it is water. The total area is 4.42% water.

Corsicana is home to the Lake Halbert dam and recreational park, and is less than 15 miles from Richland Chambers Reservoir, with recreational fishing, public boat ramps, and 330 miles of treed and green shorelines. Richland Chambers Reservoir is the third largest lake by surface area and the 8th largest reservoir by water volume in Texas.[7]

Climate

Corsicana has a moderate humid subtropical climate.[8] The range of low-high average temperatures in January, April, July, and October is 34/55, 53/75, 73/95, and 55/79 degrees Fahrenheit.[9]

Corsicana rainfall averages 39.5 inches per year,[10] which makes Corsicana wetter than Seattle, with 37.1 inches of average rainfall per year. Leafy oak, pecan, magnolia, and walnut trees are common, and grasses grow tall and green. Rain is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, with small wetter peaks in May and October.[11]

Economy

Corsicana is best known as the home of the Collin Street Bakery, which has been making fruitcakes since 1896. Oil City Iron Works, Inc., responsible for high quality ductile and gray iron castings since 1866 also calls Corsicana home. Wolf Brand Chili was founded in Corsicana in 1895.

Today's economy shows little obvious reliance on oil and gas. Major employers include Russell Stover Candies and Collin Street Bakery, Guardian Industries (glass), Corsicana Bedding, the Kohl's and Home Depot distribution centers, Navarro Regional hospital (160+ beds), Trinity/Mother Francis Health System, and the Texas State Home.[12] There are several 24/7 pharmacies and grocery stores, College Park Mall - an enclosed shopping mall that primarily houses a Bealls clothing store and a plush Internet Cafe called "The Can" --, and a large Wal-Mart on the southwestern edge of town.

Corsicana was also known for the video game company, Tradewest, which was founded in 1986 by John Rowe, Leland and Byron Cook. Tradewest was known for such Nintendo Entertainment System classics as Double Dragon and Battletoads. Tradewest later became Williams Entertainment (known for the Mortal Kombat series) in 1994, then Midway Home Entertainment after an acquisition from WMS Industries. The company's office remained in Corsicana until its closure in 2002.12

Schools

Corsicana is home to Navarro College which offers Associate level degrees, and is also a satellite facility of Texas A&M University-Commerce, through which students can receive Bachelors & Graduate level degrees.

The Corsicana Independent School District (CISD) has an enrollment of over 5,700 students. Five Corsicana Independent School District schools have been lauded by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) as Recognized campuses in the ratings released recently.

Bowie, Fannin, Carroll and Navarro Elementaries and Drane Intermediate School all achieved Recognized status.

Collins Middle School and Corsicana High School were rated Academically Acceptable by the TEA. The Corsicana ISD received Academically Acceptable status from the state.

Corsicana also has one private school, James L. Collins Catholic School, for grades K-8 and has an enrollment of 270 students.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 24,485 people, 8,762 households, and 5,966 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,180.4 people per square mile (455.8/km²). There were 9,552 housing units at an average density of 460.5/sq mi (177.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.28% White, 23.59% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.47% Pacific Islander, 13.64% from other races, and 1.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.47% of the population.

There were 8,762 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,203, and the median income for a family was $33,078. Males had a median income of $27,516 versus $19,844 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,001. About 17.4% of families and 22.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

The housing stock in 2007 consisted of 12,313 houses and condos.[13] About 2/3's were owner occupied, and 1/3 rented.[14] The median price asked for vacant for-sale houses and condos in 2007 was $87,955.[15] The median amount of real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2007 was $912. [16]

People from Corsicana

References

  1. ^ Defending Mexican Valor in Texas: Jose Antonio Navarro's Historical Writings, 1853-1857, by Jose Antonio Navarro, David R. McDonald, Timothy M. Matovina Pric, State House Press, October 1995, ISBN-13: 978-1880510315, p. 1. Navarro's mother was a native of San Antonio, then a part of New Spain.
  2. ^ Jose Antonio Navarro, co-creator of Texas, Baylor University Press, 1969, 127 pages, ASIN: B0006CAIBS
  3. ^ City of Corsicana
  4. ^ Anon. "Corsicana YMCA History"
  5. ^ Anon. "George Taylor Jester Biography"
  6. ^ William, Edward L. "Corsicana Air Field Photographs - 1941"
  7. ^ Texas Water Development Board WIID System Surface Water Mapping Tool. Available online at http://wiid.twdb.state.tx.us/ims/resinfo/viewer.htm
  8. ^ Köppen climate classification
  9. ^ "Corsicana Weather Averages"
  10. ^ "Corsicana Weather Averages"
  11. ^ "Corsicana Weather Averages"
  12. ^ Anon. "Corsicana: Live, Work, Play!"
  13. ^ City Data Corsicana TX 75110
  14. ^ City Data Corsicana TX 75110
  15. ^ City Data Corsicana TX 75110
  16. ^ City Data Corsicana TX 75110

External links

Template:Mapit-US-cityscale

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