- Denison, Texas
-
City of Denison, Texas — City — Main Street in Denison
FlagMotto: A jewel at the crossing of a great river! Location of Denison, Texas
Coordinates: 33°44′59″N 96°33′27″W / 33.74972°N 96.5575°WCoordinates: 33°44′59″N 96°33′27″W / 33.74972°N 96.5575°W Country 
United StatesState 
TexasCounty Grayson Founded 1872 Government – Type Council-Manager – City Council Mayor Robert Brady
Chris Gillespie
Obie Lee Greenleaf, Sr.
Jared Johnson
Michael Baecht
David Spindle
Jim McClure– City Manager Robert Hanna Area – City 22.9 sq mi (59.3 km2) – Land 22.6 sq mi (58.5 km2) – Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 1.40% Elevation 728 ft (222 m) Population (2009) – City 24,127 – Density 1,067.5/sq mi (412/km2) – Metro 120,030 Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6) – Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5) ZIP codes 75020-75021 Area code(s) 903 Twin Cities – Cognac 
FranceFIPS code 48-19900[1] GNIS feature ID 1379652[2] Website CityOfDenison.com Denison is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,773 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have grown to 24,127 in 2009.[3] Denison is one of two principal cities in the Sherman-Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
The city of Denison was founded in 1872 in conjunction with the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (MKT) or "Katy" depot.[4] It was named after the wealthy Ryan Greenwood vice president George Denison.[5] Because the town was established at the intersection of the MKT and the Red River (both important conduits of transportation in the industrial era), it came to be an important commercial center in the 19th century American West. In 1875 John Henry "Doc" Holliday had offices in Denison.
During the phylloxera epidemic of the mid-19th century, which destroyed the vast majority of wine grapes in Europe, Denison horticulturalist T.V. Munson pioneered methods in creating phylloxera resistant vines, and earned induction into the French Legion of Honor, as well as sister city status for Denison and Cognac, France.[6]
In 1901 the first electric "Interurban" railway in Texas, the Denison and Sherman Railway, was completed between Denison and Sherman, Texas.[7]
In 1915, the Kentucky-based evangelist Mordecai Ham held a revival meeting in Denison, which resulted in 1,100 professions of faith in Jesus Christ.[8]
Denison played host to 20th century notables such as the Marx Brothers[9] and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was born there in 1890.
Geography
Denison is located at 33°44′59″N 96°33′27″W / 33.74972°N 96.5575°W (33.749703, -96.557393).[10]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.9 square miles (59 km2), of which, 22.6 square miles (59 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (1.40%) is water.
Notable geographic features of Denison include its connection to the Red River and Lake Texoma, its position on the Texas-Oklahoma border, and its centrality to the Texoma vernacular region.
Climate
Denison's considered to be part of the humid subtropical area.
Demographics
Map of the city in 1891
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 22,773 people, 9,185 households, and 6,135 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,008.1 people per square mile (389.2/km²). There were 10,309 housing units at an average density of 456.3 per square mile (176.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.02% White, 8.62% African American, 1.67% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.23% of the population.
There were 9,185 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,474, and the median income for a family was $39,820. Males had a median income of $30,459 versus $21,451 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,685. About 11.9% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.
Media
Newspaper
Television Stations
- KTEN - Channel 10 (NBC)
- KTEN - DT Channel 10.2 (The Texoma CW)
- KTEN - Channel 10.3 (ABC Texoma)
- KXII - Channel 12 (CBS)
- KXII - DT Channel 12.2 (My Texoma)
- KXII - DT Channel 12.3 (Fox Texoma)
Education
The City of Denison is served by the Denison Independent School District. It is also home to Grayson County College, which preserves Denison's viticultural heritage with its T.V. Munson Viticulture & Enology Program.[6]
High School Football
Munson Stadium seats 5,262 people and is primarily used for American football. It is the home field of Denison High School's football and soccer teams.[11] The Denison High School football team won the 1984 Texas Class 4A State Championship by beating Tomball 27-13. They also made three straight appearances in the 1995, 1996, and 1997 Class 4A Division II State Championship games, losing each time to La Marque.[12]
They are also home to the longest high school football rivalry in Texas with Sherman High School called The Battle Of The Ax.[13]
Transportation
Denison is served by two U.S. Highways: U.S. 69 and U.S. 75 (Katy Mem. Freeway). General aviation service is provided by North Texas Regional Airport/Perrin Field. Denison is served by one 24-hour taxicab service provided locally by Yellow Cab.
Notable residents
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in Denison, and is by far the city's most notable resident. His birthplace was purchased by the city in 1946 (six years before he became President) and is now maintained as Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site. In addition, Eisenhower State Park on Lake Texoma is also named in his honor.[14]
Other notable people that were either born in or have lived in Denison include:
- Thomas Volney Munson, horticulturalist
- Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger, airline pilot[15]
- Professional football players, and brothers Aaron Hunt and Reggie Hunt play in the Canadian Football League.
- George McFarland, an actor, appeared as Spanky in 95 Our Gang films between 1932 and 1942.
- Actor John Hillerman Higgins from Magnum, P.I.
- Author and commentator Jim Hightower
- John Henry "Doc" Holliday - Gunfighter, gambler and western legend. Maintained dental practice in Denison.
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Population Finder
- ^ Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Denison, Texas"
- ^ Introductory history of Denison Texas
- ^ a b T.V. Munson Vidiculture Eunology Program
- ^ Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Electric Interurban Railways" (accessed March 31, 2007)
- ^ Jerry Hopkins of East Texas Baptist University, "Evangelist Mordecai F. Ham's West Texas Meetings, 1903-1940", paper at East Texas Historical Association and West Texas Historical Association joint meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, February 26, 2010
- ^ Marx Brothers Biography
- ^ "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.
- ^ TexasBob.com - Munson Stadium - Denison, Texas
- ^ UIL State Football Champions
- ^ Battle Of The Ax History
- ^ Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (accessed July 13, 2010)
- ^ Rivera, Ray (2009-01-16). "In a Split Second, a Pilot Becomes a Hero Years in the Making". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/nyregion/17pilot.html?hp. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
External links
- Official website
- Denison Chamber of Commerce
- Denison Arts Council
- Denison Development Alliance
- Grayson County College
- Denison Independent School District
Municipalities and communities of Grayson County, Texas Cities Denison | Gunter | Sadler | Sherman | Southmayd | Tom Bean | Van Alstyne‡ | Whitesboro
Towns Bells | Collinsville | Dorchester | Howe | Pottsboro | Tioga | Whitewright‡
Village Unincorporated
communitiesGordonville | Luella
Ghost town Preston
Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Categories:- Cities in Texas
- Populated places in Grayson County, Texas
- Populated places established in 1872
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