Sweetwater, Texas
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| Sweetwater, Texas | |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Nolan |
| Area | |
| - Total | 10.0 sq mi (26.0 km²) |
| - Land | 10.0 sq mi (25.9 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 2,169 ft (661 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 11,415 |
| - Density | 1,139.4/sq mi (439.9/km²) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| - Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 79556 |
| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-71540[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1348139[2] |
Sweetwater is a city in Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Nolan County[3].
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[edit] History
At Sweetwater during World War II, the Women Airforce Service Pilots were trained under the direction of the famed aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran at the former Avenger Field. The airstrip closed abruptly at the end of the war. The women were not recognized for having served in the armed forces until 1977, when U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater of Arizona and Colonel Bruce Arnold, late son of General Hap Arnold, persisted in obtaining their official recognition as military veterans. In 1970, the field became the site of Texas State Technical College in Sweetwater.[4]
Parts of Sweetwater were devastated by tornadoes that swept through west Texas in 1986.
Sweetwater is the center of the Western Hemisphere's leading wind power generation region. It is sometimes called the "Wind Turbine Capital of Texas", which does not regulate wind power.
The Sweetwater Jaycees Rattlesnake Roundup is held annually the second week in March.[5]A similar roundup is held in Freer in Duval County in south Texas.
[edit] Geography
Sweetwater is located at (32.468147, -100.407125)[6].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.0 square miles (26.0 km²), all of it land.[citation needed]
Sweetwater is the center of the Western Hemisphere's leading wind power generation region and West Texas has more than 4,000 MW of operational wind energy. Nolan County alone would currently rank as the seventh largest "nation" in terms of wind energy generation - with more than 1,500 MW installed.[7]
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11,415 people, 4,545 households, and 3,017 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,139.4 people per square mile (439.9/km²). There were 5,202 housing units at an average density of 519.2/sq mi (200.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.29% White, 5.83% African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 15.71% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.70% of the population.
There were 4,545 households out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.7% 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 2.45 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,293, and the median income for a family was $29,953. Males had a median income of $27,722 versus $18,064 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,065. About 20.5% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.5% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
The City of Sweetwater is served by the Sweetwater Independent School District, which includes Eastridge, Southeast, JP Cowen, SIS, SMS, SHS, and Croy Lucas Memorial School for the mentally handicapped.
It is the home of the West Texas campus of the Texas State Technical College System
[edit] Notable residents
- Sammy Baugh began playing football in Sweetwater in the 1920s and had his high school jersey number retired in 2006.
- Lew Jenkins, world champion boxer, lived and trained in Sweetwater during the Great Depression.
- Professional wrestlers Blackjack Mulligan and his sons, Barry Windham and Kendall Windham, as well as John "Bradshaw" Layfield, were all born in Sweetwater.
- Birthplace of mathematician and network engineer Robert C. Prim.
- Home of trial lawyer and state legislator Temple Dickson (1934-2006), a Democrat.
- Texas Secretary of State and influential Texas Supreme Court Justice Zollie Coffer Steakley practiced law in Sweetwater during the 1930s, and his wife, Leona Ruth Butler, was a Sweetwater native.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Marina Nemir of Sweetwater, "WASP (Women's Airforce Pilots) and the Avenger Field in Sweetwater", West Texas Historical Association, annual meeting, West Texas A&M University at Canyon, April 5, 2008
- ^ The Sweetwater Jaycees' Annual Rattlesnake RoundUp - Home Page
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Composite Technology's DeWind Announces Texas Wind Turbine Demonstration Site
- ^ Zollie Coffer Steakley, Jr. & Leona Ruth Butler
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