Shamrock, Texas

Infobox Settlement
official_name =Shamrock, Texas
settlement_type =City
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =


image_



mapsize =250px
map_caption =Location in the state of Texas


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type =Country
subdivision_name =United States
subdivision_type1 =State
subdivision_name1 =Texas
subdivision_type2 =County
subdivision_name2 =Wheeler
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = First Settled
established_date = 1890
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = 1911
unit_pref =Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 =5.4
area_land_km2 =5.4
area_water_km2 =0.0
area_total_sq_mi =2.1
area_land_sq_mi =2.1
area_water_sq_mi =0.0
population_as_of =2000
population_footnotes =
population_total =2029
population_density_km2 =378.3
population_density_sq_mi =979.7
timezone =Central (CST)
utc_offset =-6
timezone_DST =CDT
utc_offset_DST =-5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m =714
elevation_ft =2343
latd = 35 |latm = 13 |lats = 2 |latNS = N
longd = 100 |longm = 14 |longs = 50 |longEW = W
postal_code_type =ZIP code
postal_code =79079
area_code =806
blank_name =FIPS code
blank_info =48-67160GR|2
blank1_name =GNIS feature ID
blank1_info =1368050GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Shamrock is a city in Wheeler County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,029. The city is located in the eastern portion of the Texas Panhandle centered along the crossroads of Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 83. It is 110 miles east of Amarillo, 188 miles west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and 291 miles north-west of Dallas. [cite web |url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Shamrock-Texas.html |title=Shamrock, Texas Detailed Profile |publisher=City-Data.com |accessdate=2008-03-21 ]

History

Located in south central Wheeler County, Shamrock was the largest town in the county in the late 1800s. It was given its name by an Irish immigrant, George Nickel, who wanted to open a post office in the town in 1890. Though his post office was never opened, Mary Jones ran her own post office, also with the name Shamrock, for a short time. In 1902 the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway set up a station in the town, calling it "Wheeler" like the county, but changing it to the original name of Shamrock in 1903 which prompted the reopening of the Shamrock Post office. By 1907, the town was competing with the towns of Story and Benonine as trade centers.cite web |url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/hgs8.html |title=Shamrock, TX |publisher=Texas State Historical Association |work=Handbook of Texas (Online Edition) |first=H. Allen |last=Anderson |date=2008-01-18 |accessdate=2008-03-21 ]

The town continued its growth as other businesses moved into the city, including the county newspaper, which moved from Story and renamed itself from the "Wheeler County Texan" to the "Shamrock Texan", several banks, and Shamrock Cotton Oil Mill. In 1911, E. L. Woodley became the mayor of the newly incorporated city. In 1926, the discovery of oil and the operation of natural gas wells by Shamrock Gas Company helped spur the city's continuing growth. A decline in the oil industry caused the population to drop in the 1940s, but it rebounded in the next decade with the improvement of Route 66. By the 1980s, the town was home to an established modern school system, a chemical plant, oil and gas processing plants, and a hospital.

At its peak, in 1930, Shamrock had a population of 3,778. Despite some rebounds, the city population continues to fluctuate, hovering in the low 2000s. According to the 2000 census, the city population has dropped to its lowest recorded point with 2,029 residents.

Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.fact|date=April 2008

Infobox Weather
single_line=Yes
location = PAGENAME
Jan_Hi_°F =48 |Jan_REC_Hi_°F =
Feb_Hi_°F =54 |Feb_REC_Hi_°F =
Mar_Hi_°F =62 |Mar_REC_Hi_°F =
Apr_Hi_°F =72 |Apr_REC_Hi_°F =
May_Hi_°F =79 |May_REC_Hi_°F =
Jun_Hi_°F =88 |Jun_REC_Hi_°F =
Jul_Hi_°F =93 |Jul_REC_Hi_°F =
Aug_Hi_°F =92 |Aug_REC_Hi_°F =
Sep_Hi_°F =84 |Sep_REC_Hi_°F =
Oct_Hi_°F =73 |Oct_REC_Hi_°F =
Nov_Hi_°F =59 |Nov_REC_Hi_°F =
Dec_Hi_°F =50 |Dec_REC_Hi_°F =

Jan_Lo_°F =23 |Jan_REC_Lo_°F =
Feb_Lo_°F =27 |Feb_REC_Lo_°F =
Mar_Lo_°F =35 |Mar_REC_Lo_°F =
Apr_Lo_°F =44 |Apr_REC_Lo_°F =
May_Lo_°F =54 |May_REC_Lo_°F =
Jun_Lo_°F =64 |Jun_REC_Lo_°F =
Jul_Lo_°F =68 |Jul_REC_Lo_°F =
Aug_Lo_°F =67 |Aug_REC_Lo_°F =
Sep_Lo_°F =59 |Sep_REC_Lo_°F =
Oct_Lo_°F =47 |Oct_REC_Lo_°F =
Nov_Lo_°F =34 |Nov_REC_Lo_°F =
Dec_Lo_°F =26 |Dec_REC_Lo_°F =

