Snyder, Texas

Snyder, Texas
—  City  —
The Coliseum in Snyder has since 2008 been operated by Western Texas College.
Location of Snyder, Texas
Coordinates: 32°42′56″N 100°54′52″W
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Scurry
Area
• Total	8.6 sq mi (22.3 km2)
• Land	8.6 sq mi (22.2 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	2,320 ft (707 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	10,783
• Density	1,256.8/sq mi (485.2/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	79549-79550
Area code(s)	325
FIPS code	48-68624
GNIS feature ID	1347340
Website	http://ci.snyder.tx.us/

Snyder welcoming sign

Legendary albino buffalo statue at the Scurry County Courthouse in Snyder

Downtown Snyder just north of the courthouse

Community Bank of Snyder

Cogdell Memorial Hospital is located near Western Texas College in Snyder.

First Baptist Church in downtown Snyder

Jesus and the Woman at the Well sculpture at Hillside Memorial Gardens Cemetery south of Snyder

Former Dermott School, relocated to the Coliseum grounds in Snyder

Ritz Theater in downtown Snyder

This 19th century pioneer house is a restored museum on the Coliseum grounds in Snyder. It was built by a physician and Confederate veteran, J.C. Cornelius.

Snyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km (93 miles) southeast of Lubbock.

Located in Snyder is the Scurry County Coliseum, a large meeting hall which hosts area events. Now known only as "The Coliseum," the structure has since 2008 been operated by Western Texas College. Outside the Coliseum is a locomotive engine and a small restored historic village.

On the courthouse grounds downtown is a veterans' monument and the sculpture of a rare albino buffalo.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 10,783 people, 4,980 households, and 2,880 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,256.8 people per square mile (485.2/km²). There were 5,013 housing units at an average density of 584.3 per square mile (225.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.00% White, 4.69% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 13.68% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.8% of the population.

There were 4,068 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 64 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31 016, and the median income for a family was $37,392. Males had a median income of $30 033 versus $17 609 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,647. About 13.7% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Snyder Distribution Center in Snyder.

The United States Postal Service operates the Snyder Post Office.

Education

The Snyder Independent School District serves Snyder. The schools are Snyder Elementary, Snyder Junior High School, and Snyder High School.

Western Texas College, a two-year community college, is located in Snyder.

Churches

Snyder contains churches, primarily of major Protestant denominations. A large First Baptist Church is located downtown to the rear left of the courthouse. There are at least three Independent Baptist congregations in the city. Faith Baptist Church was founded in 1969, originally at the Scurry County Coliseum, by the pastor Luther Wallace "Buck" Hatfield (1929–1995). Hatfield's family also owned, and has since sold, The Sweet Shop drive-in diner in Snyder.

Johnson-Sims feud

At the turn of the 20th century, Snyder was rocketed by a deadly feud between the families of Billy Johnson and Ed Sims. Gladys Johnson, daughter of banker Billy Johnson, at the age of fourteen in 1914, married Ed Sims. The young couple had two daughters but soon divorced in July 1916. Sims was thereafter shot dead by a Johnson family member. The grand jury in Lamesa failed to bring a true bill against the killer. Gladys Johnson Sims in the spring of 1917 married Texas Ranger Frank Hamer, who had lost two children from a previous marriage. The Hamers raised four children, the daughters of Gladys and Ed Sims, and two of their own, including Frank Hamer, Jr. Frank Hamer died in 1955, but Gladys lived in their home in Austin until her death in 1986 at the age of eighty-five.

Snyder in popular literature

Snyder plays a key plot role, and is frequently mentioned, in the novel series Settling Accounts by Harry Turtledove. In the books Drive to the East, The Grapple, and In at the Death, the Confederate States of America set up a large concentration camp for the elimination of African-Americans, similar to Nazi Germany's real death camps in World War II. The camp is a few miles outside of Snyder. The town is repeatedly and heavily bombed by the United States before being overrun by US ground forces. At least one million people are killed at the camp and buried in mass graves.

Earthquake

On September 11, 2011, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake centered 20 km (12 miles) north-northeast of Snyder produced light-to-moderate shaking, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center.

Notable residents

• Emmy-Award winning actor Powers Boothe (born 1948), who portrayed the demonic clergyman Jim Jones in Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones, Curly Bill in Tombstone and Senator Roark in Sin City, is originally from Snyder.

• Dick Jones (born 1927), American actor who starred in Buffalo Bill, Jr. on NBC in 1955, was born in Snyder. Dick (Dickie) Jones was famously known for his voicing of the character Pinocchio in the 1940 Disney movie Pinocchio.

• Barry Tubb, actor who portrayed Wolfman in Top Gun, Jasper in Lonesome Dove and directed the small film Grand Champion, was born in Snyder.

• Kevin Alejandro (born 1976), American actor who starred in Ugly Betty on ABC as Santos and Southland on TNT as Detective Nate Moretta , grew up in Snyder. He is know currently a cast member of the popular HBO series True Blood.

• Dave McGinnis, who coached the Arizona Cardinals from 2000 to 2003, graduated from Snyder High School in 1969.

• Charlene Holt, actress and model who starred in El Dorado (1966 film) as Maudie, the love interest of Robert Mitchum and John Wayne, was born in Snyder.

External links

• City of Snyder