Mesquite, Texas

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Mesquite, Texas
City
Mesquite Tower rises over Memorial Stadium in Mesquite.
Mesquite Tower rises over Memorial Stadium in Mesquite.
Location within Dallas County and the state of Texas
Location within Dallas County and the state of Texas
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country  United States
State  Texas
Counties Dallas, Kaufman
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • City Mayor Adrian Salazar
 • City Manager Cliff Keheley
Area
 • Total 46.2 sq mi (119.6 km2)
 • Land 46.0 sq mi (119.2 km2)
 • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation 495 ft (151 m)
Population (2013)
 • Total 143,484
 • Density 3,216/sq mi (1,241.7/km2)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes 75149, 75150, 75181,
Area code(s) 214, 469, 972
FIPS code 48-47892[1]
GNIS feature ID 1341400[2]
Website cityofmesquite.com

Mesquite is a city and an eastern suburb of Dallas, Texas. Most of the city is located in Dallas County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 144,416 making it the twentieth most populous city in the state of Texas.[3]

History

The city was founded on March 14, 1878, on land along the Texas & Pacific Railroad outside of Dallas. The railroad, which ran from Dallas to Shreveport, Louisiana, began stopping at the newly created town shortly thereafter, and the city began to grow around the railroad. The city was officially incorporated on December 3, 1887.

Mesquite prospered through the late 19th century and early 20th century as a farming community growing cotton, hay, corn and sugar and using the railroad to ship raw goods. The town remained predominantly agrarian until after World War II when the suburban boom also took root in Mesquite. The city's population rapidly grew from 1,696 in the 1950 census to 27,526 in 1960 and 55,131 in 1970.

In 1958, the Mesquite ProRodeo was established, and in 1959, Big Town Mall opened as the first air conditioned shopping mall in the United States. The mall was demolished in the summer of 2006.

By 1970, LBJ Freeway (I-635) was constructed, connecting Mesquite to its neighbors, Garland to the north and Balch Springs to the south. Also in 1971, Town East Mall was constructed. The mall was used by director Ron Howard to film portions of the movie Cotton Candy in 1978. The mall's associated traffic and shops would continue to grow the town. By the 1990 census, the city had grown to 101,484 people, nearly twice the population twenty years earlier.

In 1986, the Mesquite Arena opened its doors as the new home for the Mesquite ProRodeo. By 1998, the facility was expanded to include a Convention Center, Exhibition Hall and a Hampton Inn & Suites.

2011 saw Mesquite pass a law that allows beer and wine sales in the city. The measure had been considered several times for many years, but was always blocked by strong protest against the proposed sales. It was one of the few cities without beer and wine sales in eastern Dallas County before the law came into effect.

Geography

Mesquite is located at Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (32.782878, -96.609862).[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 46.2 square miles (119.6 km2), of which 46.0 square miles (119.2 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.33%, is water.[5]

Mesquite, Texas
Climate chart (explanation)
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: Weather.com / NWS

Climate

On average, the warmest month is July. The highest recorded temperature was 112 °F in 1980. The average coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was 1 °F in 1989.

May is the average wettest month. Mesquite is part of the humid subtropical region.

Government

Local government

The City Council consists of six councilmembers. Councilmembers serve two-year terms and are responsible for appointing the city health officer, independent auditor, municipal judge, city manager, city attorney, city secretary and members of various boards and commissions. The mayor and six councilmembers are elected at large; however, four council positions have residency requirements.

According to the city's most recent comprehensive annual financial report, the city's various funds had $180.5 million in revenues, $162.7 million in expenditures, $546.5 million in total assets, $214.6 million in total liabilities, and $108.1 million in cash and investments.[6]

The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:[7]

City Department Director
City Manager Ted Barron
Deputy City Manager Carol Zolnerowich
Assistant City Manager Jerry Dittman
Fire Department Mark Kerby
Municipal Airport Cynthia Godfrey
Police Department Derek Rohde
Parks and Recreation Cliff Keheley
Community Development Richard Gertson
Arts Center Mike Templeton
Library Services Jeannie Johnson
Housing and Community Services Valerie Bradley
Communications & Marketing Wayne Larson, APR
Economic Development Thomas E. Palmer

The city maintains a police department.

The city of Mesquite 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.

State representations

The Texas Department of Transportation operates the Dallas District Office in Mesquite.[8]

Education

Public schools

Mesquite Independent School District provides primary and secondary (K-12) education to most areas of Mesquite. A small portion of Mesquite is served by Dallas Independent School District. While another small area in Kaufman County is within the Forney Independent School District, the section has no residents. Mesquite also serves an area of Balch Springs.

In addition to numerous elementary and middle schools, Mesquite is served by five high schools: Mesquite High School, North Mesquite High School, West Mesquite High School, Poteet High School, and Horn High School.

Private schools

Dallas Christian School is located in Mesquite.

Colleges and universities

Higher education is provided by three institutions. Eastfield College provides undergraduate degrees and continuing education credits as part of the Dallas County Community College District. The Texas A&M University–Commerce Mesquite Metroplex Center provides graduate-level courses and degrees in a variety of fields. Columbia College-Mesquite Campus is located on Eastfield College. It is a private, nonprofit institution that was founded in Columbia MO in 1851. It provides bachelor's and master's degree programs.

Transportation

Mesquite is served by a publicly owned and operated airport, Mesquite Metro Airport.[9] The airport includes a 6,000-foot (1,800 m) lighted runway with ILS. General aviation comprises approximately 75% of daily operations, while commercial aviation comprises the rest.[10] Mesquite Metro Airport is popular among transient aircraft due to its location near Dallas and favorable fuel prices.[11]

Two other nearby airports, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, provide regular commercial passenger service to the region. Love Field is approximately 15 miles (24 km) from Mesquite; DFW Airport is approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Mesquite.

