Grand Prairie, Texas Explained

Grand Prairie, Texas
Settlement Type:City
Nickname:"G.P."
Mapsize:300px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:Counties
Subdivision Name2:Dallas, Tarrant, Ellis
Government Type:Council-Manager
Leader Title:City Council
Leader Name:Mayor Ron Jensen
Jorja Clemson – District 1
Dennis King – District 2
Mike Del Bosque – District 3
John Lopez – District 4
Cole Humphreys – District 5
Kurt Johnson – District 6
Jeff Copeland – Place 7, At Large
Junior Ezeonu – Place 8, At Large
Leader Title1:City Manager
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Total Sq Mi:81.47
Area Land Sq Mi:72.57
Area Water Sq Mi:8.90
Elevation Ft:515
Pushpin Map:USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in the contiguous United States
Coordinates:32.7153°N -97.0169°W
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:196100
Population Rank:(US: 122nd)
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Urban:5,121,892 (6th)
Population Metro:6,810,913 (4th)
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Blank1 Title:Demonym
Population Blank1:Grand Prairian
Timezone:CST
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation M:157
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:75050-75054
Area Code:682,817, 214, 469, 945, 972
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:48-30464[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:1336802[3]
Area Footnotes:[4]
Area Total Km2:210.99
Area Land Km2:187.95
Area Water Km2:23.05
Established Title:Incorporated as Dechman
Established Title1:Incorporated as Grand Prairie

Grand Prairie is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Dallas, Tarrant, and Ellis counties.[5] It is part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It had a population of 175,396 according to the 2010 census, making it the fifteenth most populous city in the state.[6] Remaining the 15th-most populous city in Texas, the 2020 census reported a population of 196,100.[7]

History

The city of Grand Prairie was first established as Dechman by Alexander McRae Dechman in 1863. He based the name of the town on Big Prairie, Ohio. Prior to then, he resided in Young County near Fort Belknap. The 1860 U.S. Federal Census—Slave Schedules shows an A McR Dechman as having four slaves, ages 50, 25, 37 and 10. Dechman learned that he could trade his oxen and wagons for land in Dallas County. In 1863, Dechman bought of land on the eastern side of the Trinity River and of timber land on the west side of the river for a broken-down wagon, oxen team and US$200 in Confederate money. He tried to establish a home on the property, but ran into difficulties, so he returned to his family in Birdville before joining in the Civil War. In 1867, Dechman filed a town plat with Dallas County, consisting of .

After the war, Dechman returned to Birdville for two years before selling that farm in 1867 and moving to Houston, where yellow fever broke out, causing the family to settle in Bryan. In 1876, Dechman traded half his "prairie" property to the T&P Railroad to ensure the railroad came through the town. The railroad named the depot "Dechman", prompting its namesake to relocate his home from Bryan to Dechman. His son Alexander had been living in Dechman and operating a trading post and farm. The first church in the area was the Good Hope Cumberland Sabbath School, established in 1870 by Rev. Andrew Hayter. The church was later renamed West Fork United Presbyterian Church and remains an active church.[8]

The first U.S. post office opened in 1877 under the name "Deckman" rather than "Dechman", because the U.S. Postal Service could not read the writing on the form completed to open the post office. Later that same year, after the Postal Service had adopted the "Deckman" name, confusion resulted from the T&P Railroad designation "Grand Prairie". This name was based on maps drawn from around 1850 through 1858 that labeled the area between Dallas and Fort Worth "the grand prairie of Texas". In order to alleviate the confusion, the Postal Service named the post office "Grand Prairie".

The town of Grand Prairie was eventually incorporated as a city in 1909. During World War I and since, Grand Prairie has had a long history with the defense and aviation industry. While the present-day Vought plant on Jefferson Avenue is part of a small strip within the Dallas city limits, it was originally in Grand Prairie. During World War II, the North American Aviation Plant B produced the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the P-51C and K Mustang variants. After the war, Vought Aircraft took over the plant. This later became Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), then eventually returned to the Vought moniker. The plant was the production site for the F-8 Crusader and the A-7 Corsair II aircraft of the 1950–1989 time period. The LTV Missile and Space division produced missiles such as the Scout and MLRS. This division was eventually sold to Lockheed Martin, which continues to operate in Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie was also the North American headquarters for Aérospatiale Helicopter. This company eventually became Airbus Helicopters, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters.