Jan_Precip_inch =0.56
Feb_Precip_inch =0.84
Mar_Precip_inch =1.88
Apr_Precip_inch =2.19
May_Precip_inch =3.92
Jun_Precip_inch =3.74
Jul_Precip_inch =2.17
Aug_Precip_inch =2.27
Sep_Precip_inch =2.83
Oct_Precip_inch =1.92
Nov_Precip_inch =1.17
Dec_Precip_inch =0.83

source =weather.com cite web
url=http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/USTX1249 |title=Monthly Averages for Shamrock, TX | publisher=Weather.com |accessdate=2008-04-14 ]
accessdate = 2008-04-14

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,029 people, 852 households, and 550 families residing in the city.GR|2 The population density was 979.7 people per square mile (378.5/km²). There were 1,072 housing units at an average density of 517.6/sq mi (200.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.26% White, 4.83% African American, 1.38% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 5.91% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.41% of the population.

There were 852 households out of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,776, and the median income for a family was $33,542. Males had a median income of $24,688 versus $16,944 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,724. About 22.7% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.7% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

U-Drop Inn

In 1936, the U-Drop Inn was built at the corner of the U.S. Route 83 and the now historic Route 66.cite book |title=Route 66 Remembered |first=Michael |last=Witzel |publisher=Motorbooks International |location=Osceola, Wisconsin |date=2003-04-28 |isbn=0-760-31498-5 |oclc=51234105 |pages=p. 79 |chapter=Chapter 2: Filling Circumstances: Highway Pump and Circumstance | |accessdate=2008-03-22 ] At the time of opening, the U-Drop was the only café within convert|100|mi|km of Shamrock, enjoying brisk business and becoming a successful establishment.cite book |title=Route 66, Lost & Found: Ruins and Relics Revisited |first=Russel Olsen |last=Witzel |publisher=Motorbooks International |location=Osceola, Wisconsin |date=2004-05-01 |isbn=0-760-31854-9 |oclc=55482301 |pages=p. 84 |chapter=Texas | |accessdate=2008-03-27 ] Once considered a beautiful and impressive example of Route 66 architecture in Texas, the U-Drop Inn fell into disrepair with the decommissioning of Route 66.cite journal |title=Roadside Renewal |first=Thomas J. |last=Degrood |publisher=Texas Society of Architects |journal=Texas Architect |accessdate=2008-03-22 |volume=55 |issue=4 |year=2005 |month=July/August |pages=pp. 42–43] cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3194639&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312 |title=Route 66 Motels an Endangered Species |first=Justin |last=Juozapavicius |publisher=ABC News |date=2007-05-02 |accessdate=2008-03-22 ] Referred to as "one of the most impressive examples" of Route 66 architecture by the Texas Historical Commission, [cite journal |url=http://www.thc.state.tx.us/medallionmag/medallionPDFs/MD03-04.pdf |format=pdf |title=The Mother Road: Nostalgia Drives Visitors to Experience Route 66 in the Texas Panhandle |first=Andy |last=Rhodes |publisher=Texas Historical Commission |journal=The Medallion |accessdate=2008-03-22 |volume=March–April 2004 |year=2004 |pages=pp. 10–13 ] the U-Drop Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.cite web |url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/tx/Wheeler/state.html |publisher=National Register of Historic Places |title=Texas - Wheeler County |accessdate=2008-03-22 ] In May 1999, the First National Bank of Shamrock purchased the now closed U-Drop Inn and gifted it to the city of Shamrock.cite news |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/texasneighbors/stories/DN-regnotes_0302tra.ART.State.Edition1.4683d5b.html |title=Shamrock celebrates St. Patrick's Day in the Panhandle |publisher=Dallas Morning News |date=2008-03-04 |accessdate=2008-03-22 ] With a $1.7 million federal grant, the city was able to hire a firm specializing in historical renovation to restore the building to its original glory and adapt it into a museum, visitors' center, gift shop, and the city's chamber of commerce.cite web |url=http://www.mockturtlepress.com/texas/drive66east.html |title=Drive 66 (East): Old Route 66 Association of Texas |publisher=Mock Turtle Press and Old Route 66 Association of Texas |accessdate=2008-03-22 ] cite web |url=http://www.architexas.com/pdfs/historic_preservation/tower_station_and_u_drop_inn.pdf |format=pdf |title=Tower Station and U-Drop Inn |publisher=Architexas |accessdate=2008-03-22 ] The revived U-Drop Inn was featured in the 2006 animated film "Cars" as the inspiration for the fictional Ramone's body shop. [cite web |url=http://www.legendsofamerica.com/PicturePages/66ShamrockUDropInn-2.html |title=Shamrock Texas U-Drop Inn |publisher=Legends of America |accessdate=2008-03-22 ]

Education

The City of Shamrock is served by the Shamrock Independent School District.

Infrastructure

Major highways

* U.S. Route 66
* Interstate 40
* U.S. Route 83

References

External links

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