Taylor, Texas

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Taylor, Texas
—  City  —
Moody Museum is the home of former Governor Dan Moody
Location of Taylor, Texas
Coordinates: 30°34′21″N 97°25′00″W / 30.5725°N 97.4166667°W / 30.5725; -97.4166667
Country United States
State Texas
County Williamson
Area
 • Total 13.6 sq mi (35.1 km2)
 • Land 13.5 sq mi (35.0 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 564 ft (172 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 13,575
 • Density 1,003.2/sq mi (387.3/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 76574
Area code(s) 512
FIPS code 48-71948[1]
GNIS feature ID 1369631[2]
Taylor, TX sign IMG 2214.JPG
Downtown Taylor on Main Street (Texas State Highway 95) as it heads south to intersect U.S. Highway 79.
Taylor Public Library
U.S. Post Office in Taylor
Central Fire Station in Taylor
City National Bank in downtown Taylor
Howard Theatre
St. Mary's Catholic Church at 800 Washburn Street in Taylor
Abandoned Landmark Inn hotel in Taylor


Taylor is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,575 at the 2000 census; it was 15,191 in the 2010 census estimate.[3] Taylor's largest employers include the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)[4], Durcon Inc.[5], Burrows Cabinets[6] and the T. Don Hutto Residential Center[7].[8]

The City of Taylor along with the Taylor Economic Development Corporation (Taylor EDC) and the Taylor Chamber of Commerce have been working to attract new investment to improve the economic base and economic vitality of the Community. Since 2008, nearly 20 companies have expanded or relocated to Taylor, creating nearly 300 new jobs and investing almost $40 million combined. [9]

The community has been making capital improvements in facilities and infrastructure[10] to improve the educational offerings and quality of life in the community [11], although the Taylor City Budget Message (FY 2010-2011) states "very little emphasis has been placed on expanding existing or adding new programs or making significant additional capital investments despite the fact that the needs certainly exist". [12] According to a study performed by Sledge Engineering for the Taylor City Council, fifty-two percent of the streets were considered "poor" or "failing", fourteen percent were considered "fair", twenty-seven percent were considered "good" and only seven percent of the streets were considered "excellent". [13]

In 2011, the Taylor Independent School District opened a brand-new, state of the art, collegiate-inspired High School, where each student gets a new Mac Book as part of their educational curriculum. [14]

Since 2008, more than ten (10) historic buildings have been remodeled and occupied by new tenants in the historic downtown area, and five buildings were still undergoing remodeling as of January 2012.[citation needed] In 2005, approximately twenty percent (20%) of the buildings considered as "contributing resources" to the Taylor Downtown Historic District were vacant.[15]

Residential building permits have been declining in Taylor since 2007. In 2006, a total of 128 permits were issued with a value of $14,198,300. In fiscal year 2007-08, permits dropped by 64 and 7,295,100 less in value. Once again dropping in fiscal year 2008-09 by 11 and $951,065 less in value. In the 2009, 31 residential permits were issued with a total value of $2,724,698. For 2010 it is anticipated that 18 residential permits will be issued with an estimated value of $1,624,921. Additionally, commercial permits and growth has remained flat since 2008-09, and sales tax revenue has been declining since fiscal year 2007-08 and continues to be flat. [16]

In 2006, the Taylor Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) published a "Community Report" which noted - according to information compiled by the Ampersand Agency [17] for the TEDC - that the City needed better code enforcement across the city, giving the city a "facelift" to look clean and neat. The report also noted that old and dilapidated buildings should be torn down to improve the consistancy of the housing market, that streets needed repair, and that effort should be made to add more consumer-based businesses. [18]


Contents

[edit] History

In 1876 the Texas Land Company auctioned lots in anticipation of the arrival of the International-Great Northern Railroad when Taylor was founded that year. The city was named after Edward Moses Taylor, a railroad official, under the name Taylorsville which officially became Taylor in 1892. Immigrants from Czechoslovakia and other Slavic states, as well as from Germany and Austria, helped establish the town. It soon became a busy shipping point for cattle, grain, and cotton.

By 1878 the town had 1,000 residents and thirty-two businesses, twenty-nine of which were destroyed by fire in 1879. Recovery was rapid, however, and more substantial buildings were constructed. In 1882 the Taylor, Bastrop and Houston Railway reached the community, and machine shops and a roundhouse serviced both rail lines. In 1882 the town was incorporated with a mayor-council form of city government, and in 1883 a public school system replaced a number of private schools.

By 1890 Taylor had two banks and the first savings and loan institution in Texas. An electric company, a cotton compress, and several newspapers were among the new enterprises. A water line from the San Gabriel River, a 100-man volunteer fire department, imported and local entertainment, and an annual fair made noteworthy news items by 1900.

