Big Sandy, Texas
Encyclopedia
Big Sandy is a town in Upshur County
, Texas
, United States
. As of the 2000 census
, the town's population was 1,288. A lake of the same name is cut nearly in half by U.S. Highway 80, the main thoroughfare of Big Sandy.
The Sabine River flows just south of Big Sandy. In the 19th century, Walters' Bluff Ferry operated on the Sabine, with passage across costing 40 cents per person and up to 75 cents for wagons.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km²), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.80%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,288 people, 532 households, and 342 families residing in the town. The population density
was 786.8 people per square mile (303.2/km²). There were 595 housing units at an average density of 363.4/sq mi (140.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.75% White, 12.89% African American, 0.39% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 2.95% from other races
, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.49% of the population.
There were 532 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,284, and the median income for a family was $34,107. Males had a median income of $26,083 versus $21,071 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,989. About 16.4% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
, Texas, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and Texas State Highway 155 in Upshur County. It was established shortly after the American Civil War
. The settlement was first known as Big Sandy Switch because a stretch of the Texas and Pacific Railroad was built through the area and eventually intersected with a narrow-gauge railroad called the Tyler Tap. A post office was followed by a newspaper, stores and churches, and by 1926 the settlement was incorporated as Big Sandy, with a population of about 850.
[WCG]) a California
-based, Sabbatarian movement headed by radio evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong
. Hammer donated a small parcel of land (less than 10 acres) to the church, which in turn built a meeting hall and began holding annual church conventions there by the middle 1950s. The church in subsequent years bought hundreds more acres adjacent to the original small area donated by Buck Hammer. Thousands of church members converged on Big Sandy and surrounding communities for the week-long Feast of Tabernacles each year, creating a significant economic impact. In the mid-1960s Armstrong developed more of the property and established a second campus of Ambassador College
, the original campus of which continued to operate at the church's headquarters facility in Pasadena
, California. The presence of the college, along with the annual convention operation, influenced hundreds of church members to relocate to Big Sandy and the surrounding area over the years. Although Ambassador ceased operations in 1997, many families once affiliated with it and the church chose to remain in the Big Sandy area.
In March 2000, the campus was sold and became the International ALERT Academy, home of the Air Land Emergency Resource Team (ALERT)
, a Christian program training young men in disaster relief and emergency services. The Academy also serves as a camp and conference center, and holds four-week summer programs for boys and girls. ALERT is affiliated with evangelical minister Bill Gothard
.
. DRG management moved the operations of both companies to Indiana, but before doing so established a new company, Strategic Fulfillment Group (SFG), on the southwest edge of Big Sandy. SFG, which handles mailing and subscription fulfillment for DRG and other clients, is now Big Sandy's and Upshur Counties largest employer.
There are many businesses in and around Big Sandy some of which are; Two Rivers Grocery, Austin Bank, Certified Electrical LLC, Sandy Center Market, Maxies Auto Lube and Tire Shop, Valero, and Dollar Store.
Lingle later drew significant criticism from Big Sandy civic leaders for designing a T-shirt and poster about the successful recapture of McFadden. All proceeds from the sales of the items went to the "We The People" group; a group dedicated to changing the parole laws for convicted murders such as McFadden (who was paroled in spite of a past marked by violence) due to overcrowding. Lingle, now retired, still lives in the Big Sandy area. McFadden was executed in October 1999 for the murder of Suzanne Denise Harrison, a teen from nearby Hawkins
.
.
The 1975 team set a then national record of 824 points scored in a season while posting a 14-0 record; this record would remain unbroken until 1994. The team included later notable NFL stars such as David Overstreet
, a former running back for the Oklahoma Sooners
and Miami Dolphins
, and Lovie Smith
, head coach of the Chicago Bears
. Other notable alumni - David Norman, former head football coach and current Athletic Director at Austin College
.
.