In 1953, the mayor and city council of Grand Prairie attempted to annex nearly 70sqmi of then-unincorporated and largely undeveloped land in southern Dallas and Tarrant counties. Vehement debate ensued, and the legal pressure from cities such as Arlington, Duncanville and Irving wound up overturning part of the annexation attempt.

Geography

Grand Prairie is located along the border between Tarrant and Dallas counties, with a small portion extending south into Ellis County. The city is bordered by Dallas to the east, Cedar Hill and Midlothian to the southeast, Mansfield to the southwest, Arlington to the west, Fort Worth to the northwest, and Irving to the north.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 210sqkm, of which 186.8sqkm is land and 23.3sqkm, or 11.08%, is water.[9]

The West Fork of the Trinity River and a major tributary, Johnson Creek, flow through Grand Prairie.

Grand Prairie has a long history of flooding from Johnson Creek. In the 1980s, a major Army Corps of Engineers project was begun to straighten the channel, which has reduced the damage of flooding.

Climate

Grand Prairie is part of the humid subtropical region.

Demographics

2020 census

Grand Prairie city, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)!Pop 2000[10] !Pop 2010[11] ![12] !% 2000!% 2010!
White alone (NH)60,11851,058style='background: #ffffe6; 39,30347.18%29.11%style='background: #ffffe6; 20.04%
Black or African American alone (NH)16,94834,436style='background: #ffffe6; 46,36013.30%19.63%style='background: #ffffe6; 23.64%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)678709style='background: #ffffe6; 6700.53%0.40%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.34%
Asian alone (NH)5,57411,329style='background: #ffffe6; 14,7784.37%6.46%style='background: #ffffe6; 7.54%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)59129style='background: #ffffe6; 1720.05%0.07%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.09%
Other Race alone (NH)157244style='background: #ffffe6; 7920.12%0.14%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)1,8552,598style='background: #ffffe6; 5,2761.46%1.48%style='background: #ffffe6; 2.69%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)42,03874,893style='background: #ffffe6; 88,74932.99%42.70%style='background: #ffffe6; 45.26%
Total127,427175,396style='background: #ffffe6; 196,100100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 196,100 people, 62,679 households, and 46,391 families residing in the city.

Government

Local government

According to the city's 2007–2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $275.5 million in revenues, $236.4 million in expenditures, $1,003.2 million in total assets, $424.9 million in total liabilities, and $305.9 million in cash and investments.[13]

The Parkland Health & Hospital System (Dallas County Hospital District) operates the E. Carlyle Smith, Jr. Health Center in Grand Prairie.[14]

Grand Prairie as of 2012 has 320 municipal police officers.

The city of Grand Prairie is a voluntary member of the North Central Texas Council of Governments association, the purpose of which is to coordinate individual and collective local governments and facilitate regional solutions, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and enable joint decisions.

Federal representation

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP), of the U.S. Department of Justice runs the Grand Prairie Office Complex on the grounds of the Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex.[15] Within the complex the BOP operates the Designation and Sentence Computation Center (DSCC), which calculates federal sentences, keeps track of the statutory "good time" accumulated by inmates and lump sum extra "good time" awards, and detainers.[16] The BOP South Central Office is also on the armed forces complex grounds.[17]

Economy

According to the city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

Employer
  1. of Employees
1Grand Prairie Independent School District5,000
2Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control3,400
3Poly-America, Inc.2,000
4Bell Helicopter-Textron1,300
5City of Grand Prairie1,300
6Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie950
7Vought Aircraft Industries900
8Republic National Distribution800
9Wal-mart800
10Arnold Transportation Services650

Airbus Helicopters, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters, has its headquarters in Grand Prairie.[18]

In 1978 American Airlines announced that it would move its headquarters from New York City to the Dallas/Fort Worth area.[19] The airline moved its headquarters into two leased office buildings in Grand Prairie. The airline finished moving into its Fort Worth headquarters facility on January 17, 1983, when the airline left its Grand Prairie facility.

Attractions

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Most of Grand Prairie's K–12 student population attends schools in the Grand Prairie Independent School District, which serves areas of Grand Prairie in Dallas County. The Mansfield Independent School District serves areas of Grand Prairie in Tarrant County and operates six elementary schools within the Grand Prairie city limits. Other portions of Grand Prairie reside within the Arlington, Cedar Hill, Irving, Mansfield, and Midlothian school districts.[27]

In Texas, school district boundaries do not follow city and county boundaries because all aspects of the school district government apparatus, including school district boundaries, are separated from the city and county government entirely, with the exception of the Stafford Municipal School District in the Houston area.