Since 1900, Taylors population growth has averaged approximately 128 new residents per year, based on an estimated population of 1100 in the year 1900, and the population in 2010 of 15191, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Between the years 2000 and 2010, the population grew 11.9%, from 13575 to 15191, [19] about 1.2% per year.

Taylor is also the hometown of Bill Pickett, Tex Avery, K.C. Jones, and birthplace of former Texas governor Dan Moody.

[edit] Geography

Taylor is located at 30°34′21″N 97°25′00″W / 30.572371°N 97.416546°W / 30.572371; -97.416546Coordinates: 30°34′21″N 97°25′00″W / 30.572371°N 97.416546°W / 30.572371; -97.416546 (30.572371, -97.416546),[20] about 9 miles east of Hutto and 8 miles south of Granger. Taylor is about 29 miles northeast of Austin.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.6 square miles (35.1 km²), of which, 13.5 square miles (35.0 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.22%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 15,191 people and approximately 5,300 households in the city. The population change between 2000 and 2010 was 11.9% (while the overall population change for the State of Texas was 20.6%).

The racial makeup of the city was 71.7% White, 10.2% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 42.8% of the population.

7.7% of the population was under 5 years old, 27.5% were under 18 years old, and 11.9% were 65 years old or older.

The percent of high school graduates at age 25+ between the years 2005 and 2009 was 75.9%. The percentage of the population having a bachelor's degree or higher, age 25 or more, between the years of 2005 and 2009 was 17.6%.

The Per-Capita Income of $18,859 was lower than the State average of $24,318, and the Median Household Income of $41,814 was lower than the State average of $48,199. The percentage of persons living at or below the poverty level in 2009 as 15.4%.[3]

[edit] Education

In 2011, Taylor Independent School District was quoted as being a Gem[21] by the Texas Education Agency, District XIX, for the improvements made to the curriculum and programming. In addition, Taylor ISD won six Gold Performance Standard awards for academic performance, according to the State of Texas during the 2011 school year.[22] The City of Taylor is home to the Taylor High School Ducks. As of 2011, Taylor Independant School District was ranked 634th of 953 Texas school districts, and Taylor High School is ranked 850th of 1517 Texas public high schools, placing both the school district and the high school in the bottom one-third of Texas schools.[23] 17.6% of Taylors population has an educational level of bachellors degree or higher, somewhat lower than the 25.4% Statewide average. [24]

[edit] Media

The local newspaper is the Taylor Daily Press.

[edit] Transportation

  • Taylor (Amtrak station) The Amtrack station offers connectivity across the U.S. on the Texas Eagle rail line,[25] that also connects with the Capital Area Rural Transportation System (CARTS) and Greyhound.[26] The Amtrack station at Taylor is a platform only, with no restrooms, no ticket office, no lounge, no ATM and no WiFi. [27]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ a b http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4871948.html
  4. ^ ERCOT, http://www.ercot.com
  5. ^ Durcon Inc., http://www.durcon.com
  6. ^ Burrows Cabinets, http://www.burrowscabinets.com
  7. ^ CCA, http://www.cca.com/facility/t-don-hutto-residential-center/
  8. ^ Taylor Economic Development Corp, http://www.tayloredc.com/business/index.html?page=major_employers
  9. ^ Taylor Economic Development Corporation, http://www.tayloredc.org/business/index.html?page=Announcements
  10. ^ City of Taylor, http://taylortx.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=62
  11. ^ Taylor Economic Development Corporation, http://www.tayloredc.org/community/index.html?page=Projects Underway
  12. ^ City of Taylor, Texas Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget, Budget Message section
  13. ^ 'Council Receives Streets Report', Taylor Daily Press, January 29, 2012
  14. ^ Taylor ISD, http://taylorisd.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/2383218/File/RevisedFacts.pdf
  15. ^ United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service: National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Taylor Downtown Historic District, Taylor, Williamson County; April 2005
  16. ^ City of Taylor, Texas Fiscal Year 2010-11 Budget
  17. ^ http://www.ampersandagency.com/
  18. ^ Taylor Economic Development Corporation Community Report, November, 2006
  19. ^ http://taylortx.gov/documents/Community%20Profile/taylor%20census%20demographics%202000%20-%202010.PDF
  20. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  21. ^ Taylor ISD, http://taylorisd.schoolfusion.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/2383218/File/Wilco%20Realtors%20-%20TISD%20presentation%20Nov%202011%20(with%20font).pdf
  22. ^ Taylor ISD, http://www.taylorisd.org
  23. ^ schooldigger.com
  24. ^ U.S. Census 2010 - http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4871948.html
  25. ^ Amtrak, http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=am/am2Station/Station_Page&code=TAY
  26. ^ CARTS, http://ridecarts.com/service-to/taylor
  27. ^ http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=am/am2Station/Station_Page&code=TAY


[edit] External links

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