Upshur County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,291 people, 13,290 households, and 10,033 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile . There were 14,930 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the town's population was 1,288. A lake of the same name is cut nearly in half by U.S. Highway 80, the main thoroughfare of Big Sandy.
The Sabine River flows just south of Big Sandy. In the 19th century, Walters' Bluff Ferry operated on the Sabine, with passage across costing 40 cents per person and up to 75 cents for wagons.
Geography
Big Sandy is located at 32°35′5"N 95°6′44"W (32.584693, -95.112297).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km²), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.80%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,288 people, 532 households, and 342 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 786.8 people per square mile (303.2/km²). There were 595 housing units at an average density of 363.4/sq mi (140.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.75% White, 12.89% African American, 0.39% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 2.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.49% of the population.
There were 532 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,284, and the median income for a family was $34,107. Males had a median income of $26,083 versus $21,071 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $14,989. About 16.4% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.9% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
History
Big Sandy is located about 14 miles (22.5 km) southwest of GilmerGilmer, Texas
Gilmer is also the name of a county in West Virginia.Gilmer is a town in and the county seat of Upshur County, Texas, United States. It is best known for being the birthplace of popular music singer Johnny Mathis. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census...
, Texas, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and Texas State Highway 155 in Upshur County. It was established shortly after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The settlement was first known as Big Sandy Switch because a stretch of the Texas and Pacific Railroad was built through the area and eventually intersected with a narrow-gauge railroad called the Tyler Tap. A post office was followed by a newspaper, stores and churches, and by 1926 the settlement was incorporated as Big Sandy, with a population of about 850.
Worldwide Church of God
During the 1950s, Big Sandy became linked to a religious movement that would greatly influence the community for four decades. Local resident Buck Hammer was a member of the Radio Church of God, (which later became known as the Worldwide Church of GodWorldwide Church of God
Grace Communion International , formerly the Worldwide Church of God , is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Glendora, California, United States. Since April 3, 2009, it has used the new name Grace Communion International in the US...
[WCG]) a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based, Sabbatarian movement headed by radio evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong
Herbert W. Armstrong
Herbert W. Armstrong founded the Worldwide Church of God in the late 1930s, as well as Ambassador College in 1946, and was an early pioneer of radio and tele-evangelism, originally taking to the airwaves in the 1930s from Eugene, Oregon...
. Hammer donated a small parcel of land (less than 10 acres) to the church, which in turn built a meeting hall and began holding annual church conventions there by the middle 1950s. The church in subsequent years bought hundreds more acres adjacent to the original small area donated by Buck Hammer. Thousands of church members converged on Big Sandy and surrounding communities for the week-long Feast of Tabernacles each year, creating a significant economic impact. In the mid-1960s Armstrong developed more of the property and established a second campus of Ambassador College
Ambassador College
Ambassador College was a four-year, liberal arts college run by the Worldwide Church of God. The college was established in 1947 in Pasadena, California by radio evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong, leader of what was then the Radio Church of God, later renamed the Worldwide Church of God...
, the original campus of which continued to operate at the church's headquarters facility in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, California. The presence of the college, along with the annual convention operation, influenced hundreds of church members to relocate to Big Sandy and the surrounding area over the years. Although Ambassador ceased operations in 1997, many families once affiliated with it and the church chose to remain in the Big Sandy area.
In March 2000, the campus was sold and became the International ALERT Academy, home of the Air Land Emergency Resource Team (ALERT)
Air Land Emergency Resource Team
The Air Land Emergency Resource Team is a Christian service ministry and training organization located in Big Sandy, TX at the former campus of Ambassador College.-Training:...
, a Christian program training young men in disaster relief and emergency services. The Academy also serves as a camp and conference center, and holds four-week summer programs for boys and girls. ALERT is affiliated with evangelical minister Bill Gothard
Bill Gothard
William W. Gothard is an American Christian minister, speaker and writer, and the founder of the Institute in Basic Life Principles , notable for his ultraconservative teachings...
.
