Bonham, Texas

Bonham is a city in Fannin County, Texas, United States. The population was 9,990 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fannin CountyTemplate:GR. James Bonham (the city's namesake) sought the aid of James Fannin (the county's namesake) at the Battle of the Alamo.

Geography

Location of Bonham, Texas

Bonham is located at 33°35′2″N 96°10′54″W (33.583772, -96.181801)Template:GR.

The city is centrally located in Fannin County in Northeastern Texas, about 25 km south of Oklahoma and has a total area of 24.2 km² (9.4 mi²), with negligible water cover. The distance to Dallas in the Southeast is about 110 km.

History

The history of Bonham, one of the oldest cities in Texas, goes back to the year 1837, when Bailey Inglish built a two-story block house here, named Fort Inglish. It was located about 2 km from the current downtown. Inglish and other acquanitances then settled here in the summer of 1837 and the settlement was named Bois D'Arc. In 1843, the Congress of the Republic of Texas assigned the name Bloomington to the city, but finally renamed it Bonham, in honor of James Butler Bonham, a hero and defender of the Alamo. On February 2, 1848 Bonham was incorporated as a city.

After the connection to the Texas and Pacific Railroad the city began to grow and in 1885 there were six churches, three colleges, two public schools, three weekly newspapers, a saw mill, two grain mills, a power plant and 2300 inhabitants. 1890 saw the addition of streetcars, an ice plant, and the opening of the Texas Power and Light Company, a utility provider to the area. In 1925, the city was connected to natural gas lines.

During the Second World War, there was a training camp and an aviation school for the US Air Force in the vicinity of Bonham, as well as a prisoner-of-war camp for Germans and German soldiers. Parts of the camp can still be visited today.

Demographic data

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 9,990 people, 2,884 households, and 1,848 families residing in the city. The population density was 412.1/km² (1,067.1/mi²). There were 3,381 housing units at an average density of 139.5/km² (361.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.27% White, 16.77% African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.22% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.75% of the population.

There were 2,884 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 17.8% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 164.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 179.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,131, and the median income for a family was $35,721. Males had a median income of $26,035 versus $21,897 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,840. About 12.6% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Bonham is served by the Bonham Independent School District. In addition, Grayson County College operates a branch campus in Bonham, its only campus outside its namesake county.

Famous people

By far Bonham's most famous resident was "Mr. Sam" – Sam Rayburn, the longtime Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Rayburn's house and a library featuring memorabilia from his Congressional terms are popular museums in the city, and Texas State Highway 56 through town (the former U.S. Highway 82) is named Sam Rayburn Boulevard (and runs beside both the house and library).

Other famous residents include:

• Charlie Christian
• John Wesley Hardin well-known outlaw and gunfighter in late 19th-century Texas
• Roy McMillan - Cincinnati Reds All-Star shortstop
• Tom McBride - Major League Baseball outfielder
• LTG Michael D. Maples - Defense Intelligence Agency director
• Joe Morgan - Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman
• B. A. Wilson, NASCAR driver
• Danny Darwin, Professional baseball player
• LTG Herron N. Maples - former Inspector General of the U.S. Army
• Stephen Flowers - expert on the occult
• Kenny Marchant - United States Representative, Texas 24th District
• Arthur L. Quinn- Logistical Command Sergeant Major, Retired, and Reciepient of Two(2)Bronze Stars while serving in Vietnam. Grand Child Of Chester and Maude Benton, Son of Minnie J. Benton and Elmer L. Quinn of Buffalo South Carolina.