Henderson, Texas
| Henderson, Texas | |
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| Coordinates: 32°9′14″N 94°48′10″W / 32.15389°N 94.80278°WCoordinates: 32°9′14″N 94°48′10″W / 32.15389°N 94.80278°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Rusk |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council-Manager |
| • City Council | Mayor J.W. "Buzz" Fullen Scott Lee Reginald Weatherton Thomas Ward Melissa Morton Pat Brack |
| • City Manager | Mike Barrow |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.0 sq mi (31.1 km2) |
| • Land | 11.9 sq mi (30.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 512 ft (156 m) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 11,727 |
| • Density | 947.6/sq mi (365.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 75652-75654 |
| Area code(s) | 903/430 |
| FIPS code | 48-33212[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1337593[2] |
| Website | hendersontx.us |
Henderson is a city in Rusk County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,712 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County.[3] Henderson is named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas.
The city has functioned as a major crossroads in Northeast Texas over the last two centuries, with several major highways passing through the business district of the town, including Texas State Highway 64, U.S. Route 79, Texas State Highway 43, Texas State Highway 42 and Texas State Highway 64.
Annual events in the city of Henderson include the Heritage Syrup Festival in November, celebrating the east Texas tradition of syrup making, and the East Texas Sacred Harp Convention in August.
The city has a vibrant Historical District, with many buildings dating back to before the American Civil War. The city has 19 historical markers, including homes dating from the 1880s, churches, and colleges. Downtown Henderson is one of the most dramatic and charming downtowns in the East Texas area. Colorful, canvas awnings highlight the ornate buildings which house Henderson's downtown merchants and offer shade to downtown shoppers visiting the various antiques stores, clothing stores, and dining facilities lining the Main Streets.
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History [edit]
The city of Henderson is older than the State of Texas itself. Founded on land donated by W.B. Ochiltree and James Smith, the city became the county seat of Rusk County when an act of legislature created Rusk County on January 16, 1843. First Baptist and First Methodist churches were established in 1845 and 1842 respectively. The first courthouse, made of wood, was completed in 1849. After the Civil War, the International and Great Northern Railroad crossed through Rusk County but missed Henderson. In 1874, the Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad Company built a stretch of railroad connecting Henderson to the tracks running through Overton. This stretch of railroad was later sold to Missouri Pacific Railroad (now Union Pacific) and remains in use to this day.
In 1878, a small fire destroyed the courthouse, and a brick courthouse was built in its place. This encouraged the construction of several other brick buildings, including the Howard Dickinson House, now a historical site.
In the early 1930s, C. M. "Dad" Joiner brought in the Daisy Bradford #3 Discovery Well six miles northwest of Henderson. The discovery of oil created a booming economy in the area, with the population increasing from 2,000 to over 10,000 in a few months. The oil fields in and surrounding Henderson continue to provide a large part of the wealth of the area.
The 1860 Burning of Henderson [edit]
On August 5, 1860, the booming town of Henderson burned. Forty-three buildings, including two hotels, were destroyed for a loss of 220,000.
According to the Depot Museum,[4] a man named John Crow recollects the fire,
"I was about eight years old when Henderson burned. I went to town with my father the day after the fire. It burned every house as well as I recollect, except the Flanagan Brick Building. I remember I was barefooted and careful not to burn my feet. My father said at the time they thought a fellow named Green Herndon, a union man, had hired a negro woman to burn Henderson. Herndon was a northerner and was a pronounced opponent of secession. On the negro woman's testimony, a mob gathered, threw a loop around his neck, tied it to a saddle horse which went around the public square dragging Herndon to death. Then they hung the boy to a tree and shot it full of holes…War was in preparation and people were in fits of anger. When the war broke out, the men got all the files they could find and went to the blacksmith shops and made knives and swords. There was much laughter and I remember they said, "We'll whip those damn Yankees with axes and butcher knives. Everyone was anxious to go."
