Sierra Blanca, Texas
| Sierra Blanca, Texas | |
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| — CDP — | |
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| Coordinates: 31°10′55″N 105°20′27″W / 31.18194°N 105.34083°WCoordinates: 31°10′55″N 105°20′27″W / 31.18194°N 105.34083°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Hudspeth |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.1 sq mi (10.6 km2) |
| • Land | 4.1 sq mi (10.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,528 ft (1,380 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 510 |
| • Density | 131.0/sq mi (50.6/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 79851 |
| Area code(s) | 915 |
| FIPS code | 48-67772[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1368253[2] |
Sierra Blanca is a census-designated place (CDP) in and the county seat of Hudspeth County, Texas, United States.[3] The population was 533 at the 2000 census, and had decreased to 510 according to a July 2007 estimate.[dated info]
The town, founded in 1881 at the completion point of a long-sought southern transcontinental railway,[4] was named for nearby Sierra Blanca Mountain, which was named for the white poppies which grew on it[5][6] (sierra blanca is Spanish for white range).
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Geography [edit]
Sierra Blanca is located at 31°10′55″N 105°20′27″W / 31.18194°N 105.34083°W (31.182009, -105.340843)[7].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.1 square miles (11 km2), of which 4.1 square miles (11 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.73%) is water.
Demographics [edit]
As of the census[1] of 2000,[dated info] there were 533 people, 184 households, and 126 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 131.0 people per square mile (50.6/km²). There were 227 housing units at an average density of 55.8 per square mile (21.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.99% White, 3.19% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 5.07% from other races, and 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 72.61% of the population.
There were 184 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,438, and the median income for a family was $30,000. Males had a median income of $26,071 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,768. About 19.6% of families and 22.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 32.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education [edit]
Sierra Blanca is served by the Sierra Blanca Independent School District.
Environment [edit]
The outskirts of Sierra Blanca was the location of a sludge dump that received 250 tons of treated sewage each day from New York City. The practice was discontinued in 2001.[8]
Law enforcement [edit]
In September of 2012, Fiona Apple was arrested for possession of small amounts of marijuana and hashish, and spent the night in jail there.[9] A few weeks later, a Nelly tour bus was stopped at the same checkpoint, and ten pounds of marijuana were found on the bus along with heroin and a loaded gun. The singer was not arrested, but a member of his entourage was.[10] Previously singers Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson as well as actor Armie Hammer had all been arrested separately for drug possession in Sierra Blanca.[9] The U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint at Sierra Blanca sends the county thousands of drug cases a year and inspects thousands of vehicles every day.[9]
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.
- ^ "Sierra Blanca". The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
- ^ "Sierra Blanca, Texas". TexasEscapes.com. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
- ^ "Texas Legacy Project: Conservation Archive and Documentary: Transcript: Bill Addington". TexasLegacy.org. 2001-03-28. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Yardley, Jim (2007-07-27). "New York's Sewage Was a Texas Town's Gold". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-03-18.
- ^ a b c "Singer-songwriter Fiona Apple arrested by West Texas Border Patrol for possession of hashish". Washington Post. Associated Press. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
- ^ "Rapper Nelly: Cops Raid Tour Bus, Heroin Seized". TMZ. TMZ. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
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