China Spring, Texas

China Spring is an unincorporated community in northwestern McLennan County, Texas, United States. It lies approximately twelve miles northwest of Waco and is part of the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area.

School

The China Spring Independent School District serves area students. China Spring is on Farm Road 1637 twelve miles northwest of Waco in northwestern McLennan County. Settlement of the area began as early as 1860, and the community was founded in 1867. It was named for a spring in a chinaberry grove. A post office was established at China Spring in May 1873 with Charles S. Eichelberger as postmaster. By the early 1880s the community had five steam cotton gins and gristmills, three general stores, a Methodist church, and 200 residents. Cotton, corn, and wool were the principal shipments from the area.

China Spring became the focus of a rural high school district in the late 1920s. Two churches, a school, and a good number of houses marked the community on topographic maps in the mid-1970s. The population for the year 2000 was reported at 4,087. The estimated median household income in 2005: $53,900 and the estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $119,100.

Texas High School Sports Recognition:

• The China Spring High School (Cougars) won their first football state championship in 1978 (Class 2A, known as 1A at the time) and were runners-up in 1979. Going into the 1979 state final game, the Cougars held Texas' longest active winning streak at 25 games and had not lost a district game since 1976.
• The China Spring Cougars won their first baseball state championship in 1987. And then also gained the title in 1989, 1993, and 2000. All state championships were won under future hall-of-famer coach James Limmer.
• China Spring was known in the 1990s for their outstanding female golf program. The Lady Cougars won State Titles in 1994, 1995, 1997 & 1998. They were runners up in 1996. They also won their district title and many regional titles throughout that period of time.
• The Lady Cougars won the state 3A High School Basketball Title in 2006.
• The Lady Cougars were also State 3A High School Volleyball State Semi-finalists in 2006 and Region III finalists in 2007
• The Cougar Football Team were State 3A Division II runner-ups in 2007. They played Celina in the State Championship game at Texas Stadium on 22 December 2007. The team was led by Mike Hicks, Dustin Eskew, Bric Walls, Toby Williams, Ryan Boutwell, Brad Cranfill & Taylor Higdon.
• The Cougar Football Team were Division I Regional Finalists in 2008. They lost to the Abilene Wylie Bulldogs at Aledo Stadium. The team consisted of the number 2 all-time receiver in the state of Texas, Mike Hicks. Other players who helped the Cougars were Brad Cranfill, Travis Veselka, Zach Davis, Mack Martinez, Jerome Lloyd, Caleb McCaig, Ryan Boutwell, and Boston Blake.
• The China Spring Cougar Band is currently under the direction of Mrs. Pam Hyatt. They have made it to their second consecutive state marching competition since Hyatt took over as head director in the 08'-09' school year.
• The Cougar Band has been to the UIL State Marching Contest in 1992, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2008, and 2010.
• The Cougar Band has also completed 21 consecutive UIL Sweepstakes receiving a Division 1 (Superior) rating in marching, concert, and sight-reading contests.

Trivia

• Ted Nugent's ranch in the community became the focus of a VH1 reality television program titled Surviving Nugent.

External links

• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: China Spring, Texas