Needlecraft
In the late 1970s, local residents Jerry and Anita Gentry began a mail-order business from their home in Big Sandy and called it Annie's Attic. The business grew rapidly into a multi-million dollar enterprise, publishing magazines and catalogs for needlecraft enthusiasts. After the couple divorced in the early 1980s, Anita continued to preside over Annie's Attic, while Jerry launched a near-replicate business called The Needlecraft Shop, also in Big Sandy. By the 1990s, both businesses had been purchased in separate transactions by Dynamic Resource Group (DRG), a publishing company in Berne, IndianaBerne, Indiana
Berne is a city in Monroe and Wabash townships, Adams County, Indiana, United States, 35 miles south of Fort Wayne. The population was 4,150 at the 2000 census...
. DRG management moved the operations of both companies to Indiana, but before doing so established a new company, Strategic Fulfillment Group (SFG), on the southwest edge of Big Sandy. SFG, which handles mailing and subscription fulfillment for DRG and other clients, is now Big Sandy's and Upshur Counties largest employer.
There are many businesses in and around Big Sandy some of which are; Two Rivers Grocery, Austin Bank, Certified Electrical LLC, Sandy Center Market, Maxies Auto Lube and Tire Shop, Valero, and Dollar Store.
"Texas' Largest Manhunt"
On July 10-11, 1986, more than a thousand law enforcement officers responded to Big Sandy Chief of Police Richard Lingle's request for assistance after convicted murderer Jerry "the Animal" McFadden escaped from the Upshur County jail with jailer Rosalie Williams, the wife of a Department of Public Safety trooper, as hostage. After Upshur County authorities were unable to track down McFadden and his hostage the evening of the escape, Lingle's plea for assistance was answered by over 1000 law enforcement officers from all over the state. Officers securely cordoned off the city leaving McFadden little chance of escape, and he was recaptured and returned to jail without a shot being fired.Lingle later drew significant criticism from Big Sandy civic leaders for designing a T-shirt and poster about the successful recapture of McFadden. All proceeds from the sales of the items went to the "We The People" group; a group dedicated to changing the parole laws for convicted murders such as McFadden (who was paroled in spite of a past marked by violence) due to overcrowding. Lingle, now retired, still lives in the Big Sandy area. McFadden was executed in October 1999 for the murder of Suzanne Denise Harrison, a teen from nearby Hawkins
Hawkins, Texas
Hawkins is a city in Wood County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,331 at the 2000 census. A post office was established in Hawkins in 1873.-Geography:Hawkins is located at ....
.
Sports
The Big Sandy High School football team has won three Texas Class B state championships; 1973, 1974, and 1975. Although the state finals game in 1974 ended in a 0-0 tie (vs Celina), UIL granted both teams co-championships. In 2005, the Wildcats again reached the state 1-A finals, falling 21-20 to StratfordStratford, Texas
Stratford is a city in Sherman County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,991 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Sherman County...
.
The 1975 team set a then national record of 824 points scored in a season while posting a 14-0 record; this record would remain unbroken until 1994. The team included later notable NFL stars such as David Overstreet
David Overstreet
David Arthur Overstreet was a running back in the Canadian Football League and National Football League.A native of Big Sandy, Texas, Overstreet prepped at Big Sandy High School, where one of his teammates was Lovie Smith. Big Sandy won three consecutive Class B state championships 1973-75...
, a former running back for the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
and Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
, head coach of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Other notable alumni - David Norman, former head football coach and current Athletic Director at Austin College
Austin College
Austin College is a private liberal arts college affiliated by covenant relationship with the Presbyterian Church and located in Sherman, Texas, about 60 miles North of Dallas....
.
Education
The Town of Big Sandy is served by the Big Sandy Independent School DistrictBig Sandy Independent School District (Upshur County, Texas)
Big Sandy Independent School District is a public school district based in Big Sandy, Texas .The district is located in southwestern Upshur County and extends into a small portion of Wood County....
.