Friona, Texas

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Coordinates: 34°38′20″N 102°43′18″W / 34.63889, -102.72167
Friona, Texas
Location of Friona, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Parmer
Area
- Total	1.4 sq mi (3.6 km²)
- Land	1.4 sq mi (3.6 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	4,019 ft (1,225 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	3,854
- Density	2,794.8/sq mi (1,079.1/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	79035
Area code(s)	806
FIPS code	48-27660^[1]
GNIS feature ID	1357767^[2]

Friona is a city in Parmer County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,854 at the 2000 census. "Friona" means "cold" from the Spanish word "Frio".

In 2007, the Texas State Legislature declared Friona the "Cheeseburger Capital of Texas". The city began holding the "Cheeseburger Cook-Off and Festival" in 2006. ^[3]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Education
4 Notable residents
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Friona is located at 34°38′20″N, 102°43′18″W (34.638987, -102.721571)^[4].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 3,854 people, 1,271 households, and 983 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,794.8 people per square mile (1,078.3/km²). There were 1,399 housing units at an average density of 1,014.5/sq mi (391.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.47% White, 1.30% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 33.81% from other races, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.86% of the population.

There were 1,271 households out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.48.

In the city the population was spread out with 33.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,964, and the median income for a family was $36,863. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $19,299 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,635. About 14.1% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

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

The local high school mascot is the Chieftains. Its colors are red and white.

The junior high school football team is known as the Braves.

[edit] Notable residents

Baker Eldon "Red Dog" Duggins (February 28, 1925 - February 26, 2007) was an educator, coach, junior high school principal, and high school counselor for the Friona Independent School District from 1955 until his retirement in 1985. A native of Cordell, Oklahoma, Duggins was a United States Marine during World War II, having won the Purple Heart. He was named Friona's "Man of the Year" in 1964, when his high school girls basketball team won the state championship with a 35-0 record.

Watson Whaley (December 3, 1909 - May 17, 2008) had until his death been the oldest living graduate of Friona High School, Class of 1929. A native of Hollene in Curry County, New Mexico, Whaley was a farmer and owned a construction company which did concrete work on grain elevators. He and his late wife, the former Alice Louise Wiley (1920-1982), were involved with the Girl Scouts of America and built the Girl Scout hut in Friona. He was survived by two daughters and is interred at Friona Cemetery.^[5]