Mesquite is not a member of Dallas Area Rapid Transit, but on April 12, 2011 The DART Board changed its policy to permit DART to contract with non-member cities for services, such as passenger rail and express service. The city and DART staffs have developed a coordinated plan to have a weekday commuter service in operation between the Hanby Stadium visitor parking lot and the DART's Green Line Lawnview Station. This route opened March 12, 2012. The city also operates its own paratransit service for elderly and disabled residents.[12]

Union Pacific Railroad operates an intermodal facility for its freight rail service as part of the Skyline Industrial Park. The recent expansion of this intermodal facility won a Silver award in the Industrial Paving Category by the American Concrete Pavement Association.[13]

Highways

Mesquite is served by three interstate highways, one US highway, and one state highway. Interstates 20, 30, and 635, US Highway 80, and Texas State Highway 352 all pass through Mesquite. Belt Line Road also passes through Mesquite and serves as a major road.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1890 135 —
1900 406 200.7%
1910 687 69.2%
1920 674 −1.9%
1930 729 8.2%
1940 1,045 43.3%
1950 1,696 62.3%
1960 27,526 1,523.0%
1970 55,131 100.3%
1980 67,053 21.6%
1990 101,484 51.3%
2000 124,523 22.7%
2010 139,824 12.3%
Est. 2014 144,416 [14] 3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

As of the 2010 Census:

  • Total population: 139,824
  • Total households: 48,390
  • Total families: 35,444
  • Population density: 3,216 people/mi2 (1,241.7/km2)
  • Housing density: 1,129.4/mi2 (435.8/mi2)
  • Racial makeup:
    • 59.0% White (41.6% non-Hispanic White)
    • 21.8% African American
    • 0.84% Native American
    • 3.24% Asian
    • 0.07% Pacific Islander
    • 3.12% two or more races
    • 31.6% Hispanic or Latino origin[3]

There were 48,390 households in the city, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were headed by married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.38.[3]

In the city 29.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.1% were 18 to 24 years old, 27.9% were 25 to 44, 23.7% were 45 to 64, and 8.6% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.3 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.[3]

As of the 2000 Census:

  • Per capita income: $20,890
  • Median household income: $30,424
  • Median family income: $36,357
  • Median income (males): $37,756
  • Median income (females): $29,905

About 5.0% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Indian Americans

Mesquite has a group of Indian Americans, mostly Kerala-origin Indian Christians.[16] Their settlement, one of the earliest of the Indian Americans in the DFW area, was influenced by proximity to Dallas-based hospitals such as Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Parkland Hospital as well as having initial low income and difficulties moving to mostly-white northern suburbs; people from Kerala have relatively dark skin, and at the time this made them potential discrimination targets.[17]

Economy

According to the City's 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[6] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees  % of Total City Employment
1 United Parcel Service Inc. 3,000 4.22%
2 Dallas Regional Medical Center 1,150 1.62%
3 City of Mesquite 1,054 1.48%
4 Sears 450 0.63%
5 Texas Dept of Transportation - Dallas District 425 0.60%
6 Baker Drywall LTD 400 0.56%
7 Dallas County Community College 400 0.56%
8 Christian Care Center 400 0.56%
9 Integra Color 383 0.54%
10 Pepsi-Cola Metro Bottling Co Inc 325 0.46%

Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods include:

  • Lawson
  • Park View
  • Edgemont Park
  • Creek Crossing
  • Creek Crossing II
  • Falcon's Lair
  • Falcon's Ridge
  • Pecan Creek
  • Rollingwood Hills
  • Skyline
  • Pasadena Gardens
  • Original Town
  • Melton
  • Tealwood
  • Northridge
  • Quail Hollow
  • Broadmoor Estates
  • Wildwood

Constructions

  • Mesquite Tower is a lattice tower of unusual design.
  • Town East Tower is the tallest inhabited building in Mesquite, standing seven stories high.

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 City of Mesquite CAFR Retrieved 2009-08-17
  7. ↑ City of Mesquite AFR Retrieved 2009-08-17
  8. ↑ "Dallas District Office." Texas Department of Transportation. Retrieved on January 11, 2010.
  9. ↑ [1] City of Mesquite web site. Access 10 September 2006
  10. ↑ [2] City of Mesquite web site. Accessed 9 September 2006
  11. ↑ [3]AirNav: Mesquite Metro Airport. Accessed 8 September 2006
  12. ↑ [4]City of Mesquite web site. Accessed 9 September 2006
  13. ↑ http://www.transystems.com/Home/News-Press/In-The-Spotlight/Archive/Mesquite-Intermodal-Facility-Expansion-Receives-Re.aspx
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. ISBN 0815779283, 9780815779285. Start p. 53. CITED: p.64.
  17. ↑ Brettell, Caroline B. '"Big D" Incorporating New Immigrants in a Sunbelt Suburban Metropolis' (Chapter 3). In: Singer, Audrey, Susan Wiley Hardwick, and Caroline Brettell. Twenty-First Century Gateways: Immigrant Incorporation in Suburban America (James A. Johnson metro series). Brookings Institution Press, 2009. ISBN 0815779283, 9780815779285. Start p. 53. CITED: p.65.
  18. ↑ Biography for John Carmack at the Internet Movie Database
  19. ↑ http://www.cedarcreekpilot.com/features/local_story_186120320.html Cedar Creek Pilot article
  20. ↑ http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3746845

External links

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