Geography [edit]
Henderson is located at 32°9′14″N 94°48′10″W / 32.15389°N 94.80278°W (32.153938, -94.802732).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.0 square miles (31 km2), of which, 11.9 square miles (31 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.92%) is water.
Major highways [edit]
Demographics [edit]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11,273 people, 4,350 households, and 2,971 families residing in the city. The population density was 947.6 people per square mile (365.8/km²). There were 4,831 housing units at an average density of 406.1 per square mile (156.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.98% White, 22.34% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 6.80% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.80% of the population.
There were 4,350 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,766, and the median income for a family was $38,095. Males had a median income of $31,285 versus $19,473 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,491.
Government [edit]
Local government [edit]
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:[6]
| Department | Director |
|---|---|
| Mayor | Pat Brack |
| City Council | Melissa Morton, Steve Higginbotham, Thomas Ward, Scott Lee, Reginald Weatherton |
| City Manager | Mike Barrow |
| Municipal Court Judge | Rickey Turner |
| City Attorney | David Brown |
| City Secretary | Stephanie Riddle |
| Police Chief | Ronnie Walker |
| Fire Chief | Rusty Chote |
| Public Service Operations Director | Davis Brown |
| Public Utilities Director | Randy Boyd |
| Finance Director | Trina Freeman |
| Tourism/Main St. Director | Suzanne Cross |
| Community Development Director | Paul Duncan |
State government [edit]
Henderson is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Kevin Eltife, District 1, and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Chuck L. Hopson, District 11.
Federal government [edit]
At the Federal level, the two U.S. Senators from Texas are Republicans John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison; Henderson is part of Texas' US Congressional 1st District, which is currently represented by Republican Louie Gohmert.
Education [edit]
Primary and secondary schools [edit]
Public schools [edit]
The Henderson Independent School District includes five campuses, Wylie Primary School, Wylie Elementary School, Northside Intermediate School, Henderson Middle School, and Henderson High School. The school mascot of Henderson is a lion, and the school colors are red and blue. School sports are an important part of Henderson, TX culture. A 3-A school, the Henderson Lions football team beat Chapel Hill, Texas to become state champions in 2010. Many students are a member of one or more athletic organizations, including Cheering Squad, Soccer, Basketball, Golf, Softball, Volleyball, Powerlifting, Baseball, Wrestling, Tennis, Track, and Majorette Squad.
Private schools [edit]
The City of Henderson is also served by Full Armor Christian Academy, a non-denominational private school.
Colleges [edit]
Henderson is the home of the Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary, a Missionary Baptist institution.[7]
Media [edit]
There are currently 7 media outlets and one newspaper located in Henderson, as well as many more in the surrounding areas.
Newspaper [edit]
Radio [edit]
AM stations [edit]
| Frequency | Call letters | Format | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stations Broadcast from Henderson | |||
| 1470 | KWRD | News/Talk | |
FM stations [edit]
| Frequency | Call letters | Format | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stations Broadcast from Henderson | |||
| 100.7 | KPXI | Sports/Talk | ESPN |
Notable people [edit]
- Archie Bell - lead singer for Archie Bell & the Drells
- Drew Coleman - current cornerback for the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Joe Delaney - late running back for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Rickey Dudley - former TE Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Sandy Duncan - singer and actress
- Ricky Lynn Gregg - singer
- Captain Bill McDonald - legendary Texas Ranger was reared in Henderson.
- A. T. Powers - Clergyman who lived in Henderson from 1952–1956, was pastor of the Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, and was a faculty member at Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary
- Paul Sadler - Henderson attorney, former state representative
- Mark Wells White - former governor of Texas
References [edit]
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ http://www.depotmuseum.com/civWar.html
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ City of Henderson Proposed Budget 2010-2011 retrieved 2011-1-20
- ^ "Texas Baptist Institute". Tbi.edu. Retrieved May 5, 2009.
External links [edit]
- City of Henderson official website
- Henderson Area Chamber of Commerce website
- Henderson ISD official website
State of
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