Grand Prairie Independent School District
Lists of Grand Prairie Schools!High Schools!Middle Schools!Elementary Schools!Others
  • YMLA at Kennedy
  • Jackson Middle School
  • Reagan Middle School
  • Truman Middle School
  • Fannin Middle School
  • Adams Middle School
  • Austin Elementary School
  • Bonham Elementary School
  • Bowie Elementary School
  • Bush Elementary School
  • Crockett Elementary School
  • Daniels Elementary School
  • Dickinson Elementary School
  • Eisenhower Elementary School
  • Florence Hill Elementary School
  • Garcia Elementary School
  • Garner Fine Arts Elementary School
  • Lee Elementary School
  • Marshall Elementary School
  • Milam Elementary School
  • Monroe Elementary School
  • Moseley Elementary School
  • Powell Elementary School
  • Rayburn Elementary School
  • Seguin Elementary School
  • Travis World Language Academy (K–8)
  • Whitt Elementary School
  • Williams Elementary School
  • Zavala Elementary School
Arlington Independent School District

The Arlington ISD has the second highest portion of Grand Prairie's K–12 student population. Six Arlington ISD elementary schools are within the city limits of Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie residents in the Arlington ISD are located generally west of the Dallas-Tarrant County boundary and north of the intersection of Camp Wisdom and Lake Ridge in southwest Grand Prairie. One of the Arlington high schools, James Bowie High, has more Grand Prairie residents than Arlington residents that are students at the school.

Grand Prairie student/residents in the Arlington ISD attend Bowie, Sam Houston, or Lamar High School in the Arlington ISD and their feeder elementary schools and junior high schools.

Mansfield Independent School District

The Mansfield ISD contains the third highest portion of the Grand Prairie's K–12 student population. Grand Prairie residents in the Mansfield ISD are located generally south of the intersection of Camp Wisdom and Lake Ridge, and west of Joe Pool Lake to the Tarrant and Ellis County line in southwest Grand Prairie. Three Mansfield ISD schools, Anna May Daulton Elementary; Louise Cabaniss Elementary; and Cora Spencer Elementary, are currently open within the city limits of Grand Prairie. The Mansfield ISD is the fastest growing ISD in Tarrant County, and the population growth in far southwest Grand Prairie is a major factor in the Mansfield ISD's subsequent growth.

Grand Prairie students/residents in the Mansfield ISD attend Mansfield Timberview High School, Lake Ridge High School or Mansfield High School in the Mansfield ISD or their feeder elementaries and middle schools. Timberview High School is located on State Highway 360 less than from the Grand Prairie city line.

Colleges and universities

Dallas County residents are zoned to Dallas College (formerly Dallas County Community College District or DCCCD). Tarrant County residents are zoned to Tarrant County Junior College. Ellis County residents are zoned to Navarro College.[28]

Transportation

Interstate highways 20 and 30 run east–west through the northern and southern parts of the city. Texas State Highways Spur 303 (named Pioneer Parkway) and 180 (Main Street) also run east–west in the northern and central portions of the city.

SH 360 runs for almost three miles in the northwestern portion of city; most of the highway runs just west of the city limits in Arlington.

SH 161, named the President George Bush Turnpike, runs north–south through western Grand Prairie. The main lanes were opened in late 2012 with frontage roads open since 2010. Portions of the highway located north of SH 180 are depressed while the portion south of SH 180 runs at-grade then becomes elevated. Frontage roads remain at-grade throughout. The frontage road intersection at Main Street will open sometime in 2013.[29]

Belt Line Road is a major north–south thoroughfare in the city. The section of the road south of Main Street is dual-labelled as FM 1382, which travels south, past I-20 and continues south to Cedar Hill. The section of the road north of Main Street keeps its name, continuing north into Irving.

The city declined membership in 1984. In April 2022, Grand Prairie launched "Via Grand Prairie", an "on-demand, shared public transportation" which connects to DART's West Irving station.[30]

In the era of private operation of passenger trains prior to the onset of the Amtrak era in 1971, Texas and Pacific Railway trains such as the Texas Eagle and the Louisiana Eagle made stops in Grand Prairie, on trips between Fort Worth and Dallas.[31] [32] [33] Amtrak's Texas Eagle (Chicago-San Antonio) makes stops at Dallas Union Station 12 miles to the east.

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. September 10, 2014.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website . . 2008-01-31 .
  3. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
  4. Web site: 2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. August 7, 2020.
  5. Web site: Counties - City of Grand Prairie. Gptx.org. 27 August 2017. May 15, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150515084633/http://www.gptx.org/index.aspx?page=1134. dead.
  6. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Grand Prairie city, Texas. U.S. Census Bureau. American Factfinder. March 25, 2016. https://archive.today/20200213082109/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4830464. February 13, 2020. dead.
  7. Web site: Explore Census Data . 2022-05-22 . data.census.gov.
  8. Texas State Historical Marker 5760
  9. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Grand Prairie city, Texas . . November 30, 2011 .
  10. Web site: P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Grand Prairie city, Texas . .
  11. Web site: P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Grand Prairie city, Texas . .
  12. Web site: P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Grand Prairie city, Texas . .
  13. http://dev4.netvip.com/grandprairie/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=1818 City of Grand Prairie CAFR
  14. "Clinic Sites and Services: " Parkland Health & Hospital System. Retrieved on October 25, 2012.
  15. "Grand Prairie Office Complex ." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on January 9, 2010.
  16. Zych, C. "Admission and Orientation Handbook Federal Correctional Institution Milan, Michigan ." Federal Bureau of Prisons. 6 (8 of 24). Retrieved on May 8, 2010.
  17. "RO South Central." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on June 1, 2015. "US ARMED FORCES RESERVE CMPL GRAND PRAIRIE, TX 75051"
  18. "Contact Us ." American Eurocopter. Retrieved on December 8, 2010. "American Eurocopter 2701 N. Forum Drive Grand Prairie, TX 75052."
  19. "American Airlines Finishes Moving into Headquarters Monday." Associated Press at Ocala Star-Banner. January 16, 1983. 6A. Google News 4 of 62. Retrieved on August 27, 2009.
  20. Web site: Prairie Lights - Texas' premier holiday drive-through park. Prairielights.org. 27 August 2017.
  21. Web site: Traders Village Grand Prairie - Traders Village Grand Prairie - A Texas-Size Marketplace. Tradersvillage.com. 27 August 2017.
  22. Web site: Texas Airhogs Terminate Membership in American Association . American Association . October 23, 2020.
  23. Web site: Home - Uptown Theater Grand Prairie. Uptown Theater Grand Prairie. 27 August 2017.
  24. Web site: Best Indoor Water Park (2023) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards . 14 December 2023 . May 10, 2023 .
  25. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Ripley's Believe It Or Not / Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax, Grand Prairie Texas . YouTube.
  26. Web site: Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax - Ripley's Believe It or Not!.
  27. "Greetings from Grand Prairie ." City of Grand Prairie. Retrieved on December 27, 2008.
  28. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.130.htm Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.176. Sec. 130.189. NAVARRO COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Sec. 130.201. TARRANT COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA.
  29. Web site: PGBT Western Extension (PGBT WE). Ntta.org. 27 August 2017.
  30. Web site: Grand Prairie Launches Shared Public Transportation 'Via Rideshare' . 2022-04-21 . MSN . en-US.
  31. http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/texeagle196706.html 1967 schedule of the Texas Eagle
  32. http://www.streamlinerschedules.com/concourse/track9/louisianaeagle195208.html 1952 schedule of the Louisiana Eagle
  33. Missouri Pacific Lines, Table 1 . Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company . 102 . 12 . May 1970.
  34. Book: Legendary Locals of Grand Prairie. 9781439653791. August 12, 2016. Waller. Richard G.. Knight. Pamela Flynt. 26 October 2015. Arcadia.
  35. Web site: Rodney Anderson. Texas Legislative Reference Library. March 11, 2014.
  36. Web site: Wesley Duke . databaseFootball.com . April 2, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130602131330/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerlog.htm?yr=2005&ilkid=DUKEWES01 . June 2, 2013 .
  37. Lauren Waterman (2009–05). Selena Gomez: spell bound Teen Vogue. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  38. Web site: Reducing Coincidence with Mathematics: An Interview with Nets Katz . October 17, 2013 . Caltech. December 6, 2014.
  39. Martindale, David. "Arlington Lamar grad Billy Miller makes a name for himself on Y&R" . Fort Worth Star Telegram. January 7, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  40. Web site: Charley Taylor . databaseFootball.com . April 2, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130602130941/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=TAYLOCHA02 . June 2, 2013 .
  41. Web site: Kerry Wood Stats. Baseball Almanac. April 2, 2013.